SB 409
bill bars bond reruns for five years
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
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 authority of a political subdivision to propose for voter approval the issuance of general obligation bonds for a purpose rejected by voters at a bond election held during the preceding five years.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Voters said no? Same purpose waits five years.
The bill bars a city, county, school district or other local government from asking voters to approve general obligation bonds for a purpose that voters already rejected at a bond election in the past five years. It touches every political subdivision that issues general obligation bonds and the voters who decide those elections. Starting with elections ordered on or after September 1, 2025, a local government whose bond proposal failed must wait five years before putting the same purpose back on the ballot.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Nov 21, 2024 and referred to the Senate Local Government committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB409 · 2024-11-21
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the authority of a political subdivision to propose for voter approval the issuance of general obligation bonds for a purpose rejected by voters at a bond election held during the preceding five years.
WHAT IT DOES
Voters said no? Same purpose waits five years.
The bill bars a city, county, school district or other local government from asking voters to approve general obligation bonds for a purpose that voters already rejected at a bond election in the past five years. It touches every political subdivision that issues general obligation bonds and the voters who decide those elections. Starting with elections ordered on or after September 1, 2025, a local government whose bond proposal failed must wait five years before putting the same purpose back on the ballot.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
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
THE TEXT
“A political subdivision may not submit a proposition to approve the issuance of general obligation bonds to the voters if the political subdivision submitted a proposition to approve the issuance of such bonds to the voters for the same purpose within the preceding five years”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill limits local bond authority by blocking repeat bond elections for a purpose voters turned down within five years.
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 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.
TeamSources
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.
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.
TeamSources
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.
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 Nov 21, 2024
02/03/2025 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 2207 by Bumgarner (very similar)
HB 5319 by Harrison (identical)
Subjects
City Government--Finance
County Government--Finance
Political Subdivisions
Taxation--General
BONDS
Text
The text as introduced · 183 words
89R3500 MZM-D By: Middleton S.B. No. 409 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the authority of a political subdivision to propose for voter approval the issuance of general obligation bonds for a purpose rejected by voters at a bond election held during the preceding five years. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 1253, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 1253.0015 to read as follows: Sec. 1253.0015. LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY TO PROPOSE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS. A political subdivision may not submit a proposition to approve the issuance of general obligation bonds to the voters if the political subdivision submitted a proposition to approve the issuance of such bonds to the voters for the same purpose within the preceding five years and the voters failed to approve the proposition. SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to a proposition submitted to voters for which the election was ordered on or after the effective date of this Act. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.