Monitoring the Session

HB 5437

Austin County Municipal Utility District No. 1 gets validated

Became law

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Stan KitzmanRHouse 85

Initial review · graded Oct 22, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the validation of the creation of and certain acts of the Austin County Municipal Utility District No. 1.

Caption from analyzed text · version E.

Summary

The November 2, 2021 election and its bonds and taxes count.

The bill declares that the creation of the Austin County Municipal Utility District No. 1, and its past acts, are legally valid. That covers the temporary directors' orders, the November 2, 2021 election, and the voter-approved water, sewer, drainage and road bonds and property taxes, but not anything already in pending litigation or struck down by a court. On the ground, the district can move forward with issuing the bonds and levying the taxes its voters approved, without doubts about how it was set up.

Labels

Labels: NO AUTOGRAPH. Became law without the governor's signature on Jun 20, 2025.INSTANT LAW. Took effect immediately, on Jun 20, 2025. 833 of the 1,185 graded 89R laws took effect Sep 1, 2025 (derived from the bill histories, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB5437 · 2025-03-14

SOLD BY

ITEM

relating to the validation of the creation of and certain acts of the Austin County Municipal Utility District No. 1.

WHAT IT DOES

The November 2, 2021 election and its bonds and taxes count.

The bill declares that the creation of the Austin County Municipal Utility District No. 1, and its past acts, are legally valid. That covers the temporary directors' orders, the November 2, 2021 election, and the voter-approved water, sewer, drainage and road bonds and property taxes, but not anything already in pending litigation or struck down by a court. On the ground, the district can move forward with issuing the bonds and levying the taxes its voters approved, without doubts about how it was set up.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 21, 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

  1. Filed
  2. Transmitted to the Governor
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Land & Resource Management
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Recommendations filed with the Speaker
  10. Considered in public hearing
  11. Recommended to be sent to Local & Consent
  12. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  13. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  14. Committee report distributed
  15. Comm. report sent to Local & Consent Calendar
  16. Considered in Local & Consent Calendars
  17. Placed on Local, Consent, and Res. Calendar
  18. Read 2nd time
  19. Passed to engrossment
  20. Nonrecord vote recorded in Journal
  21. Read 3rd time
  22. Passed
  23. Record vote RV#1573
  24. Nonrecord vote recorded in Journal
  25. Reported engrossed
  26. Received from the House
  27. Read first time
  28. Referred to Local Government
  29. Posting rule suspended
  30. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  31. Considered in public hearing
  32. Vote taken in committee
  33. Reported favorably w/o amendments
  34. Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
  35. Committee report printed and distributed
  36. Placed on local & uncontested calendar
  37. Placed on intent calendar
  38. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  39. Record vote
  40. Read 2nd time & passed to 3rd reading
  41. Record vote
  42. Three day rule suspended
  43. Record vote
  44. Read 3rd time
  45. Passed
  46. Record vote
  47. Senate passage reported
  48. Reported enrolled
  49. Signed in the House
  50. Signed in the Senate
  51. Sent to the Governor
  52. Filed without the Governor's signature
  53. Effective immediately
FILED UNDER

DEBT AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS

THE TEXT

…“approving the issuance of water, sewage, drainage, and road bonds and the imposition of ad valorem taxes”

Bill text, engrossed version (E)

The bill validates a MUD's past election approving bonds and property taxes so the district can issue that debt.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 104 yea · 44 nay

Senate · 27 yea · 4 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 7, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · May 28, 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

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 · Sep 12, 2024 to Mar 31, 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$379,106.03

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$379,106.03

Cash
$80,000.00
Paid by others
$299,106.03
Total
$379,106.03
advertising $207,065.75mail $59,366.28postage $23,324.00polling $9,100.00fundraiser $250.00

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.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 20, 2024 to Mar 3, 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: 100987005, 101009650, 101030501, 101036694, 101039989, 101060343.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$184,927.23

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$184,927.23

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$184,927.23
Total
$184,927.23
mail $105,296.00canvassing $35,000.00Other filed descriptions $24,666.67texting $11,846.56advertising $8,118.00

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 · Feb 2, 2026 to Mar 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: 101039989, 101060343.

Dustin Burrows Campaign$181,250.00

Dustin Burrows Campaign

$181,250.00

Cash
$80,000.00
Paid by others
$101,250.00
Total
$181,250.00
media $50,000.00digital $38,400.00polling $9,800.00Other filed descriptions $3,050.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 1, 2025 to Mar 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: 101030501, 101036694, 101039989, 101060343.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$379,106.03

Cash
$80,000.00
Paid by others
$299,106.03
Total
$379,106.03
advertising $207,065.75mail $59,366.28postage $23,324.00polling $9,100.00fundraiser $250.00

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.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 20, 2024 to Mar 3, 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: 100987005, 101009650, 101030501, 101036694, 101039989, 101060343.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$184,927.23

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$184,927.23
Total
$184,927.23
mail $105,296.00canvassing $35,000.00Other filed descriptions $24,666.67texting $11,846.56advertising $8,118.00

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 · Feb 2, 2026 to Mar 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: 101039989, 101060343.

