Monitoring the Session

HB 5335

Morales Water Bill Only Reaches Border Counties With 500K-Plus Cities

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Rep. Eddie MoralesDHouse 74
Why it's charged
Bracket bill

THE TEXT

“(1) contains a municipality with a population of more than 500,000; and (2) is adjacent to an international border.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

Two stacked numeric and geographic descriptors limit a Property Code section that reads statewide to the very few border counties holding a city over 500,000. The caption only says "certain tracts of land" and does not name the place.

Bracket bill

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 a seller's notice regarding the connection of water utilities to certain tracts of land.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Rent-to-own sellers must say whether the lot has water. Skip it, and the buyer can cancel.

The bill requires a seller using an executory contract (a rent-to-own style land deal) to give the buyer a written statement saying whether the lot currently has water service before the buyer signs. It covers only lots of five acres or less in a county that borders another country and contains a city of more than 500,000 people. If the seller skips the statement, the buyer can cancel the contract for any reason within seven days of getting the notice or by the date the transfer happens, whichever comes first.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 14, 2025 and referred to the House Trade, Workforce & Economic Development committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB5335 · 2025-03-14

SOLD BY

Rep. Eddie MoralesDHouse 74

ITEM

relating to a seller's notice regarding the connection of water utilities to certain tracts of land.

WHAT IT DOES

Rent-to-own sellers must say whether the lot has water. Skip it, and the buyer can cancel.

The bill requires a seller using an executory contract (a rent-to-own style land deal) to give the buyer a written statement saying whether the lot currently has water service before the buyer signs. It covers only lots of five acres or less in a county that borders another country and contains a city of more than 500,000 people. If the seller skips the statement, the buyer can cancel the contract for any reason within seven days of getting the notice or by the date the transfer happens, whichever comes first.

CHARGES

[x] BRACKET BILLanalysis confidence 70%

THE TEXT

“(1) contains a municipality with a population of more than 500,000; and (2) is adjacent to an international border.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

Two stacked numeric and geographic descriptors limit a Property Code section that reads statewide to the very few border counties holding a city over 500,000. The caption only says "certain tracts of land" and does not name the place.

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Trade, Workforce & Economic Development
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Eddie Morales

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$101KLegacy 44$100KTexas REALTORS Political Action Committee$57K

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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$101,077.16

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$101,077.16

Cash
$80,000.00
Paid by others
$21,077.16
Total
$101,077.16
mailers $21,077.16

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 · Oct 27, 2024 to Oct 1, 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: 100983216, 101059340, 101067651, 101071574.

Legacy 44$100,000.00

Legacy 44

$100,000.00

Cash
$30,000.00
Paid by others
$70,000.00
Total
$100,000.00
digital $70,000.00

Also funds 33 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 21, 2024 to Oct 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 2024 to Sep 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: 100983216, 101067651.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$56,517.22

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$56,517.22

Cash
$37,500.00
Paid by others
$19,017.22
Total
$56,517.22
mail $18,992.22grassroots $25.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 2, 2024 to Sep 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: 100983216, 101031005, 101067651.

Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$101,077.16

Cash
$80,000.00
Paid by others
$21,077.16
Total
$101,077.16
mailers $21,077.16

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 · Oct 27, 2024 to Oct 1, 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: 100983216, 101059340, 101067651, 101071574.

×

Legacy 44

$100,000.00

Cash
$30,000.00
Paid by others
$70,000.00
Total
$100,000.00
digital $70,000.00

Also funds 33 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 21, 2024 to Oct 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 2024 to Sep 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: 100983216, 101067651.

×

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$56,517.22

Cash
$37,500.00
Paid by others
$19,017.22
Total
$56,517.22
mail $18,992.22grassroots $25.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 2, 2024 to Sep 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: 100983216, 101031005, 101067651.

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 Trade, Workforce & Economic Development: 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 · Trade, Workforce & Economic Development · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 2604 by Blanco (identical)

Subjects

Property Interests--General

Utilities--Water & Sewer

Text

The text as introduced · 233 words

By: Morales of Maverick
H.B. No. 5335

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a seller's notice regarding the connection of water

utilities to certain tracts of land.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 5, Property Code, is

amended by adding Section 5.0131 to read as follows:

Sec. 5.0131. SELLER'S DISCLOSURE OF WATER SERVICE: CERTAIN

COUNTIES. (a) This section applies only to an executory contract

for the purchase of a lot that is five acres or less in a county

that:

(1) contains a municipality with a population of more

than 500,000; and

(2) is adjacent to an international border.

(b) Before an executory contract to which this section

applies is signed by the purchaser, the seller shall provide to the

purchaser a written statement that specifies whether the property

currently has water service.

(c) A statement under Subsection (b) must be printed in both

English and Spanish in 14-point bold-face type or in 14-point

capital letters.

(d) If an executory contract is entered into without the

seller providing the statement required by this section, the

purchaser may terminate the contract for any reason within the

earlier of:

(1) seven days after the date the purchaser receives

the notice; or

(2) the date the transfer occurs as provided by the

executory contract.

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