SB 2962
Campbell Emergency Services Bill Ends City Removals, Mostly
Died in committee
Verdict: Smells
Why it's charged
The hole
THE TEXT
“Notwithstanding Section 775.022(h), Health and Safety Code, if [ If ] a district enters into a strategic partnership”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill ends the city removal power, then uses notwithstanding clauses to keep removals going for strategic partnership agreements with water districts and for three specific special-district laws. That leaves a real path for cities to keep pulling territory out of emergency services districts.
The holeInitial 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 authority of a municipality to remove territory from an emergency services district.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Water district partnerships and three special-district laws keep the old removal process alive.
The bill ends a city's general power to pull land out of an emergency services district and become the only provider of emergency services there, with that power expiring September 1, 2025. It touches cities, emergency services districts, and the residents and property owners whose fire and EMS coverage depends on which one serves them. On the ground, most land stays in its emergency services district, except that three special-district laws and city deals with water districts that cover firefighting keep the old removal process alive.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 14, 2025 and referred to the Senate Local Government committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB2962 · 2025-03-14
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the authority of a municipality to remove territory from an emergency services district.
WHAT IT DOES
Water district partnerships and three special-district laws keep the old removal process alive.
The bill ends a city's general power to pull land out of an emergency services district and become the only provider of emergency services there, with that power expiring September 1, 2025. It touches cities, emergency services districts, and the residents and property owners whose fire and EMS coverage depends on which one serves them. On the ground, most land stays in its emergency services district, except that three special-district laws and city deals with water districts that cover firefighting keep the old removal process alive.
CHARGES
[x] THE HOLEanalysis confidence 40%
THE TEXT
“Notwithstanding Section 775.022(h), Health and Safety Code, if [ If ] a district enters into a strategic partnership”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill ends the city removal power, then uses notwithstanding clauses to keep removals going for strategic partnership agreements with water districts and for three specific special-district laws. That leaves a real path for cities to keep pulling territory out of emergency services districts.
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Received by the Secretary of the Senate
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Local Government
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Donors report through Friends of Donna Campbell.
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 · Oct 27, 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.
MoneyMissing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
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 Mar 14, 2025
04/07/2025 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 2345 by Cortez (identical)
Subjects
BELLA VISTA MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT (DT7NA)
WILLIAMSON-TRAVIS COUNTIES WATER CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NO. 1F (DY26S)
WILLIAMSON-TRAVIS COUNTIES WATER CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NO. 1G (DC1AW)
Health--Emergency Services & Personnel
Special Districts & Authorities--Miscellaneous
Text
The text as introduced · 375 words
89R4924 MCF-D By: Campbell S.B. No. 2962 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the authority of a municipality to remove territory from an emergency services district. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 775.022, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Subsection (h) to read as follows: (h) The authority of a municipality to remove territory from a district and be the sole provider of emergency services to the territory under this section expires September 1, 2025. SECTION 2. Section 8437.002(d), Special District Local Laws Code, is amended to read as follows: (d) Notwithstanding Section 775.022(h), Health and Safety Code, Sections 775.022(b), (c), (d), (e), (e-1), and (f), Health and Safety Code, apply to a disannexation under this section, as if the disannexation occurred under the provisions of Section 775.022(a), Health and Safety Code. SECTION 3. Section 9036.002(d), Special District Local Laws Code, is amended to read as follows: (d) Notwithstanding Section 775.022(h), Health and Safety Code, Sections 775.022(b), (c), (d), (e), (e-1), and (f), Health and Safety Code, apply to a disannexation under this section, as if the disannexation occurred under the provisions of Section 775.022(a), Health and Safety Code. SECTION 4. Section 9042.002(d), Special District Local Laws Code, is amended to read as follows: (d) Notwithstanding Section 775.022(h), Health and Safety Code, Sections 775.022(b), (c), (d), (e), (e-1), and (f), Health and Safety Code, apply to a disannexation under this section, as if the disannexation occurred under the provisions of Section 775.022(a), Health and Safety Code. SECTION 5. Section 49.353(d), Water Code, is amended to read as follows: (d) Notwithstanding Section 775.022(h), Health and Safety Code, if [ If ] a district enters into a strategic partnership agreement with a municipality that includes the provision of fire-fighting services under this section, the territory of the district annexed by the municipality for limited purposes and to be served by the municipality under the agreement shall be disannexed from the emergency services district in the manner provided by Section 775.022, Health and Safety Code, for territory that is annexed by a municipality for full purposes. SECTION 6. Section 775.0235, Health and Safety Code, is repealed. SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.