×

Dustin Burrows Campaign

$181,250.00

Cash
$80,000.00
Paid by others
$101,250.00
Total
$181,250.00
media $50,000.00digital $38,400.00polling $9,800.00Other filed descriptions $3,050.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 1, 2025 to Mar 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: 101030501, 101036694, 101039989, 101060343.

Votes5

Senate May 28, 2025

Yea
27
Nay
4
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 27, Nays 4.

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

  • Yea: 27 (published)
  • Nay: 4 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Senate May 28, 2025

Yea
26
Nay
5
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Kolkhorst moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that HB 5437 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 26, Nays 5.

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

  • Yea: 26 (published)
  • Nay: 5 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Senate May 28, 2025

Yea
27
Nay
4
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

The bill was read second time and was passed to third reading by the following vote: Yeas 27, Nays 4.

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

  • Yea: 27 (published)
  • Nay: 4 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Senate May 28, 2025

Yea
26
Nay
5
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Kolkhorst moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration HB 5437 at this time on its second reading: HB 5437, Relating to the validation of the creation of and certain acts of the Austin County Municipal Utility District No. 1. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 26, Nays 5.

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

  • Yea: 26 (published)
  • Nay: 5 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

House May 7, 2025

Yea
104
Nay
44
Present, not voting
2
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 1573

HB 5437 (Alders, Ashby, Barry, Bonnen, Buckley, Bumgarner, Cain, Capriglione, Cook, Cunningham, Curry, Dean, Fairly, Harris, Harris Davila, Harrison, Hefner, Holt, Hopper, Isaac, Lambert, Leo Wilson, Little, Lowe, Luther, Money, Noble, Olcott, Patterson, Pierson, Richardson, Schatzline, Schoolcraft, Shofner, Slawson, Spiller, Swanson, Tinderholt, Toth, Troxclair, Vasut, Villalobos, Wharton, and Wilson - no) (104 - 44 - 2) (Virdell requested to be recorded voting no after the deadline established by Rule 5, Section 52, of the House Rules.)

Shared roll motion

The following bills which were considered on second reading on the previous legislative day on the local, consent, and resolutions calendar were laid before the house, read third time, and passed by the following record vote (members registering votes and the results of the vote are shown following the bill number). (Record 1573): 148 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 104 (published)
  • Nay: 44 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses1
For
1
Against
0
On
0
Names

For

  • Coats Rose PC1 registration
Sources

1 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 significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 21, 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 Mar 14, 2025

06/20/2025 E Effective immediately

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.

Sponsors

House committee · Land & Resource Management · Committee vote 7 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Local Government · Committee vote 6 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

AUSTIN COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NO. 1 (DG8E1)

Special Districts & Authorities--Municipal Utility Districts

Special Districts & Authorities--Water & Utility

Text

The text as introduced · 494 words

89R8965 SCR-F

By: Kitzman
H.B. No. 5437

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the validation of the creation of and certain acts of

the Austin County Municipal Utility District No. 1.

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

SECTION 1. (a) The creation of the Austin County Municipal

Utility District No. 1 and all acts and proceedings related to the

creation of the district, effective as of the date on which the

creation or related acts or proceedings occurred, are validated and

confirmed in all respects, including:

(1) any act or proceeding of the temporary directors

of the Austin County Municipal Utility District No. 1 appointed by

or under Section 7913A.0202, Special District Local Laws Code,

taken not more than five years before the effective date of this

Act, including an order calling for an election to confirm and

establish the district, to elect permanent directors, and to

approve the issuance of bonds and the imposition of ad valorem

taxes;

(2) all orders canvassing and declaring results of the

district election held on November 2, 2021, including confirming

the creation and establishment of the district, electing five

permanent directors, and approving the issuance of water, sewage,

drainage, and road bonds and the imposition of ad valorem taxes; and

(3) each proposition passed at the district election

held on November 2, 2021.

(b) This section does not apply to:

(1) an act, proceeding, director, other official,

bond, or other obligation the validity of which or of whom is the

subject of litigation that is pending on the effective date of this

Act; or

(2) an act or proceeding that has been held invalid by

a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.

SECTION 2. (a) The legal notice of the intention to

introduce this Act, setting forth the general substance of this

Act, has been published as provided by law, and the notice and a

copy of this Act have been furnished to all persons, agencies,

officials, or entities to which they are required to be furnished

under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, and Chapter 313,

Government Code.

(b) The governor, one of the required recipients, has

submitted the notice and Act to the Texas Commission on

Environmental Quality.

(c) The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has filed

its recommendations relating to this Act with the governor, the

lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of

representatives within the required time.

(d) All requirements of the constitution and laws of this

state and the rules and procedures of the legislature with respect

to the notice, introduction, and passage of this Act are fulfilled

and accomplished.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.