SB 1771

Hughes Bill Tells Structures Over 500 Feet To Obey Federal Law

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review

Sen. Bryan HughesRSenate 1

Why it's charged

List of feelings

THE TEXT

“An aeronautics structure that is taller than 500 feet must comply with all applicable federal laws and regulations.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The only operative sentence tells tall structures to obey federal rules they already have to obey. It attaches no penalty, no enforcer and no deadline, so it works more like a statement than a new duty.

List of feelings

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 compliance of certain aeronautics structures with federal law.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Federal law already applies. The bill adds no penalty, no enforcer and no deadline.

The bill adds one line to the Texas Transportation Code saying any aeronautics structure taller than 500 feet must follow all applicable federal laws and regulations. It touches owners and builders of very tall structures covered by the state aeronautics chapter. On the ground, little changes: federal law already applies to these structures, and the bill adds no penalty, no enforcing agency and no new state standard.

Labels

Labels: QUICK READ: 127 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 127 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 28, 2025 and referred to the Senate Transportation committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB1771 · 2025-02-28

SOLD BY

Sen. Bryan HughesRSenate 1

ITEM

relating to compliance of certain aeronautics structures with federal law.

WHAT IT DOES

Federal law already applies. The bill adds no penalty, no enforcer and no deadline.

CHARGES

[x] LIST OF FEELINGSanalysis confidence 40%

THE TEXT

“An aeronautics structure that is taller than 500 feet must comply with all applicable federal laws and regulations.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Feb 28, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Feb 28, 2025Filed
Mar 13, 2025Read first time
Mar 13, 2025Referred to Transportation

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Bryan Hughes

Donors

GOPAC Election Fund$250K CRAFTPAC (Court Reform Action for Texas Families)$100KCourt Reform Action for Families Texas PAC$100K

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 Oct 23, 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.

GOPAC Election Fund$250,000.00

GOPAC Election Fund

$250,000.00

Cash: $250,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $250,000.00

Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 17, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 17, 2025 to Oct 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: 101028838, 101071548.

CRAFTPAC (Court Reform Action for Texas Families)$100,000.00

CRAFTPAC (Court Reform Action for Texas Families)

$100,000.00

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

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Sep 4, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Sep 4, 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: 101067724.

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC$100,000.00

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC

$100,000.00

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

Also funds 32 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 20, 2026 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 13, 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: 101071548.

Money

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

GOPAC Election Fund

$250,000.00

Cash: $250,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $250,000.00

Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 17, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 17, 2025 to Oct 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: 101028838, 101071548.

CRAFTPAC (Court Reform Action for Texas Families)

$100,000.00

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

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Sep 4, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Sep 4, 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: 101067724.

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC

$100,000.00

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

Also funds 32 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 20, 2026 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 13, 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: 101071548.

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 Feb 28, 2025

03/13/2025 S Referred to Transportation

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 · Transportation · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Aeronautics

Transportation--Aviation

FEDERAL RELATIONS

Text

The text as introduced · 127 words

89R15390 RDR-D

By: Hughes
S.B. No. 1771

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to compliance of certain aeronautics structures with

federal law.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Transportation Code,

is amended by adding Section 21.073 to read as follows:

Sec. 21.073. COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL LAW. An aeronautics

structure that is taller than 500 feet must comply with all

applicable federal laws and regulations.

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.