HB 5446

tax ballots must say “THIS IS A TAX INCREASE”

Companion SB 1025 became law

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

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 text of ballot propositions that increase taxes.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Same font size. Plus the amount or maximum rate.

The bill changes the ballot wording rules for any proposition asking voters to impose or raise a tax. Such propositions must state the amount or maximum rate and include the capitalized statement "THIS IS A TAX INCREASE" in the same font size, while tax-reduction propositions must state the reduction amount or rate. It applies to elections ordered on or after September 1, 2025, so local governments and other entities putting tax measures on the ballot will have to print the new warning.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB5446 · 2025-03-14

SOLD BY

Rep. Ellen TroxclairRHouse 19

Rep. Carl H. TepperRHouse 84

Rep. Hillary HicklandRHouse 55

+ 2 more authors

ITEM

relating to the text of ballot propositions that increase taxes.

WHAT IT DOES

Same font size. Plus the amount or maximum rate.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · April 26, 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

Mar 14, 2025Filed
Apr 7, 2025Read first time
Apr 7, 2025Referred to Ways & Means
Apr 21, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 21, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 21, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Apr 21, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 21, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 24, 2025Considered in formal meeting
Apr 24, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Apr 24, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
Apr 29, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
Apr 29, 2025Committee report distributed
Apr 30, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 2, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 6, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 7, 2025Companion considered in lieu of SB 1025
May 7, 2025Laid on the table subject to call

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Ellen Troxclair

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$100K Texans for Lawsuit Reform PC$10K Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$5K

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 29, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$100,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$100,000.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $100,000.00

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 · Jul 14, 2025 to Feb 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: 101031227, 101040659.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PC$10,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PC

$10,000.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $10,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Oct 2, 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 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: 101072162.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$5,083.34

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$5,083.34

Cash: $5,000.00
Paid by others: $83.34
Total: $5,083.34

advertising $83.34

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 · Dec 12, 2024 to Sep 25, 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: 100982032, 101031227, 101072162.

Money

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

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$100,000.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $100,000.00

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 · Jul 14, 2025 to Feb 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: 101031227, 101040659.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PC

$10,000.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $10,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Oct 2, 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 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: 101072162.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$5,083.34

Cash: $5,000.00
Paid by others: $83.34
Total: $5,083.34

advertising $83.34

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 · Dec 12, 2024 to Sep 25, 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: 100982032, 101031227, 101072162.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses8

For: 6
Against: 2
On: 0

Names

For

NFIB1 registration
Self; Americans for prosperity1 registration
Self; The LIBRE Initiative1 registration
Texas Public Policy Foundation1 registration
Texas Realtors1 registration
Texas Taxpayers and Research Association - (TTARA)1 registration

Against

City of Irving, Texas1 registration
Self1 registration

Sources

8 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 H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · April 26, 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 I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 14, 2025

05/07/2025 H Laid on the table subject to call

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Ways & Means · Committee vote 13 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Companion

SB 1025 by Bettencourt (identical)

Subjects

Elections--General

Taxation--Property-Tax Rate

Text

The text as introduced · 242 words

89R1903 PRL-D

By: Troxclair
H.B. No. 5446

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the text of ballot propositions that increase taxes.

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

SECTION 1. Section 52.072(e), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(e) In addition to any other requirement imposed by law for

a proposition, including a provision prescribing the proposition

language, a proposition submitted to the voters for approval of the

imposition, increase, or reduction of a tax shall , except as

otherwise required by this subsection, be printed in mixed-case

typewritten letters and [ specifically state ], as applicable:

(1) with respect to a proposition that only seeks

voter approval of the imposition or increase of a tax :

(A) state [ , ] the amount of or maximum tax rate of

the tax or tax increase for which approval is sought; and

(B) include, in capital typewritten letters of

the same font size as the rest of the proposition, the statement

"THIS IS A TAX INCREASE"; or

(2) with respect to a proposition that only seeks

voter approval of the reduction of a tax, state the amount of tax

rate reduction or the tax rate for which approval is sought.

SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to

an election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.