Monitoring the Session

SB 1371

Transit Board Partial Terms Stop Counting In Cities Under 320,000

Became law

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Sen. Juan "Chuy" HinojosaDSenate 20
Why it's charged
Bracket bill

THE TEXT

…“a population of less than 320,000. For purposes of Subsection (b),”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

A population cutoff limits the board term-limit change, and the fuel-tax change, to transit authorities in smaller principal cities, which likely means only a handful of places. The caption does say "certain" authorities, so the narrowing is partly disclosed.

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 operation of certain metropolitan transit authorities.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Main city under 320,000? Some board members serve longer, and emergency fueling keeps the fuel-tax exemption.

The bill changes three rules for certain metropolitan transit authorities: a fuel-tax rule for natural gas sold at transit fueling stations, fare-setting timing, and board term limits. The fuel-tax change and the term-limit change reach only authorities whose main city has fewer than 320,000 people, while the fare change now covers any authority whose main city has fewer than 1.3 million people, no matter when it was confirmed. On the ground, a small-city transit agency can fuel other tax-exempt vehicles in emergencies without losing the fuel-tax exemption, more transit boards can change most fares right away, and some board members there can serve longer because certain partial terms no longer count toward their limit.

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).CROSS-PARTY HANDOFF. Lead author Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa (D) in the Senate. Lead sponsor Denise Villalobos (R) in the House. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB1371 · 2025-02-18

SOLD BY

ITEM

relating to the operation of certain metropolitan transit authorities.

WHAT IT DOES

Main city under 320,000? Some board members serve longer, and emergency fueling keeps the fuel-tax exemption.

The bill changes three rules for certain metropolitan transit authorities: a fuel-tax rule for natural gas sold at transit fueling stations, fare-setting timing, and board term limits. The fuel-tax change and the term-limit change reach only authorities whose main city has fewer than 320,000 people, while the fare change now covers any authority whose main city has fewer than 1.3 million people, no matter when it was confirmed. On the ground, a small-city transit agency can fuel other tax-exempt vehicles in emergencies without losing the fuel-tax exemption, more transit boards can change most fares right away, and some board members there can serve longer because certain partial terms no longer count toward their limit.

CHARGES

[x] BRACKET BILLanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

…“a population of less than 320,000. For purposes of Subsection (b),”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

A population cutoff limits the board term-limit change, and the fuel-tax change, to transit authorities in smaller principal cities, which likely means only a handful of places. The caption does say "certain" authorities, so the narrowing is partly disclosed.

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 1, 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. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Finance
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Testimony taken in committee
  8. Vote taken in committee
  9. Reported favorably w/o amendments
  10. Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
  11. Committee report printed and distributed
  12. Placed on local & uncontested calendar
  13. Laid before the Senate
  14. Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
  15. Vote recorded in Journal
  16. Three day rule suspended
  17. Record vote
  18. Read 3rd time
  19. Passed
  20. Record vote
  21. Reported engrossed
  22. Received from the Senate
  23. Read first time
  24. Referred to Transportation
  25. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  26. Considered in public hearing
  27. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  28. Left pending in committee
  29. Considered in formal meeting
  30. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  31. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  32. Committee report distributed
  33. Committee report sent to Calendars
  34. Considered in Calendars
  35. Placed on General State Calendar
  36. Read 2nd time
  37. Passed to 3rd reading
  38. Record vote RV#3110
  39. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  40. Read 3rd time
  41. Passed
  42. Record vote RV#3157
  43. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  44. House passage reported
  45. Reported enrolled
  46. Signed in the Senate
  47. Signed in the House
  48. Sent to the Governor
  49. Filed without the Governor's signature
  50. Effective immediately
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 109 yea · 37 nay

Senate · 30 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 21, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

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

All floor motions and other positions below.

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 23, 2024 to Jun 30, 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$17,500.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$17,500.00

Cash
$17,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$17,500.00

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.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 3, 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: 100977616, 101009664.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash
$15,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$15,000.00

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 · Jul 24, 2024 to Nov 25, 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: 100977616.

Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC$15,000.00

Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC

$15,000.00

Cash
$15,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$15,000.00

Also funds 120 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 19, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 25, 2024 to Jun 15, 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: 100977616, 101059341.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$17,500.00

Cash
$17,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$17,500.00

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.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 3, 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: 100977616, 101009664.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash
$15,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$15,000.00

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 · Jul 24, 2024 to Nov 25, 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: 100977616.

