Monitoring the Session

SB 1028

Blanco MUD Bill Bars Landowner-Only Directors In Big-City Border Counties

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Sen. César BlancoDSenate 29
Why it's charged
Bracket bill

THE TEXT

“borders the United Mexican States; and”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

Pairing a border-county test with a city of more than 500,000 people narrows the new rule to very few counties. The caption does admit the bill covers only 'certain' districts, which lowers the concern.

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 the qualifications for serving as a member of the board of directors of certain municipal utility districts.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Border county with a city over 500,000? Directors must be qualified voters in the district.

The bill adds a statewide rule that municipal utility district directors must be at least 18, on top of the existing Texas residency and local landowner-or-voter requirements. It also sets a stricter rule for districts in a county on the Mexican border that contains a city of more than 500,000 people: directors there must be qualified voters in the district, and owning taxable land there is no longer enough. Current directors finish their terms, and the stricter rule applies to anyone elected or appointed on or after September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Jan 31, 2025 and referred to the Senate Local Government committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB1028 · 2025-01-31

SOLD BY

Sen. César BlancoDSenate 29

ITEM

relating to the qualifications for serving as a member of the board of directors of certain municipal utility districts.

WHAT IT DOES

Border county with a city over 500,000? Directors must be qualified voters in the district.

The bill adds a statewide rule that municipal utility district directors must be at least 18, on top of the existing Texas residency and local landowner-or-voter requirements. It also sets a stricter rule for districts in a county on the Mexican border that contains a city of more than 500,000 people: directors there must be qualified voters in the district, and owning taxable land there is no longer enough. Current directors finish their terms, and the stricter rule applies to anyone elected or appointed on or after September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[x] BRACKET BILLanalysis confidence 55%

THE TEXT

“borders the United Mexican States; and”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

Pairing a border-county test with a city of more than 500,000 people narrows the new rule to very few counties. The caption does admit the bill covers only 'certain' districts, which lowers the concern.

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Local Government
FILED UNDER

DEBT AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS

THE TEXT

“(2) be a qualified voter within the district.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill changes who may sit on the boards of municipal utility districts in the bracketed border counties by removing the landowner path to a seat.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

César Blanco

Donors

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund$26KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$25KBorder Health PAC$25K

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 10, 2024 to Jun 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.

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund$25,750.00

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund

$25,750.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$750.00
Total
$25,750.00
consulting $750.00

Also funds 5 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 22, 2024 to Oct 12, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 25, 2024 to Dec 13, 2024. 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: 100989095.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$25,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

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 3, 2024 to Jan 26, 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: 100989095, 101009709, 101033590, 101060872.

Border Health PAC$25,000.00

Border Health PAC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

Also funds 17 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 14, 2024. 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: 100989095.

Money

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

×

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund

$25,750.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$750.00
Total
$25,750.00
consulting $750.00

Also funds 5 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 22, 2024 to Oct 12, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 25, 2024 to Dec 13, 2024. 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: 100989095.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

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 3, 2024 to Jan 26, 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: 100989095, 101009709, 101033590, 101060872.

×

Border Health PAC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

Also funds 17 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 14, 2024. 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: 100989095.

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 Senate · Filed Jan 31, 2025

02/24/2025 S Referred to Local Government

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

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

Senate committee · Local Government · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

HB 1930 by González, Mary (identical)

Subjects

Special Districts & Authorities--Municipal Utility Districts

Text

The text as introduced · 360 words

89R6243 ANG-D

By: Blanco
S.B. No. 1028

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the qualifications for serving as a member of the board

of directors of certain municipal utility districts.

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

SECTION 1. Section 54.102, Water Code, is amended to read as

follows:

Sec. 54.102. QUALIFICATIONS FOR DIRECTORS. To be qualified

to serve as a director, a person shall :

(1) be at least 18 years old ;

(2) be [ , ] a resident citizen of the State of Texas ; [ , ]

and

(3) either own land subject to taxation in the

district or be a qualified voter within the district.

SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 54, Water Code, is amended

by adding Section 54.103 to read as follows:

Sec. 54.103. QUALIFICATIONS FOR DIRECTORS IN CERTAIN

COUNTIES. (a) This section applies only to a district wholly or

partly located in a county that:

(1) borders the United Mexican States; and

(2) contains a municipality with a population of more

than 500,000.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 54.102, to be qualified to

serve as a director of a district to which this section applies, a

person shall:

(1) meet the requirements of Sections 54.102(1) and

(2); and

(2) be a qualified voter within the district.

SECTION 3. Section 54.103, Water Code, as added by this Act,

does not affect the entitlement of a member serving immediately

before the effective date of this Act on the board of directors of a

municipal utility district described by that section to continue to

carry out the board's functions for the remainder of the member's

term. That section applies only to a member of the board of

directors of such a district elected or appointed on or after the

effective date of this Act. That section does not prohibit a person

who is a member of the board of directors of such a district on the

effective date of this Act from being reelected or reappointed to

the board if the person has the qualifications required for a member

under that section.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.