HB 517: bill barring HOA fines for brown grass during drought

Caption

relating to the authority of a property owners' association to assess a fine for discolored vegetation or turf during a period of residential watering restriction.

Caption from analyzed text · version E.

Summary

Watering restriction in place, no fine for discolored turf.

The bill bars a property owners' association from fining a homeowner for brown or discolored grass or plants while a city or water supplier has a drought watering restriction in place. It touches homeowners in associations, the associations that enforce lawn rules, and the cities and water suppliers whose drought restrictions trigger the protection. On the ground, homeowners cannot be fined for a brown lawn during a drought watering restriction or for 60 days after it is lifted, starting September 1, 2025.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB517 · 2024-11-12

SOLD BY

Rep. Caroline Harris DavilaRHouse 52

Rep. Carrie IsaacRHouse 73

Rep. Ellen TroxclairRHouse 19

+ 2 more authors, 5 coauthors

ITEM

relating to the authority of a property owners' association to assess a fine for discolored vegetation or turf during a period of residential watering restriction.

WHAT IT DOES

Watering restriction in place, no fine for discolored turf.

The bill bars a property owners' association from fining a homeowner for brown or discolored grass or plants while a city or water supplier has a drought watering restriction in place. It touches homeowners in associations, the associations that enforce lawn rules, and the cities and water suppliers whose drought restrictions trigger the protection. On the ground, homeowners cannot be fined for a brown lawn during a drought watering restriction or for 60 days after it is lifted, starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 1, 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

Nov 12, 2024Filed
Mar 3, 2025Read first time
Mar 3, 2025Referred to Trade, Workforce & Economic Development
Mar 19, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Mar 19, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 19, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Mar 19, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Mar 19, 2025Left pending in committee
Mar 26, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 26, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Mar 26, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
Apr 1, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
Apr 1, 2025Committee report distributed
Apr 2, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
Apr 17, 2025Considered in Calendars
Apr 23, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
Apr 23, 2025Read 2nd time
Apr 23, 2025Amended 1-Troxclair
Apr 23, 2025Record vote RV#438
Apr 23, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
Apr 23, 2025Amended 2-Isaac
Apr 23, 2025Record vote RV#439
Apr 23, 2025Passed to engrossment as amended
Apr 23, 2025Record vote RV#440
Apr 24, 2025Read 3rd time
Apr 24, 2025Passed
Apr 24, 2025Record vote RV#482
Apr 24, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
Apr 24, 2025Reported engrossed
Apr 24, 2025Received from the House
Apr 28, 2025Read first time
Apr 28, 2025Referred to Business & Commerce
May 1, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 1, 2025Vote taken in committee
May 5, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendments
May 5, 2025Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
May 5, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
May 9, 2025Placed on intent calendar
May 12, 2025Co-sponsor authorized
May 12, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
May 12, 2025Read 2nd time & passed to 3rd reading
May 12, 2025Vote recorded in Journal
May 12, 2025Three day rule suspended
May 12, 2025Record vote
May 12, 2025Read 3rd time
May 12, 2025Passed
May 12, 2025Record vote
May 12, 2025Senate passage reported
May 13, 2025Reported enrolled
May 13, 2025Signed in the House
May 14, 2025Signed in the Senate
May 14, 2025Sent to the Governor
May 26, 2025Signed by the Governor
May 26, 2025Effective on 9/1/25

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 143 yea · 1 nay

Senate · 30 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · Apr 24, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · May 12, 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

Caroline Harris Davila

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$961K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$739K Court Reform Action for Familes Texas PAC$75K

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 27, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$960,552.08

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$960,552.08

Cash: $85,000.00
Paid by others: $875,552.08
Total: $960,552.08

advertising $595,238.00mail $237,770.40polling $42,460.35fundraiser $83.33

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 23, 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: 101008087, 101031516, 101035818, 101040655, 101057099, 101067933, 101070037.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$739,102.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$739,102.00

Cash: $200,000.00
Paid by others: $539,102.00
Total: $739,102.00

canvassing $430,352.00advertising $100,000.00polling $8,750.00

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 · Sep 8, 2026 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: 101067933, 101070037.

Court Reform Action for Familes Texas PAC$75,000.00

Court Reform Action for Familes Texas PAC

$75,000.00

Cash: $75,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $75,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Oct 6, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 6, 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: 101070037.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$960,552.08

Cash: $85,000.00
Paid by others: $875,552.08
Total: $960,552.08

advertising $595,238.00mail $237,770.40polling $42,460.35fundraiser $83.33

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 23, 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: 101008087, 101031516, 101035818, 101040655, 101057099, 101067933, 101070037.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$739,102.00

Cash: $200,000.00
Paid by others: $539,102.00
Total: $739,102.00

canvassing $430,352.00advertising $100,000.00polling $8,750.00

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 · Sep 8, 2026 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: 101067933, 101070037.

