Monitoring the Session

HB 4738

Geren’s bill ending a loan fee cut for the comptroller

Became law, effective Jan 1, 2026

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Charlie GerenRHouse 99

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 the elimination of the portion of the Loan Administration Fee remitted to the comptroller.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

One dollar or fifty cents per loan stops going to the comptroller.

The bill deletes the lines in the Finance Code that let part of each consumer loan administrative fee, one dollar on some loans and fifty cents on others, be sent to the comptroller to pay for a finance commission duty. It touches consumer lenders who charge these fees and the finance commission program that the remitted money supported. The fee caps borrowers pay stay the same, but starting January 1, 2026, lenders keep the whole fee and no part of it goes to the state.

Labels

Labels: CROSS-PARTY HANDOFF. Lead author Charlie Geren (R) in the House. Lead sponsor Judith Zaffirini (D) in the Senate. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4738 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

ITEM

relating to the elimination of the portion of the Loan Administration Fee remitted to the comptroller.

WHAT IT DOES

One dollar or fifty cents per loan stops going to the comptroller.

The bill deletes the lines in the Finance Code that let part of each consumer loan administrative fee, one dollar on some loans and fifty cents on others, be sent to the comptroller to pay for a finance commission duty. It touches consumer lenders who charge these fees and the finance commission program that the remitted money supported. The fee caps borrowers pay stay the same, but starting January 1, 2026, lenders keep the whole fee and no part of it goes to the state.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 13, 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 Pensions, Investments & Financial Services
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  7. Left pending in committee
  8. Considered in formal meeting
  9. Recommended to be sent to Local & Consent
  10. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  11. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  12. Committee report distributed
  13. Comm. report sent to Local & Consent Calendar
  14. Considered in Local & Consent Calendars
  15. Transferred to Calendars Committee
  16. Committee report sent to Calendars
  17. Considered in Calendars
  18. Placed on General State Calendar
  19. Read 2nd time
  20. Passed to engrossment
  21. Record vote RV#929
  22. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  23. Read 3rd time
  24. Passed
  25. Record vote RV#1063
  26. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  27. Reported engrossed
  28. Received from the House
  29. Read first time
  30. Referred to Finance
  31. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  32. Considered in public hearing
  33. Vote taken in committee
  34. Reported favorably w/o amendments
  35. Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
  36. Committee report printed and distributed
  37. Placed on local & uncontested calendar
  38. Laid before the Senate
  39. Read 2nd time & passed to 3rd reading
  40. Vote recorded in Journal
  41. Three day rule suspended
  42. Record vote
  43. Read 3rd time
  44. Passed
  45. Record vote
  46. Senate passage reported
  47. Reported enrolled
  48. Signed in the House
  49. Signed in the Senate
  50. Sent to the Governor
  51. Signed by the Governor
  52. Effective on 1/1/26
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 133 yea · 0 nay

Senate · 31 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · Apr 30, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · May 25, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$100KJon & Rebecca Brumley$50,000Michael Gallagher$40,000

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 · Nov 5, 2024 to Oct 24, 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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$100,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$100,000.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$100,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 26, 2025 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.

Report IDs: 101004598, 101020024, 101055554, 101067438, 101071413.

Jon & Rebecca Brumley$50,000.00
Michael Gallagher$40,000.00
Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$100,000.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$100,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 26, 2025 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.

Report IDs: 101004598, 101020024, 101055554, 101067438, 101071413.

Votes5

Senate May 25, 2025

Final passage

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to third reading, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records final passage. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Sources

HB 4738 (Zaffirini) Relating to the elimination of the remittance of a portion of certain loan administration fees to the comptroller. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate May 25, 2025

Suspension of the three-day rule

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to third reading, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records suspension of the three-day rule. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Sources

HB 4738 (Zaffirini) Relating to the elimination of the remittance of a portion of certain loan administration fees to the comptroller. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate May 25, 2025

Passage to third reading

Yea
Not printed
Nay
Not printed
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to third reading, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records passage to third reading. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

HB 4738 (Zaffirini) Relating to the elimination of the remittance of a portion of certain loan administration fees to the comptroller. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)

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

  • Yea: Not printed
  • Nay: Not printed
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

House Apr 30, 2025

Yea
133
Nay
0
Present, not voting
2
Absent
3
Excused
12
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 1063

HB 4738 was passed by (Record 1063): 133 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 133 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 12 (derived from named list)

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

House Apr 29, 2025

Yea
146
Nay
0
Present, not voting
2
Absent
2
Excused
0
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 929

HB 4738 was passed to engrossment by (Record 929): 146 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 146 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses3
For
1
Against
0
On
2
Names

For

  • Self1 registration

On

  • Comptroller of Public Accounts2 registrations
Sources

3 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.

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

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 13, 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 13, 2025

06/20/2025 E Effective on 1/1/26

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed · Senate Committee Report · Enrolled

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

Sponsors

House committee · Pensions, Investments & Financial Services · Committee vote 6 aye, 0 nay, 3 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Finance · Committee vote 15 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

Fees & Other Nontax Revenue--State

State Finances--Management & Control

LOANS

COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

Text

The text as introduced · 360 words

By: Geren
H.B. No. 4738

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the elimination of the portion of the Loan

Administration Fee remitted to the comptroller.

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

SECTION 1. Section 342.201(f), Finance Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(f) A loan contract under this subchapter may provide for an

administrative fee in an amount not to exceed $25 for a loan of more

than $1,000 or $20 for a loan of $1,000 or less. The administrative

fee is considered earned when the loan is made or refinanced and is

not subject to refund. An administrative fee is not interest. A

lender refinancing the loan may not contract for or receive an

administrative fee for the loan more than once in any 180-day

period, except that if the loan has an interest charge authorized by

Subsection (e) the lender may not contract for or receive the

administrative fee more than once in any 365-day period. [ One

dollar of each administrative fee may be deposited with the

comptroller for use in carrying out the finance commission's

responsibilities under Section 11.3055. ]

SECTION 2. Section 342.308(c), Finance Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(c) An administrative fee under Subsection (a)(9) is

considered earned when the loan is made or refinanced and is not

subject to refund. A lender refinancing the loan may not contract

for or receive an administrative fee for the loan more than once in

any 180-day period. [ Fifty cents of each administrative fee may be

deposited with the comptroller for use in carrying out the finance

commission's responsibilities under Section 11.3055. ]

SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act does not

affect tax liability accruing before the effective date of this

Act. That liability continues in effect as if this article had not

been enacted, and the former law is continued in effect for the

collection of taxes due and for civil and criminal enforcement of

the liability for those taxes.

SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE OF ARTICLE. Except as otherwise

provided by this article, this article takes effect January 1,

2026.