Monitoring the Session

SB 2532

Hotel Tax Skips The Park Board? City’s Voter-Approval Rate Shrinks

Did not pass

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Sen. Mayes MiddletonRSenate 11
Why it's charged
Bracket bill

THE TEXT

…“municipality described by Section 351.001(3)(A) that has created a”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The new class of eligible coastal municipality is defined by a cross-referenced descriptor plus a park-board requirement. That combination aims statewide tax-rate formulas at a very small set of cities. The caption does admit the bill covers only certain municipalities, so confidence is moderate.

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 calculation of the voter-approval tax rate for certain municipalities that receive municipal hotel occupancy tax revenue.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Only coastal cities with a park board. Divert hotel tax money, hit a tax-rate election sooner.

The bill changes the property tax math for a coastal city that has a park board of trustees and collects hotel occupancy tax. If that city spent hotel tax money in the prior year that never went to its park board for an allowed hotel-tax purpose, that amount is converted into a rate and subtracted from the city's voter-approval tax rate. The practical effect is that the city must hold a tax-rate election sooner if it diverts hotel tax money, starting with tax years that begin on or after January 1, 2026.

Labels

Labels: GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on May 14, 2025. Died in the House: voted out of the Ways & Means committee 9-0, no floor vote.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2532 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to the calculation of the voter-approval tax rate for certain municipalities that receive municipal hotel occupancy tax revenue.

WHAT IT DOES

Only coastal cities with a park board. Divert hotel tax money, hit a tax-rate election sooner.

The bill changes the property tax math for a coastal city that has a park board of trustees and collects hotel occupancy tax. If that city spent hotel tax money in the prior year that never went to its park board for an allowed hotel-tax purpose, that amount is converted into a rate and subtracted from the city's voter-approval tax rate. The practical effect is that the city must hold a tax-rate election sooner if it diverts hotel tax money, starting with tax years that begin on or after January 1, 2026.

CHARGES

[x] BRACKET BILLanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

…“municipality described by Section 351.001(3)(A) that has created a”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The new class of eligible coastal municipality is defined by a cross-referenced descriptor plus a park-board requirement. That combination aims statewide tax-rate formulas at a very small set of cities. The caption does admit the bill covers only certain municipalities, so confidence is moderate.

TOTAL

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 21, 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 Economic Development
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Testimony taken in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in public hearing
  10. Vote taken in committee
  11. Reported favorably as substituted
  12. Committee report printed and distributed
  13. Placed on intent calendar
  14. Co-author authorized
  15. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  16. Record vote
  17. Read 2nd time
  18. Amendment(s) offered FA1 Middleton
  19. Amended
  20. Vote recorded in Journal
  21. Passed to engrossment as amended
  22. Record vote
  23. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  24. Record vote
  25. Read 3rd time
  26. Passed
  27. Record vote
  28. Reported engrossed
  29. Received from the Senate
  30. Read first time
  31. Referred to Ways & Means
  32. Considered in formal meeting
  33. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  34. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  35. Committee report distributed
  36. Committee report sent to Calendars
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 23 yea · 8 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · May 14, 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

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$1.14MRussell Gordy$300,000Kenneth Fisher$215,000

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 6, 2024 to Oct 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$1,140,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$1,140,000.00

Cash
$1,140,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$1,140,000.00

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 · Dec 12, 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.

Report IDs: 101009502, 101012383, 101061137, 101072395, 101072779.

Russell Gordy$300,000.00
Kenneth Fisher$215,000.00
Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$1,140,000.00

Cash
$1,140,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$1,140,000.00

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 · Dec 12, 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.

Report IDs: 101009502, 101012383, 101061137, 101072395, 101072779.

Votes4

Senate May 14, 2025

Yea
23
Nay
8
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 23, Nays 8. (Same as previous roll call)

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

  • Yea: 23 (published)
  • Nay: 8 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Senate May 14, 2025

Yea
23
Nay
8
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Middleton moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration CSSB 2532 at this time on its third reading and final passage: CSSB 2532, Relating to the calculation of the voter-approval tax rate for certain municipalities that receive municipal hotel occupancy tax revenue and other money from a local park board of trustees. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 23, Nays 8.

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

  • Yea: 23 (published)
  • Nay: 8 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Senate May 13, 2025

Yea
23
Nay
8
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

CSSB 2532 as amended was passed to engrossment by the following vote: Yeas 23, Nays 8.

