HB 5276
Curry Bill Saves Money For Property Tax Relief, Starting 2027
Died in committee
Verdict: Smells
Both charges, and why
Delayed start
The Act takes effect September 1, 2025, but the comptroller's duty to set money aside does not apply until the state fiscal year beginning September 1, 2027. That start lands after the next general election day, so no money is dedicated before voters next go to the polls.
Delayed startNew fee, fund, board or appointees
THE TEXT
…“amount determined under Subdivision (1) to the credit of an account”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill creates a new account in the general revenue fund to hold the set-aside money. The caption openly describes a dedication, so this is an honest and mild instance.
New fee, fund, board or appointeesInitial review · graded Oct 21, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to the dedication of certain state money for ad valorem tax relief.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Equal to federal border security repayments. Nothing requires the legislature to spend any of it!
Each state fiscal year the comptroller must add up what the federal government repaid Texas for border security costs in the prior year and move an equal amount of state general revenue into a separate account. The legislature may spend that account only on property tax relief, but nothing in the bill requires it to spend any of it. The set-aside does not begin until the state fiscal year starting September 1, 2027, even though the Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 14, 2025 and referred to the House Appropriations committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB5276 · 2025-03-14
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the dedication of certain state money for ad valorem tax relief.
WHAT IT DOES
Equal to federal border security repayments. Nothing requires the legislature to spend any of it!
Each state fiscal year the comptroller must add up what the federal government repaid Texas for border security costs in the prior year and move an equal amount of state general revenue into a separate account. The legislature may spend that account only on property tax relief, but nothing in the bill requires it to spend any of it. The set-aside does not begin until the state fiscal year starting September 1, 2027, even though the Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
CHARGES
[x] DELAYED STARTanalysis confidence 75%
The Act takes effect September 1, 2025, but the comptroller's duty to set money aside does not apply until the state fiscal year beginning September 1, 2027. That start lands after the next general election day, so no money is dedicated before voters next go to the polls.
[x] NEW FEE, FUND, BOARD OR APPOINTEESanalysis confidence 45%
THE TEXT
…“amount determined under Subdivision (1) to the credit of an account”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill creates a new account in the general revenue fund to hold the set-aside money. The caption openly describes a dedication, so this is an honest and mild instance.
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Appropriations
FILED UNDER
PROPERTY TAX RELIEF THAT ISN'T
THE TEXT
…“be appropriated by the legislature only to provide ad valorem tax”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill parks money under a property tax relief label but says only that it may be spent on relief, requires no actual spending, and does not start the set-aside until the fiscal year beginning September 1, 2027.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
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.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$192,192.00
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$192,192.00
- Cash
- $65,000.00
- Paid by others
- $127,192.00
- Total
- $192,192.00
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jun 24, 2025 to Sep 17, 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: 101010834, 101033425, 101040992, 101069649.
Texas Sands PAC$37,000.00
Texas Sands PAC
$37,000.00
- Cash
- $37,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $37,000.00
Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 9, 2024 to Oct 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: 101012342, 101040992, 101072660.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$192,192.00
- Cash
- $65,000.00
- Paid by others
- $127,192.00
- Total
- $192,192.00
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jun 24, 2025 to Sep 17, 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: 101010834, 101033425, 101040992, 101069649.
Texas Sands PAC
$37,000.00
- Cash
- $37,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $37,000.00
Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 9, 2024 to Oct 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: 101012342, 101040992, 101072660.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
How this was graded
Adversarial review by claude-fable-5-1 at high effort: Smells.
Analysis of text version I by claude-fable-5-1, Oct 21, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas House · Filed Mar 14, 2025
04/07/2025 H Referred to Appropriations: Apr 7 2025 5:28PM
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Appropriations · Final status: Died in committee
Companion
SB 403 by Middleton (identical)
Subjects
Education--Primary & Secondary--Finance
State Finances--Management & Control
Taxation--School District
FEDERAL RELATIONS
COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS
Text
The text as introduced · 209 words
89R1325 KJE-D By: Curry H.B. No. 5276 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the dedication of certain state money for ad valorem tax relief. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter G, Chapter 403, Government Code, is amended to read as follows: SUBCHAPTER G. FUNDS AND REVENUE DEDICATIONS SECTION 2. Subchapter G, Chapter 403, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 403.108 to read as follows: Sec. 403.108. DEDICATION OF CERTAIN STATE MONEY FOR AD VALOREM TAX RELIEF. (a) Not later than the 90th day of each state fiscal year, the comptroller shall: (1) determine the amount of money received from the federal government by this state during the preceding state fiscal year as reimbursement for border security costs incurred by this state; and (2) deposit an amount of general revenue equal to the amount determined under Subdivision (1) to the credit of an account in the general revenue fund. (b) Money in the account described by Subsection (a)(2) may be appropriated by the legislature only to provide ad valorem tax relief. SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the state fiscal year beginning September 1, 2027. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.