×

Court Reform Action for Familes Texas PAC

$75,000.00

Cash: $75,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $75,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Oct 6, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 6, 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: 101070037.

Votes7

Senate May 12, 2025

Yea: 30
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: 1

Names

GutierrezExcused

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

Senate journal

Names were not printed for yea. Only the named positions are included in member records.

Sources

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. (Same as previous roll call)

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

Yea: 30 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

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

Senate May 12, 2025

Yea: 30
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: 1

Names

GutierrezExcused

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

Senate journal

Names were not printed for yea. Only the named positions are included in member records.

Sources

Senator Schwertner moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that HB 517 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.

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

Yea: 30 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

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

Senate May 12, 2025

Yea: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: 1

Names

GutierrezExcused

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

Senate journal

Names were not printed for yea. Only the named positions are included in member records.

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

Sources

The bill was read second time and was passed to third reading by a viva voce vote.

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: 1 (derived from named list)

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

House Apr 24, 2025

Yea: 143
Nay: 1
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 3
Excused: 1

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 482

HB 517 was passed by (Record 482): 143 Yeas, 1 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 143 (published)
Nay: 1 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

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

House Apr 23, 2025

Yea: 147
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 2
Excused: 0

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 440

CSHB 517, as amended, was passed to engrossment by (Record 440): 147 Yeas, 0 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 147 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

House Apr 23, 2025

Yea: 147
Nay: 1
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 1
Excused: 0

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 439

Amendment No. 2 was adopted by (Record 439): 147 Yeas, 1 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 147 (published)
Nay: 1 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 1 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

House Apr 23, 2025

Yea: 145
Nay: 2
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 2
Excused: 0

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 438

Amendment No. 1 was adopted by (Record 438): 145 Yeas, 2 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 145 (published)
Nay: 2 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses16

For: 14
Against: 0
On: 2

Names

For

City of Corpus Christi1 registration
City of Garland1 registration
City of Georgetown1 registration
City of San Antonio1 registration
Lone Star Chapter Sierra Club1 registration
Lower Colorado River Authority1 registration
North Tx Municipal Water District1 registration
Self2 registrations
Self; Central Texas Water Coalition1 registration
Texas Association of Builders1 registration
Texas Farm Bureau1 registration
Texas Municipal League1 registration
Texas REALTORS1 registration

On

Self; Community Associations Institute Texas Legislative Action Committee1 registration
Texas Community Association Advocates (TCCA)1 registration

Sources

16 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 1, 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 Nov 12, 2024

05/26/2025 E Effective on 9/1/25

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.

Coauthors

Salman BhojaniDHouse 92

Aicha DavisDHouse 109

Lulu FloresDHouse 51

Vikki GoodwinDHouse 47

Joanne ShofnerRHouse 11

Companion

SB 542 by Schwertner (identical)

HB 359 by Goodwin (duplicate)

Subjects

Environment--Water

Property Interests--Property Owners Association

Utilities--Water & Sewer

Water--Conservation (I097L)

RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS

Text

The text as introduced · 224 words

89R1958 CS-D

By: Harris Davila
H.B. No. 517

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of a property owners' association to

assess a fine for discolored vegetation or turf during a period of

residential watering restriction.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 202, Property Code, is amended by adding

Section 202.008 to read as follows:

Sec. 202.008. LIMITATION ON FINES DURING RESIDENTIAL WATER

RESTRICTION. (a) For the purposes of this section, "residential

watering restriction" means a temporary restriction of water use to

irrigate residential vegetation or turf that is mandated by a

municipality, water utility, or other wholesale or retail water

supplier as part of a strategy to conserve water during a period of

drought.

(b) A property owners' association may not assess a fine

against a property owner for a violation of an applicable

restrictive covenant that requires the owner to maintain green

vegetation or turf or prohibits discolored or brown vegetation or

turf on the property:

(1) during a period when the owner's property is

subject to a residential watering restriction under which

discolored or brown vegetation or turf could reasonably result; and

(2) for a reasonable period of time after a

residential watering restriction described by Subdivision (1) is

lifted.

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

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

Court Reform Action for Familes Texas PAC

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

Court Reform Action for Familes Texas PAC

Senate May 12, 2025

Senate May 12, 2025

Senate May 12, 2025

House Apr 24, 2025

House Apr 23, 2025

House Apr 23, 2025

House Apr 23, 2025

For

On

Companion