HB 4494

bill letting counties regulate residential development like subdivisions

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

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 county regulation of residential development.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

It also repeals one section without restating it.

The bill lets Texas counties regulate any land developed for people to live on in the same way they now regulate subdivisions, and it repeals one existing section of the county subdivision chapter without restating what that section said. It touches landowners and developers in unincorporated areas who build rental units, apartments, recreational vehicle parks and trailer parks, along with the county governments that review them. On the ground, county platting and subdivision rules can reach housing projects that are not traditional lot-splitting subdivisions, starting immediately with a two-thirds vote or September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 12, 2025 and referred to the House Land & Resource Management committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4494 · 2025-03-12

SOLD BY

Rep. Cecil Bell Jr.RHouse 3

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to county regulation of residential development.

WHAT IT DOES

It also repeals one section without restating it.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Mar 12, 2025Filed
Apr 3, 2025Read first time
Apr 3, 2025Referred to Land & Resource Management

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

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.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

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 12, 2025

04/03/2025 H Referred to Land & Resource Management: Apr 3 2025 12:38PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors

Steve TothRHouse 15

House committee · Land & Resource Management · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

City Government--Land Use & Zoning

County Government--Land Use & Zoning

Text

The text as introduced · 218 words

89R15807 SCL-D

By: Bell of Montgomery
H.B. No. 4494

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to county regulation of residential development.

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

SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 232, Local Government

Code, is amended to read as follows:

CHAPTER 232. COUNTY REGULATION OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

[ SUBDIVISIONS ]

SECTION 2. The heading to Subchapter A, Chapter 232, Local

Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER A. RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT [ SUBDIVISION ] PLATTING

REQUIREMENTS IN GENERAL

SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 232, Local Government

Code, is amended by adding Section 232.0011 to read as follows:

Sec. 232.0011. AUTHORITY TO REGULATE RESIDENTIAL

DEVELOPMENT. (a) In this section, "residential development" means

land developed for dwelling use. The term includes rental units,

apartments, recreational vehicle parks, and trailer parks.

(b) For purposes of this subchapter, a county may regulate a

residential development in the same manner as a subdivision.

SECTION 4. Section 232.007, Local Government Code, is

repealed.

SECTION 5. 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.