×

Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC

$15,000.00

Cash
$15,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$15,000.00

Also funds 120 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 19, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 25, 2024 to Jun 15, 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: 100977616, 101059341.

Votes5

House May 21, 2025

Yea
109
Nay
37
Present, not voting
2
Absent
0
Excused
2
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3157

SB 1371 was passed by (Record 3157): 109 Yeas, 37 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 109 (published)
  • Nay: 37 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 2 (derived from named list)

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

House May 20, 2025

Yea
103
Nay
26
Present, not voting
2
Absent
6
Excused
13
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3110

SB 1371 was passed to third reading by (Record 3110): 103 Yeas, 26 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 103 (published)
  • Nay: 26 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 6 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 13 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 10, 2025

Final passage

Yea
30
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records final passage. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Sources

SB 1371 (J. Hinojosa) Relating to the operation of certain metropolitan transit authorities. (viva voce vote) (30-0) (30-0)

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

  • Yea: 30 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate Apr 10, 2025

Suspension of the three-day rule

Yea
30
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records suspension of the three-day rule. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Sources

SB 1371 (J. Hinojosa) Relating to the operation of certain metropolitan transit authorities. (viva voce vote) (30-0) (30-0)

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

  • Yea: 30 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate Apr 10, 2025

Passage to engrossment

Yea
Not printed
Nay
Not printed
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records passage to engrossment. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

SB 1371 (J. Hinojosa) Relating to the operation of certain metropolitan transit authorities. (viva voce vote) (30-0) (30-0)

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

  • Yea: Not printed
  • Nay: Not printed
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Witnesses9
For
9
Against
0
On
0
Names

For

  • City of Corpus Christi1 registration
  • Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority2 registrations
  • Corpus Christi RTA1 registration
  • Nueces County2 registrations
  • Self2 registrations
  • Self; Ccrta1 registration
Sources

9 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.

Senate witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 1, 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 Senate · Filed Feb 18, 2025

06/20/2025 E Effective immediately

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed · House 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 · Transportation · Committee vote 12 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Finance · Committee vote 15 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Companion

HB 5192 by Villalobos (identical)

Subjects

CORPUS CHRISTI, CITY OF

Disaster Preparedness & Relief

Special Districts & Authorities--Miscellaneous

Taxation--Motor Fuels

Transportation--Mass Transit

Text

The text as introduced · 481 words

89R4900 SRA-F

By: Hinojosa of Hidalgo
S.B. No. 1371

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the operation of certain metropolitan transit

authorities.

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

SECTION 1. Section 162.356(b), Tax Code, is amended to read

as follows:

(b) The exemption provided by Subsection (a)(11) does not

apply to compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas delivered

into the fuel supply tank of a motor vehicle from a refueling

facility accessible to motor vehicles other than :

(1) motor vehicles [ those ] described by Subsection

(a)(11)(A) ; or

(2) motor vehicles exempt from the tax imposed by this

subchapter under another provision of Subsection (a), if the:

(A) refueling facility is operated by a

metropolitan rapid transit authority operating under Chapter 451,

Transportation Code, in which the principal municipality has a

population of less than 320,000; and

(B) use of the refueling facility by those

vehicles is limited to emergencies and other exigent circumstances

as provided by an interlocal agreement under Chapter 791,

Government Code .

SECTION 2. Section 451.061(d-1), Transportation Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(d-1) The establishment of or a change to fares, tolls,

charges, rents, and other compensation by an authority [ confirmed

before July 1, 1985, ] in which the principal municipality has a

population of less than 1.3 million[ , ] takes effect immediately on

approval by a majority vote of the board, except that the

establishment of or a change to a single-ride base fare takes effect

on the 60th day after the date the board approves the fare or change

to the fare, unless the policy board of the metropolitan planning

organization that serves the area of the authority disapproves the

fare or change to the fare by a majority vote.

SECTION 3. Section 451.506, Transportation Code, is amended

by adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:

(b-1) This subsection applies only to an individual serving

on the board of an authority in which the principal municipality has

a population of less than 320,000. For purposes of Subsection (b),

in determining the length of service on the board of an individual

to whom this subsection applies the following periods of service

are excluded:

(1) a period of service that results from the

individual's appointment to fill an unexpired term that occurs

before the individual's first appointment to a full term on the

board; or

(2) a period of service on the board that is

attributable to a term shortened by the individual's appointment as

the board's presiding officer under Section 451.502(e).

SECTION 4. 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.