Monitoring the Session

HB 4582

Housing Bill Lets Cities Repay Only Chapter 1201 Developers

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Rep. Keith BellRHouse 4
All 3 charges, and why
Pitch: Corporate welfare

ACTUALLY

…“may reimburse the developer's infrastructure costs described by Section 396.003”…

Bill text, engrossed version (E)

Local governments can send property-tax-capped payback money to developers of one housing product class for up to 10 years.

Pitch: Corporate welfare
Carve-out

THE TEXT

…“unit governed by Chapter 1201, Occupations Code.”

Bill text, engrossed version (E)

The benefit is limited to developments of one housing product class, units governed by Chapter 1201. The pitch talks about attainable housing in general.

Carve-out
Bracket bill

THE TEXT

“a county with a population greater than 2.5 million but less than 4 million”

Bill text, engrossed version (E)

The population bracket aims the chapter at one large county, its larger neighbors and their cities. The caption does admit it covers only certain municipalities and counties.

Bracket bill

Initial review · graded Oct 22, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to reimbursement of infrastructure costs incurred by a developer of certain housing developments by certain municipalities and counties.

Caption from analyzed text · version E.

Summary

The statement of intent calls it “attainable housing.” A population bracket aims it at one large county.

The bill lets cities and counties in and around one large-county bracket pay developers back for water, sewer, power, broadband and road costs on developments of at least 50 homes. The only homes that qualify are units governed by Chapter 1201 of the Occupations Code, and the developer must also meet size, utility, covenant and offer-to-veterans-first-responders-teachers conditions. Paybacks are optional for the local government, are capped each year at the property taxes the developer paid on the land, and end when costs are repaid or after 10 years.

Labels

Labels: ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 4 Republicans, 1 Democrat. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 12, 2025. Died in the Senate: left pending in the Local Government committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4582 · 2025-03-12

SOLD BY

+ 2 more authors, 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to reimbursement of infrastructure costs incurred by a developer of certain housing developments by certain municipalities and counties.

WHAT IT DOES

The statement of intent calls it “attainable housing.” A population bracket aims it at one large county.

The bill lets cities and counties in and around one large-county bracket pay developers back for water, sewer, power, broadband and road costs on developments of at least 50 homes. The only homes that qualify are units governed by Chapter 1201 of the Occupations Code, and the developer must also meet size, utility, covenant and offer-to-veterans-first-responders-teachers conditions. Paybacks are optional for the local government, are capped each year at the property taxes the developer paid on the land, and end when costs are repaid or after 10 years.

CHARGES

[x] PITCH: CORPORATE WELFARE

ACTUALLY

…“may reimburse the developer's infrastructure costs described by Section 396.003”…

Bill text, engrossed version (E)

Local governments can send property-tax-capped payback money to developers of one housing product class for up to 10 years.

[x] CARVE-OUTanalysis confidence 65%

THE TEXT

…“unit governed by Chapter 1201, Occupations Code.”

Bill text, engrossed version (E)

The benefit is limited to developments of one housing product class, units governed by Chapter 1201. The pitch talks about attainable housing in general.

[x] BRACKET BILLanalysis confidence 60%

THE TEXT

“a county with a population greater than 2.5 million but less than 4 million”

Bill text, engrossed version (E)

The population bracket aims the chapter at one large county, its larger neighbors and their cities. The caption does admit it covers only certain municipalities and counties.

TOTAL

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 25, 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 Land & Resource Management
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Committee substitute considered in committee
  7. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in formal meeting
  10. Committee substitute considered in committee
  11. Reported favorably as substituted
  12. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  13. Committee report distributed
  14. Committee report sent to Calendars
  15. Considered in Calendars
  16. Placed on General State Calendar
  17. Read 2nd time
  18. Passed to engrossment
  19. Record vote RV#2108
  20. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  21. Read 3rd time
  22. Passed
  23. Record vote RV#2144
  24. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  25. Reported engrossed
  26. Received from the House
  27. Read first time
  28. Referred to Local Government
  29. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  30. Considered in public hearing
  31. Testimony taken in committee
  32. Left pending in committee
FILED UNDER

CORPORATE WELFARE

THE TEXT

…“may reimburse the developer's infrastructure costs described by Section 396.003”…

Bill text, engrossed version (E)

Local governments can send property-tax-capped payback money to developers of one housing product class for up to 10 years.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 102 yea · 42 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 12, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Donors

Josh Stevens$50,000Carla Enna$50,000Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$35K

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 · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 23, 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.

Josh Stevens$50,000.00
Carla Enna$50,000.00
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$35,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$35,000.00

Cash
$35,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$35,000.00

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 · Jun 30, 2025 to Sep 4, 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: 101007782, 101027129, 101068150.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$35,000.00

Cash
$35,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$35,000.00

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 · Jun 30, 2025 to Sep 4, 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: 101007782, 101027129, 101068150.

