Monitoring the Session

HB 4462

Harless Outside Counsel Bill Covers Only Counties Over 3.3 Million

Did not pass

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Rep. Sam HarlessRHouse 126
Why it's charged
Bracket bill

THE TEXT

“a county that has a population of more than 3.3”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The new county authority is limited to counties above 3.3 million people, which aims the bill at a very small number of places. The caption only says "certain counties" and does not show how narrow the bill is.

Bracket bill

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to authorizing certain counties to contract for outside legal counsel in certain situations.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Official thinks the county attorney may have a conflict? The official picks outside lawyers.

The bill lets a county commissioners court hire outside lawyers, picked by a county official, when that official or their staff is sued or needs legal help over official duties and the official reasonably believes the county attorney may have a conflict of interest. Through a population bracket, it applies only to counties with more than 3.3 million people. The outside lawyers cannot settle without approval from both the official and the commissioners court, the county auditor can audit the payments, and the county attorney is barred from working on those contracts.

Labels

Labels: STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the House Intergovernmental Affairs committee 9-2 on Apr 30, 2025. Placed on the General State Calendar on May 13, 2025. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4462 · 2025-03-11

SOLD BY

Rep. Sam HarlessRHouse 126

ITEM

relating to authorizing certain counties to contract for outside legal counsel in certain situations.

WHAT IT DOES

Official thinks the county attorney may have a conflict? The official picks outside lawyers.

The bill lets a county commissioners court hire outside lawyers, picked by a county official, when that official or their staff is sued or needs legal help over official duties and the official reasonably believes the county attorney may have a conflict of interest. Through a population bracket, it applies only to counties with more than 3.3 million people. The outside lawyers cannot settle without approval from both the official and the commissioners court, the county auditor can audit the payments, and the county attorney is barred from working on those contracts.

CHARGES

[x] BRACKET BILLanalysis confidence 65%

THE TEXT

“a county that has a population of more than 3.3”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The new county authority is limited to counties above 3.3 million people, which aims the bill at a very small number of places. The caption only says "certain counties" and does not show how narrow the bill is.

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 18, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to s/c on County & Regional Government by Speaker
  4. Scheduled for public hearing in s/c on . . .
  5. Considered by s/c in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
  7. Left pending in subcommittee
  8. Recalled from subcommittee
  9. Considered in formal meeting
  10. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  11. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  12. Committee report distributed
  13. Committee report sent to Calendars
  14. Considered in Calendars
  15. Placed on General State Calendar
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Sam Harless

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$28KTexas REALTORS Political Action Committee$15KFRANK STILLEY$10,000

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 · Jul 2, 2024 to Aug 19, 2025. 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$27,500.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$27,500.00

Cash
$27,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$27,500.00

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 · Sep 12, 2024 to Jun 23, 2025. 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: 100982685, 101007085.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$15,000.00

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$15,000.00

Cash
$15,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$15,000.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 2, 2024 to Jun 23, 2025. 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: 100982685, 101007085.

FRANK STILLEY$10,000.00
Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$27,500.00

Cash
$27,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$27,500.00

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 · Sep 12, 2024 to Jun 23, 2025. 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: 100982685, 101007085.

×

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$15,000.00

Cash
$15,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$15,000.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 2, 2024 to Jun 23, 2025. 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: 100982685, 101007085.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses12
For
11
Against
1
On
0
Names

For

  • Harris County Constable Precinct 51 registration
  • Harris County Precinct 3 Constables1 registration
  • Houston Region Business Coalition1 registration
  • Self2 registrations
  • Self; Harris County Constable Pct 31 registration
  • Self; Harris County Constable Precinct 71 registration
  • Self; Harris County Constables Office PCT 41 registration
  • Self; Harris County Constables Office Pct 41 registration
  • Self; Harris County Precinct 8 Constable1 registration
  • Self; Houston Police Officers’ Union1 registration

Against

  • Office of the Harris County Attorney Christian D Menefee1 registration
Sources

12 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

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 18, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

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

05/13/2025 H Placed on General State Calendar

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Intergovernmental Affairs · Committee vote 9 aye, 2 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

County Government--Employees/Officers

Lawyers

State Agencies, Boards & Commissions

Text

The text as introduced · 421 words

89R13680 BCH-D

By: Harless
H.B. No. 4462

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to authorizing certain counties to contract for outside

legal counsel in certain situations.

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

SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter D, Chapter 2254,

Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER D. OUTSIDE LEGAL SERVICES FOR STATE AGENCIES AND CERTAIN

COUNTIES

SECTION 2. Section 2254.152, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 2254.152. APPLICABILITY. (a) This subchapter applies

only to:

(1) a state agency; and

(2) a county that has a population of more than 3.3

million.

(b) This subchapter does not apply to a contingent fee

contract for legal services.

SECTION 3. The heading to Section 2254.153, Government

Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 2254.153. CONTRACTS FOR LEGAL SERVICES FOR STATE

AGENCIES AUTHORIZED.

SECTION 4. The heading to Section 2254.154, Government

Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 2254.154. ATTORNEY GENERAL REQUIREMENT

FOR [ ; ] COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT FOR STATE AGENCIES .

SECTION 5. Subchapter D, Chapter 2254, Government Code, is

amended by adding Section 2254.155 to read as follows:

Sec. 2254.155. CONTRACTS FOR LEGAL SERVICES FOR CERTAIN

COUNTIES AUTHORIZED IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS. (a) Notwithstanding

any other law, the commissioners court of a county may contract for

outside legal services from counsel selected by a county official

if the official or the official's staff are subject to a civil

action or otherwise require legal counsel related to the discharge

of official duties in a situation in which the official reasonably

believes the county attorney may have a conflict of interest.

(b) Outside legal counsel providing services under this

section may not settle or compromise any action against a county

official or the official's staff without the approval of the

official and the commissioners court of the county.

(c) The commissioners court of the county shall authorize

payment for legal services provided by outside legal counsel under

Subsection (b). Any payments authorized by the commissioners court

for outside legal services are subject to audit by the county

auditor.

(d) Notwithstanding any other law, the county attorney may

not provide legal services related to a contract entered into under

this section.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.