HB 5319
Harrison bill blocking repeat bond votes for five years
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
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 a political subdivision to propose for voter approval the issuance of general obligation bonds for a purpose rejected by voters at a bond election held during the preceding five years.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Voters said no? Same bond can’t come back for five years.
The bill bars a city, county, school district or other political subdivision from putting a general obligation bond proposition on the ballot if voters rejected a bond for the same purpose within the past five years. It touches every local government that borrows through voter-approved bonds, and the voters who turned those bonds down. After September 1, 2025, a failed bond cannot be re-run for the same purpose for five years, for any election ordered on or after that date.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 14, 2025 and referred to the House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB5319 · 2025-03-14
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the authority of a political subdivision to propose for voter approval the issuance of general obligation bonds for a purpose rejected by voters at a bond election held during the preceding five years.
WHAT IT DOES
Voters said no? Same bond can’t come back for five years.
The bill bars a city, county, school district or other political subdivision from putting a general obligation bond proposition on the ballot if voters rejected a bond for the same purpose within the past five years. It touches every local government that borrows through voter-approved bonds, and the voters who turned those bonds down. After September 1, 2025, a failed bond cannot be re-run for the same purpose for five years, for any election ordered on or after that date.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Services
FILED UNDER
THE TEXT
“A political subdivision may not submit a proposition to approve the issuance of general obligation bonds to the voters if the political subdivision submitted a proposition to approve the issuance of such bonds to the voters for the same purpose within the preceding five years”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill limits new local bond authority by blocking a repeat vote on a rejected bond purpose for five years.
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 · Nov 1, 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$37,500.00
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$37,500.00
- Cash
- $37,500.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $37,500.00
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 · Nov 22, 2024 to Oct 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: 101013450, 101032507, 101072627.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$37,500.00
- Cash
- $37,500.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $37,500.00
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 · Nov 22, 2024 to Oct 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: 101013450, 101032507, 101072627.
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 14, 2025
04/07/2025 H Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Services: 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 · Pensions, Investments & Financial Services · Final status: Died in committee
Companion
SB 409 by Middleton (identical)
Subjects
City Government--Finance
County Government--Finance
Political Subdivisions
Taxation--General
BONDS
Text
The text as introduced · 183 words
89R3500 MZM-D By: Harrison H.B. No. 5319 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the authority of a political subdivision to propose for voter approval the issuance of general obligation bonds for a purpose rejected by voters at a bond election held during the preceding five years. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 1253, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 1253.0015 to read as follows: Sec. 1253.0015. LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY TO PROPOSE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS. A political subdivision may not submit a proposition to approve the issuance of general obligation bonds to the voters if the political subdivision submitted a proposition to approve the issuance of such bonds to the voters for the same purpose within the preceding five years and the voters failed to approve the proposition. SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to a proposition submitted to voters for which the election was ordered on or after the effective date of this Act. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.