HB 4314

‘Certain Preferences’ Ban Protects One Industry, Fossil Fuel Energy

Did not pass

Verdict: Smells

SmellsReviewed

Rep. Cecil Bell Jr.RHouse 3

Why it's charged

Carve-out

THE TEXT

“is a company that engages in the exploration, production, use, transportation, sale, or manufacturing of fossil fuel-based energy”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption speaks of 'certain preferences' in general, but the only protection the text creates is for one industry, fossil fuel energy, and the businesses tied to it.

Carve-out

Reviewed · Nov 1, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to prohibiting certain preferences in a political subdivision contractor selection process.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Local governments can’t disqualify a vendor for working in, or with, fossil fuel energy.

The bill bars cities, counties and other local governments from disqualifying a vendor in contractor selection because the vendor works in fossil fuel energy. It also protects vendors that invest in, help or do business with fossil fuel companies. Starting September 1, 2025, new local contracting processes cannot shut out these vendors over their energy ties.

Labels

Labels: STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the House Intergovernmental Affairs committee 7-3 on Apr 28, 2025. Never placed on a calendar. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4314 · 2025-03-11

SOLD BY

Rep. Cecil Bell Jr.RHouse 3

ITEM

relating to prohibiting certain preferences in a political subdivision contractor selection process.

WHAT IT DOES

Local governments can’t disqualify a vendor for working in, or with, fossil fuel energy.

CHARGES

[x] CARVE-OUTanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

“is a company that engages in the exploration, production, use, transportation, sale, or manufacturing of fossil fuel-based energy”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption speaks of 'certain preferences' in general, but the only protection the text creates is for one industry, fossil fuel energy, and the businesses tied to it.

TOTAL

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($1,727,395)

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version H · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · May 1, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB4314, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($3,153,916) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027.

First year · FY 2026 · ($1,727,395)

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Mar 11, 2025Filed
Apr 1, 2025Read first time
Apr 1, 2025Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs
Apr 8, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 8, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 8, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Apr 8, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 8, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 28, 2025Considered in formal meeting
Apr 28, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Apr 28, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
May 1, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 1, 2025Committee report distributed
May 2, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Cecil Bell Jr.

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$303K DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN$84K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$84K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Aug 30, 2024 to Apr 2, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$303,416.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$303,416.00

Cash: $77,500.00
Paid by others: $225,916.00
Total: $303,416.00

mail $151,916.00advertising $57,250.00polling $16,750.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 14, 2024 to Mar 3, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101012348, 101016762, 101032999, 101036177, 101041213, 101061435.

DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN$84,000.00

DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN

$84,000.00

Cash: $75,000.00
Paid by others: $9,000.00
Total: $84,000.00

polling $9,000.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 29, 2025 to Jan 27, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101032999, 101036177, 101041213.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$83,505.68

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$83,505.68

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $83,505.68
Total: $83,505.68

canvassing $50,000.00Other filed descriptions $24,666.67polling $7,750.00texting $1,089.01

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Feb 9, 2026 to Mar 3, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101041213, 101061435.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$303,416.00

Cash: $77,500.00
Paid by others: $225,916.00
Total: $303,416.00

mail $151,916.00advertising $57,250.00polling $16,750.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 14, 2024 to Mar 3, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101012348, 101016762, 101032999, 101036177, 101041213, 101061435.

DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN

$84,000.00

Cash: $75,000.00
Paid by others: $9,000.00
Total: $84,000.00

polling $9,000.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 29, 2025 to Jan 27, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101032999, 101036177, 101041213.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$83,505.68

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $83,505.68
Total: $83,505.68

canvassing $50,000.00Other filed descriptions $24,666.67polling $7,750.00texting $1,089.01

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Feb 9, 2026 to Mar 3, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101041213, 101061435.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses4

For: 3
Against: 1
On: 0

Names

For

Self2 registrations
Texas Public Policy Foundation1 registration

Against

Self1 registration

Sources

4 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($1,727,395)

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version H · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · May 1, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB4314, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($3,153,916) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027.

First year · FY 2026 · ($1,727,395)

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 11, 2025

05/02/2025 H Committee report sent to Calendars

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report

Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 3:12 PM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Intergovernmental Affairs · Committee vote 7 aye, 3 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Companion

SB 2236 by Bettencourt (identical)

Subjects

Oil & Gas

Political Subdivisions

Purchasing--Local

State Agencies, Boards & Commissions

CONTRACTORS & SUBCONTRACTORS

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Text

The text as introduced · 208 words

89R8417 DRS-D

By: Bell of Montgomery
H.B. No. 4314

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to prohibiting certain preferences in a political

subdivision contractor selection process.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 271, Local Government

Code, is amended by adding Section 271.909 to read as follows:

Sec. 271.909. CERTAIN CONTRACTING PREFERENCES PROHIBITED.

(a) In this section, "company" means a sole proprietorship,

organization, association, corporation, partnership, joint

venture, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or

limited liability company, including a wholly owned subsidiary,

majority-owned subsidiary, parent company, or affiliate of those

entities or business associations, that exists to make a profit.

(b) Notwithstanding any other law, a political subdivision

may not disqualify in any way a vendor in a contractor selection

process because the vendor:

(1) is a company that engages in the exploration,

production, use, transportation, sale, or manufacturing of fossil

fuel-based energy; or

(2) invests in, assists in, or does business with a

company described by Subdivision (1).

SECTION 2. Section 271.909, Local Government Code, as added

by this Act, applies only to a contractor selection process

initiated on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.