Monitoring the Session

HB 5142

bill letting DSHS lease Austin State Hospital land cheap

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Donna HowardDHouse 48

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 authority of the Department of State Health Services to lease certain real property.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Below market rate, no bidding. Mental health services only.

The bill lets the state health department lease unused land or buildings on the Austin State Hospital campus for less than market rate, with no advertising and no competitive bidding. It reaches only leases to a unit of local government that will use the property for mental health services, including jail diversion. On the ground, a city or county could get below-market use of idle state hospital property for mental health programs, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 13, 2025 and referred to the House Public Health committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB5142 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Rep. Donna HowardDHouse 48

ITEM

relating to the authority of the Department of State Health Services to lease certain real property.

WHAT IT DOES

Below market rate, no bidding. Mental health services only.

The bill lets the state health department lease unused land or buildings on the Austin State Hospital campus for less than market rate, with no advertising and no competitive bidding. It reaches only leases to a unit of local government that will use the property for mental health services, including jail diversion. On the ground, a city or county could get below-market use of idle state hospital property for mental health programs, starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Public Health
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Donna Howard

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15KTexas Association of Nurse Anesthetists Political Action Committee$8KHDCC Incumbent Protection Fund$7K

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 28, 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$15,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

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

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 · Dec 10, 2024 to Oct 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.

Report IDs: 100985297, 101031291, 101059636, 101070104.

Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists Political Action Committee$7,500.00

Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists Political Action Committee

$7,500.00

Cash
$7,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$7,500.00

Also funds 38 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 19, 2024 to Oct 5, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 to Sep 12, 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: 100985297, 101069647.

HDCC Incumbent Protection Fund$7,000.00

HDCC Incumbent Protection Fund

$7,000.00

Cash
$7,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$7,000.00

Also funds 8 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Aug 22, 2025 to May 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on May 21, 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: 101059636.

Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

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

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 · Dec 10, 2024 to Oct 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.

Report IDs: 100985297, 101031291, 101059636, 101070104.

×

Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists Political Action Committee

$7,500.00

Cash
$7,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$7,500.00

Also funds 38 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 19, 2024 to Oct 5, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 to Sep 12, 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: 100985297, 101069647.

×

HDCC Incumbent Protection Fund

$7,000.00

Cash
$7,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$7,000.00

Also funds 8 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Aug 22, 2025 to May 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on May 21, 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: 101059636.

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 13, 2025

04/07/2025 H Referred to Public Health: Apr 7 2025 5:28PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

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

House committee · Public Health · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 2720 by Perry (identical)

Subjects

Mental Health & Substance Abuse

Property Interests--Real Property

Public Lands, Buildings & Resources

STATE HEALTH SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF

Text

The text as introduced · 171 words

89R16170 RAL-D

By: Howard
H.B. No. 5142

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of the Department of State Health

Services to lease certain real property.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 533, Health and Safety

Code, is amended by adding Section 533.088 to read as follows:

Sec. 533.088. LEASE OF REAL PROPERTY ON AUSTIN STATE

HOSPITAL CAMPUS. Notwithstanding Section 533.084 or 533.087 or any

other law, the department, in coordination with the executive

commissioner, may lease real property or an improvement on the

Austin State Hospital campus for less than the prevailing market

rate, without advertisement or competitive bidding, if:

(1) the executive commissioner determines the real

property or improvement is not being used by the department; and

(2) the real property or improvement:

(A) will be used to provide mental health

services, including jail diversion services; and

(B) is leased to a unit of local government.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.