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

  • Yea: 23 (published)
  • Nay: 8 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Senate May 13, 2025

Yea
23
Nay
8
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Middleton moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration CSSB 2532 at this time on its second reading: CSSB 2532, Relating to the calculation of the voter-approval tax rate for certain municipalities that receive municipal hotel occupancy tax revenue and other money from a local park board of trustees. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 23, Nays 8.

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

  • Yea: 23 (published)
  • Nay: 8 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses7
For
3
Against
4
On
0
Names

For

  • Self1 registration
  • Texas Travel Alliance2 registrations

Against

  • City of Galveston4 registrations
Sources

7 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

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

Fiscal

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 21, 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 Mar 13, 2025

05/23/2025 H Committee report sent to Calendars

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed · House Committee Report

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

Coauthors
Sponsors

House committee · Ways & Means · Committee vote 9 aye, 0 nay, 4 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Economic Development · Committee vote 3 aye, 2 nay · Out of committee

Companion

HB 5596 by Leo Wilson (identical)

Subjects

Coastal Affairs & Beaches

Taxation--City

Taxation--Hotel, Motel Occupancy

Taxation--Property-Assessment & Collection

Taxation--Property-Tax Rate

Text

The text as introduced · 1,176 words

89R15178 RDS-D

By: Middleton
S.B. No. 2532

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the calculation of the voter-approval tax rate for

certain municipalities that receive municipal hotel occupancy tax

revenue.

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

SECTION 1. Section 26.012, Tax Code, is amended by adding

Subdivisions (9-a), (16-a), and (16-b) to read as follows:

(9-a) "Eligible coastal municipality" means a

municipality described by Section 351.001(3)(A) that has created a

park board of trustees under Section 306.011, Local Government

Code.

(16-a) "Misspent hotel occupancy tax revenue" means an

amount equal to the amount of revenue received under Chapter 351 by

an eligible coastal municipality during the preceding tax year

that:

(A) was not distributed to the municipality's

park board of trustees to be spent for a purpose authorized by

Chapter 351; and

(B) was spent by the municipality for any

purpose.

(16-b) "Misspent hotel occupancy tax revenue rate"

means the rate expressed in dollars per $100 of taxable value

calculated according to the following formula:

MISSPENT HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUE RATE = MISSPENT

HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUE / CURRENT TOTAL VALUE

SECTION 2. Section 26.04(c), Tax Code, is amended to read as

follows:

(c) After the assessor for the taxing unit submits the

appraisal roll for the taxing unit to the governing body of the

taxing unit as required by Subsection (b), an officer or employee

designated by the governing body shall calculate the no-new-revenue

tax rate and the voter-approval tax rate for the taxing unit, where:

(1) "No-new-revenue tax rate" means a rate expressed

in dollars per $100 of taxable value calculated according to the

following formula:

NO-NEW-REVENUE TAX RATE = (LAST YEAR'S LEVY - LOST

PROPERTY LEVY) / (CURRENT TOTAL VALUE - NEW PROPERTY

VALUE)

; and

(2) "Voter-approval tax rate" means a rate expressed

in dollars per $100 of taxable value calculated according to the

following applicable formula:

(A) for a special taxing unit:

VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE = (NO-NEW-REVENUE MAINTENANCE

AND OPERATIONS RATE x 1.08) + CURRENT DEBT RATE

; [ or ]

(B) for an eligible coastal municipality:

VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE = (NO-NEW-REVENUE MAINTENANCE

AND OPERATIONS RATE x 1.035) + (CURRENT DEBT RATE +

UNUSED INCREMENT RATE - MISSPENT HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX

REVENUE RATE)

; or

(C) for a taxing unit other than a special taxing

unit or eligible coastal municipality :

VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE = (NO-NEW-REVENUE MAINTENANCE

AND OPERATIONS RATE x 1.035) + (CURRENT DEBT RATE +

UNUSED INCREMENT RATE)

SECTION 3. Sections 26.041(a), (b), and (c), Tax Code, are

amended to read as follows:

(a) In the first year in which an additional sales and use

tax is required to be collected, the no-new-revenue tax rate and

voter-approval tax rate for the taxing unit are calculated

according to the following formulas:

NO-NEW-REVENUE TAX RATE = [(LAST YEAR'S LEVY - LOST

PROPERTY LEVY) / (CURRENT TOTAL VALUE - NEW PROPERTY

VALUE)] - SALES TAX GAIN RATE

and

VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE FOR SPECIAL TAXING UNIT =