Votes2

House May 12, 2025

Yea
102
Nay
42
Present, not voting
1
Absent
2
Excused
3
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 2144

HB 4582 was passed by (Record 2144): 102 Yeas, 42 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 102 (published)
  • Nay: 42 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 1 (published)
  • Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

House May 10, 2025

Yea
88
Nay
34
Present, not voting
2
Absent
4
Excused
22
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 2108

CSHB 4582 was passed to engrossment by (Record 2108): 88 Yeas, 34 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 88 (published)
  • Nay: 34 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 22 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses7
For
3
Against
3
On
1
Names

For

  • Self1 registration
  • Texas Association of Builders1 registration
  • Texas Manufactured Housing Association1 registration

Against

  • Bexar County Commissioners Court1 registration
  • City of Dallas1 registration
  • El Paso County1 registration

On

  • Director, Tarrant County Government Relations1 registration
Sources

7 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 fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 25, 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 E by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 12, 2025

05/26/2025 S Left pending in committee

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

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

Coauthors
Sponsors

House committee · Land & Resource Management · Committee vote 6 aye, 0 nay, 3 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Local Government · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

City Government--General

County Government--General

Housing--General

Text

The text as introduced · 902 words

By: Bell of Kaufman
H.B. No. 4582

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to reimbursement of infrastructure costs incurred by a

developer of certain housing developments by certain

municipalities and counties.

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

SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Title 12, Local Government Code, is

amended by adding Chapter 396 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 396. ATTAINABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR

CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES

Sec. 396.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Attainable housing development" means a

residential development consisting of at least seven acres that is

developed or renovated to provide at least 50 single-family offsite

residences.

(2) "Infrastructure" means:

(A) a facility for water, wastewater,

electricity, or another utility; and

(B) a street, road, highway, or bridge.

(3) "Single-family offsite residence" means a housing

unit governed by Chapter 1201, Occupations Code.

Sec. 396.002. APPLICABILITY OF CHAPTER. This chapter

applies only to:

(1) a county with a population greater than 2.5

million but less than 4 million;

(2) a county with a population greater than 190,000

that is adjacent to a county described by Subdivision (1); and

(3) a municipality wholly or partly located in a

county described by Subdivision (1) or (2).

Sec. 396.003. ELIGIBILITY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE COST

REIMBURSEMENT. (a) A developer is eligible for reimbursement

under this chapter for a cost incurred to build infrastructure

related to an attainable housing development if:

(1) the developer directly or indirectly incurred the

cost of building or financing the construction, maintenance, or

renovation of the infrastructure or connection of the

infrastructure to the development;

(2) a municipality or county would have built or

financed the infrastructure had the infrastructure not been built

by the developer;

(3) at least 80 percent of the lots in the development

accommodate a single-family offsite residence that is at least

1,000 square feet in area;

(4) the development is connected to:

(A) a public water system; and

(B) a sewer system as defined by Section 26.001,

Water Code;

(5) the development is governed by a property owners'

association agreement or land lease agreement that includes

restrictive covenants relating to the maintenance of the common

areas and grounds of the development and enforcement of community

regulations;

(6) the developer offers units in the development to

veterans or active duty members of the military, first responders,

or employees of a school district; and

(7) the developer complies with Federal Housing

Administration tenant site lease protections required by:

(A) a municipality in which the development is

wholly or partly located; and

(B) a county in which the development is located

if the development is wholly or partly located in the

unincorporated area of the county.

(b) Costs that may be reimbursed under this chapter include:

(1) financing costs;

(2) installation, maintenance, or renovation costs;

and

(3) costs to connect to existing infrastructure.

Sec. 396.004. NOTICE OF REIMBURSEMENT. (a) A developer

eligible under Section 396.003 must provide written notice of

reimbursement under this chapter to:

(1) a municipality in which the development is wholly

or partly located; and

(2) a county in which the development is located if the

development is wholly or partly located in the unincorporated area

of the county.

(b) The notice must include:

(1) an itemized list of the infrastructure costs

described by Section 396.003 incurred by the developer; and

(2) proof of payment for each infrastructure cost

incurred by the developer.

Sec. 396.005. REIMBURSEMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS. (a)

A municipality or county receiving notice under Section 396.004

from a developer eligible under Section 396.003 shall reimburse the

developer's infrastructure costs described by Section 396.003 in

accordance with this section.

(b) The amount of reimbursement paid to a developer under

this chapter in a tax year may not exceed the amount of property

taxes assessed by the municipality or county and paid by the

developer for that tax year on the property on which the attainable

housing development for which the developer seeks reimbursement is

located. A county's liability for reimbursement under this chapter

is limited to the property taxes assessed by the county on and paid

by the developer for the property located in the unincorporated

area of the county.

(c) A developer eligible under Section 396.003 is entitled

to reimbursement under this chapter until the earlier of:

(1) the date on which the total reimbursement paid by a

municipality or county under this chapter is equal to the total

infrastructure costs described by Section 396.003 incurred by the

developer for the attainable housing development; or

(2) the 10th anniversary of the date the developer

first receives a reimbursement payment under this chapter.

(d) A municipality or county that receives notice under

Section 396.004 shall pay the initial reimbursement payment not

later than the 90th day after the date the municipality or county

receives the notice.

Sec. 396.006. ANNUAL REPORT OF REIMBURSABLE COSTS. A

developer that provided notice under Section 396.004 shall submit

an annual report to the municipality or county from which the

developer receives reimbursement that includes:

(1) an itemized list of the infrastructure costs

incurred by the developer during that year; and

(2) proof of payment for each infrastructure cost

incurred by the developer during that year.

SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to

an attainable housing development project initiated on or after the

effective date of this Act.

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