88R HB 2532
by Rep. Toth, same lead author · Died in committee · same text
Introduced textLast action, Mar 13, 2023: Referred to Land & Resource Management
Relating to the time for issuance of a municipal building permit.
Caption, 88R bill history
HB 987
Toth Permit Bill’s Refund Penalty Points Back At Itself
Died in committee
Verdict: Smells
SmellsInitial review
Why it's charged
The hole
THE TEXT
…“application in the time required by Subsection (c) or by an”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
After the renumbering, the fee-refund penalty points to Subsection (c), which is now the penalty subsection itself, not the 30-day deadline in Subsection (b). As written, a city that simply misses the new 30-day deadline may not clearly trigger the refund, and that is the main case the bill targets.
The holeInitial 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 time for issuance of a municipal building permit.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Permit wait drops from 45 days to 30. Miss it? The refund may not clearly apply.
The bill cuts the time a city has to act on a building permit from 45 days to 30 days and removes the city's option to send a written notice that buys an extra 30 days. It touches every city that requires a permit to build or improve a structure inside city limits or in its extraterritorial jurisdiction, and the people applying for those permits. On the ground, a city must grant the permit, deny it, or sign a written deadline agreement with the applicant within 30 days, and the refund rule for missed deadlines stays in place.
Labels
Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 2532 (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 2532 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Nov 12, 2024 and referred to the House Land & Resource Management committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB987 · 2024-11-12
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the time for issuance of a municipal building permit.
WHAT IT DOES
Permit wait drops from 45 days to 30. Miss it? The refund may not clearly apply.
The bill cuts the time a city has to act on a building permit from 45 days to 30 days and removes the city's option to send a written notice that buys an extra 30 days. It touches every city that requires a permit to build or improve a structure inside city limits or in its extraterritorial jurisdiction, and the people applying for those permits. On the ground, a city must grant the permit, deny it, or sign a written deadline agreement with the applicant within 30 days, and the refund rule for missed deadlines stays in place.
CHARGES
[x] THE HOLEanalysis confidence 50%
THE TEXT
…“application in the time required by Subsection (c) or by an”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
After the renumbering, the fee-refund penalty points to Subsection (c), which is now the penalty subsection itself, not the 30-day deadline in Subsection (b). As written, a city that simply misses the new 30-day deadline may not clearly trigger the refund, and that is the main case the bill targets.
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Land & Resource Management
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
Smells
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 · Jul 1, 2024 to Mar 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.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$32,500.00
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$32,500.00
- Cash
- $32,500.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $32,500.00
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 · Jul 10, 2024 to Jun 27, 2025. 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: 101005773, 101012329.
Michael Till$20,000.00
Don Dyer$10,000.00
MoneyMissing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$32,500.00
- Cash
- $32,500.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $32,500.00
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 · Jul 10, 2024 to Jun 27, 2025. 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: 101005773, 101012329.
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.
FILED BEFORE
Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.
Sources
Texas House · Filed Nov 12, 2024
03/06/2025 H Referred to Land & Resource Management: Mar 6 2025 11:42AM
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 · Land & Resource Management · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
City Government--General
City Government--Land Use & Zoning
PERMITS
Text
The text as introduced · 318 words
By: Toth H.B. No. 987 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the time for issuance of a municipal building permit. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 214.904, Local Government Code, is amended by amending Subsections (b) and (d) and striking Subsection (c) to read as follows: Sec. 214.904. TIME FOR ISSUANCE OF MUNICIPAL BUILDING PERMIT. (a) This section applies only to a permit required by a municipality to erect or improve a building or other structure in the municipality or its extraterritorial jurisdiction. (b) Not later than the 30th [ 45th ] day after the date an application for a permit is submitted, the municipality must: (1) grant or deny the permit; [ (2) provide written notice to the applicant stating the reasons why the municipality has been unable to grant or deny the permit application; ] or (2) [ (3) ] reach a written agreement with the applicant providing for a deadline for granting or denying the permit. [ (c) For a permit application for which notice is provided under Subsection (b)(2), the municipality must grant or deny the permit not later than the 30th day after the date the notice is received. ] (c) [ (d) ] If a municipality fails to grant or deny a permit application in the time required by Subsection (c) or by an agreement under Subsection (b)(2)[ (3) ], the municipality: (1) may not collect any permit fees associated with the application; and (2) shall refund to the applicant any permit fees associated with the application that have been collected. SECTION 2. 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.