(NO-NEW-REVENUE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE x

1.08) + (CURRENT DEBT RATE - SALES TAX GAIN RATE)

or

VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE FOR ELIGIBLE COASTAL

MUNICIPALITY = (NO-NEW-REVENUE MAINTENANCE AND

OPERATIONS RATE x 1.035) + (CURRENT DEBT RATE + UNUSED

INCREMENT RATE - SALES TAX GAIN RATE - MISSPENT HOTEL

OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUE RATE)

or

VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE FOR TAXING UNIT OTHER THAN

SPECIAL TAXING UNIT OR ELIGIBLE COASTAL MUNICIPALITY =

(NO-NEW-REVENUE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE x

1.035) + (CURRENT DEBT RATE + UNUSED INCREMENT RATE -

SALES TAX GAIN RATE)

where "sales tax gain rate" means a number expressed in dollars per

$100 of taxable value, calculated by dividing the revenue that will

be generated by the additional sales and use tax in the following

year as calculated under Subsection (d) by the current total value.

(b) Except as provided by Subsections (a) and (c), in a year

in which a taxing unit imposes an additional sales and use tax, the

voter-approval tax rate for the taxing unit is calculated according

to the following formula, regardless of whether the taxing unit

levied a property tax in the preceding year:

VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE FOR SPECIAL TAXING UNIT =

[(LAST YEAR'S MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS EXPENSE x

1.08) / (CURRENT TOTAL VALUE - NEW PROPERTY VALUE)] +

(CURRENT DEBT RATE - SALES TAX REVENUE RATE)

or

VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE FOR ELIGIBLE COASTAL

MUNICIPALITY = [(LAST YEAR'S MAINTENANCE AND

OPERATIONS EXPENSE x 1.035) / (CURRENT TOTAL VALUE -

NEW PROPERTY VALUE)] + (CURRENT DEBT RATE + UNUSED

INCREMENT RATE - SALES TAX REVENUE RATE - MISSPENT

HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUE RATE)

or

VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE FOR TAXING UNIT OTHER THAN

SPECIAL TAXING UNIT OR ELIGIBLE COASTAL MUNICIPALITY =

[(LAST YEAR'S MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS EXPENSE x

1.035) / (CURRENT TOTAL VALUE - NEW PROPERTY VALUE)] +

(CURRENT DEBT RATE + UNUSED INCREMENT RATE - SALES TAX

REVENUE RATE)

where "last year's maintenance and operations expense" means the

amount spent for maintenance and operations from property tax and

additional sales and use tax revenues in the preceding year, and

"sales tax revenue rate" means a number expressed in dollars per

$100 of taxable value, calculated by dividing the revenue that will

be generated by the additional sales and use tax in the current year

as calculated under Subsection (d) by the current total value.

(c) In a year in which a taxing unit that has been imposing

an additional sales and use tax ceases to impose an additional sales

and use tax, the no-new-revenue tax rate and voter-approval tax

rate for the taxing unit are calculated according to the following

formulas:

NO-NEW-REVENUE TAX RATE = [(LAST YEAR'S LEVY -

LOST PROPERTY LEVY) / (CURRENT TOTAL VALUE - NEW

PROPERTY VALUE)] + SALES TAX LOSS RATE

and

VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE FOR SPECIAL TAXING UNIT =

[(LAST YEAR'S MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS EXPENSE x

1.08) / (CURRENT TOTAL VALUE - NEW PROPERTY VALUE)] +

CURRENT DEBT RATE

or

VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE FOR ELIGIBLE COASTAL

MUNICIPALITY = [(LAST YEAR'S MAINTENANCE AND

OPERATIONS EXPENSE x 1.035) / (CURRENT TOTAL VALUE -

NEW PROPERTY VALUE)] + (CURRENT DEBT RATE + UNUSED

INCREMENT RATE - MISSPENT HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUE

RATE)

or

VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE FOR TAXING UNIT OTHER THAN

SPECIAL TAXING UNIT OR ELIGIBLE COASTAL MUNICIPALITY =

[(LAST YEAR'S MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS EXPENSE x

1.035) / (CURRENT TOTAL VALUE - NEW PROPERTY VALUE)] +

(CURRENT DEBT RATE + UNUSED INCREMENT RATE)

where "sales tax loss rate" means a number expressed in dollars per

$100 of taxable value, calculated by dividing the amount of sales

and use tax revenue generated in the last four quarters for which

the information is available by the current total value and "last

year's maintenance and operations expense" means the amount spent

for maintenance and operations from property tax and additional

sales and use tax revenues in the preceding year.

SECTION 4. This Act applies only to ad valorem taxes imposed

for an ad valorem tax year that begins on or after the effective

date of this Act.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.