HB 5582

Water Projects Follow Design-Build Rules ‘To The Extent Practicable’

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review

Rep. Ellen TroxclairRHouse 19

Why it's charged

The hole

THE TEXT

…“described by Subsection (a) to the extent practicable.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The normal design-build selection and contracting rules apply to the new water methods only 'to the extent practicable.' That lets an entity decide for itself which safeguards to skip, with no standard for who decides or how.

The hole

Initial review · graded Oct 19, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the design-build method for certain government construction projects.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Who decides what’s practicable? The entity itself. The 100,000-people floor goes too.

The bill lets any Texas government body use two newer design-build contract styles, fixed-price and progressive design-build, to build or repair water and wastewater systems. It also strikes the rule that limited big civil design-build contracts to entities with more than 100,000 people, and it lets a whole water or wastewater project count as one project. Smaller cities, utilities and districts across the state could now hire one firm to both design and build water projects, and the usual design-build rules would bend for these new methods where officials find them impractical.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 14, 2025 and referred to the House State Affairs committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB5582 · 2025-03-14

SOLD BY

Rep. Ellen TroxclairRHouse 19

ITEM

relating to the design-build method for certain government construction projects.

WHAT IT DOES

Who decides what’s practicable? The entity itself. The 100,000-people floor goes too.

CHARGES

[x] THE HOLEanalysis confidence 45%

THE TEXT

…“described by Subsection (a) to the extent practicable.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Mar 14, 2025Filed
Apr 7, 2025Read first time
Apr 7, 2025Referred to State Affairs

FILED UNDER

Beats not yet reviewed.

Smells

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.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 19, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 14, 2025

04/07/2025 H Referred to State Affairs: 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 · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 553 by Flores (identical)

Subjects

County Government--Land Use & Zoning

Purchasing--General

Utilities--Water & Sewer

CONSTRUCTION & BUILDING MATERIALS

CONTRACTORS & SUBCONTRACTORS

DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTS

Text

The text as introduced · 444 words

89R3447 CXP-F

By: Troxclair
H.B. No. 5582

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the design-build method for certain government

construction projects.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 2269, Government Code, is

amended by adding Section 2269.3035 to read as follows:

Sec. 2269.3035. ALTERNATIVE DESIGN-BUILD METHODS FOR WATER

AND WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE. (a) A governmental entity may use

the following methods for the construction, rehabilitation,

alteration, or repair of water or wastewater infrastructure:

(1) a method in which a single fixed price for both

design and construction is established at the time the contract

with the design-build firm is signed by the parties, commonly known

as "fixed price design-build"; or

(2) a method in which the design-build firm is

involved early in the process of developing the design and the

contract includes a stepped payment scheme for design and

construction services, commonly known as "progressive

design-build."

(b) The requirements of this subchapter apply to a method

described by Subsection (a) to the extent practicable.

SECTION 2. Section 2269.352, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 2269.352. APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies to a

governmental entity , including [ that:

[ (1) has a population of more than 100,000 within the

entity's geographic boundary or service area; or

[ (2) is ] a board of trustees governed by Chapter 54,

Transportation Code.

SECTION 3. Section 2269.353(b), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(b) A contract for a project under this subchapter may cover

only a single integrated project. A governmental entity may not

enter into a contract for aggregated projects at multiple

locations. For purposes of this subsection:

(1) if a metropolitan transit authority created under

Chapter 451, Transportation Code, enters into a contract for a

project involving a linear transit project with multiple stops

along the project route for boarding passengers, created under

Chapter 451, Transportation Code, the linear transit project is a

single integrated project; and

(2) a water or wastewater infrastructure project

[ treatment plant ], including a desalination plant, that includes

treatment facilities, well fields, pump stations, water storage,

and pipelines , is a single integrated project.

SECTION 4. Subchapter H, Chapter 2269, Government Code, is

amended by adding Section 2269.3535 to read as follows:

Sec. 2269.3535. ALTERNATIVE DESIGN-BUILD PROCEDURES FOR

WATER AND WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE. (a) A governmental entity

may use a design-build method described by Section 2269.3035(a) for

the construction, rehabilitation, alteration, or repair of water or

wastewater infrastructure.

(b) The requirements of this subchapter apply to a method

described by Subsection (a) to the extent practicable.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.