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 failure to disclose certain appraisal reports by an
entity with eminent domain authority in connection with an offer to
acquire real property.
Skip handing over 10 years of appraisals, pay the owner’s lawyer.
The bill makes any entity with eminent domain power liable for the property owner's reasonable attorney's fees if it fails to hand over, by certified mail at the time of its offer, all appraisal reports it has on the owner's property from the past 10 years. It touches government bodies, pipeline companies, utilities and any other entity that can take land, and the Texas landowners they make offers to. On the ground, hiding an appraisal now costs the condemning entity the owner's legal bills, starting with initial offers made on or after September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R SB 1512 (Died in committee) and this bill (Did not pass). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 1512 (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.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on Apr 10, 2025. Died in the House: voted out of the Land & Resource Management committee 5-1, no floor vote.
relating to the failure to disclose certain appraisal reports by an
entity with eminent domain authority in connection with an offer to
acquire real property.
WHAT IT DOES
Skip handing over 10 years of appraisals, pay the owner’s lawyer.
The bill makes any entity with eminent domain power liable for the property owner's reasonable attorney's fees if it fails to hand over, by certified mail at the time of its offer, all appraisal reports it has on the owner's property from the past 10 years. It touches government bodies, pipeline companies, utilities and any other entity that can take land, and the Texas landowners they make offers to. On the ground, hiding an appraisal now costs the condemning entity the owner's legal bills, starting with initial offers made on or after September 1, 2025.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
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
CSSB 291 (Schwertner) Relating to the failure to disclose certain appraisal reports by an entity with eminent domain authority in connection with an offer to acquire real property. (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.
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
CSSB 291 (Schwertner) Relating to the failure to disclose certain appraisal reports by an entity with eminent domain authority in connection with an offer to acquire real property. (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.
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
CSSB 291 (Schwertner) Relating to the failure to disclose certain appraisal reports by an entity with eminent domain authority in connection with an offer to acquire real property. (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.
Witnesses63
For
15
Against
46
On
2
Names
For
Self2 registrations
Self; South Texans’ Property Rights Association2 registrations
Self; Texas Landowners for Eminent Domain Reform2 registrations
Self; TURF, We the People - Liberty in Action1 registration
Last action, Apr 28, 2023: Referred to Land & Resource Management
Relating to the failure to disclose certain appraisal reports by an entity with eminent domain authority in connection with an offer to acquire real property.
House committee · Land & Resource Management · Committee vote 5 aye, 1 nay, 3 absent · Out of committee
Senate committee · State Affairs · Committee vote 9 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee
Subjects
Property Interests--Eminent Domain
ATTORNEY'S FEES
Text
The text as introduced · 266 words
89R1256 PRL-D
By: Schwertner
S.B. No. 291
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the failure to disclose certain appraisal reports by an
entity with eminent domain authority in connection with an offer to
acquire real property.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 21.0111(a), Property Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) An entity with eminent domain authority that wants to
acquire real property for a public use shall, by certified mail,
return receipt requested, disclose to the property owner at the
time an offer to purchase or lease the property is made any and all
appraisal reports produced or acquired by the entity relating
specifically to the owner's property and prepared in the 10 years
preceding the date of the offer. An entity that fails to meet the
requirements of this subsection is liable to the owner for
reasonable attorney's fees incurred by the owner in connection with
the entity's acquisition of the owner's property.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to the acquisition of real property in connection with an initial
offer made under Section 21.0113, Property Code, on or after the
effective date of this Act. An acquisition of real property in
connection with an initial offer made under Section 21.0113,
Property Code, before the effective date of this Act is governed by
the law applicable to the acquisition immediately before the
effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for
that purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
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