Monitoring the Session

SB 973

Eckhardt Bill Lets Appraisal Districts Post Street Photos Of Your Home

Became law, effective Sep 1, 2025

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Sen. Sarah EckhardtDSenate 14
Why it's charged
The hole

THE TEXT

“(2) a street level photograph of only the exterior of a”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption speaks of the prohibition on posting home information online, but this new exception lets districts post the most common image of a house, a street-level exterior photo. Together with the new sketch exception, much of what the ban covered now falls outside it, though the caption is neutral and does not claim to tighten the ban.

The hole

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 prohibition on posting on the Internet information held by an appraisal district regarding certain residential property.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Sketches with pools, walls and dimensions can go online too. Aerials no longer need five buildings.

This bill loosens the existing rule that bars appraisal districts from posting photos, sketches and floor plans of homes on the Internet. It touches every homeowner whose property an appraisal district photographs or sketches, and the districts that run public property websites. After it takes effect, districts may post aerial photos showing more than one separately owned building (down from five or more), street-level photos of a home's exterior, and field sketches showing building outlines, yard features like pools and walls, and dimensions.

Labels

Labels: BUZZER BEATER. Final vote May 30, 2025: the Senate concurred in the House amendments. 3 days before the session ended Jun 2, 2025.NO AUTOGRAPH. Became law without the governor's signature on Jun 22, 2025.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 348 by Sen. Springer (Vetoed). 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.ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 2 Republicans, 3 Democrats. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB973 · 2025-01-29

SOLD BY

Sen. Sarah EckhardtDSenate 14 Sen. Roland GutierrezDSenate 19 Sen. Mayes MiddletonRSenate 11

+ 2 more authors

ITEM

relating to the prohibition on posting on the Internet information held by an appraisal district regarding certain residential property.

WHAT IT DOES

Sketches with pools, walls and dimensions can go online too. Aerials no longer need five buildings.

This bill loosens the existing rule that bars appraisal districts from posting photos, sketches and floor plans of homes on the Internet. It touches every homeowner whose property an appraisal district photographs or sketches, and the districts that run public property websites. After it takes effect, districts may post aerial photos showing more than one separately owned building (down from five or more), street-level photos of a home's exterior, and field sketches showing building outlines, yard features like pools and walls, and dimensions.

CHARGES

[x] THE HOLEanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

“(2) a street level photograph of only the exterior of a”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption speaks of the prohibition on posting home information online, but this new exception lets districts post the most common image of a house, a street-level exterior photo. Together with the new sketch exception, much of what the ban covered now falls outside it, though the caption is neutral and does not claim to tighten the ban.

TOTAL

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version F · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version F · May 29, 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 Local Government
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Left pending in committee
  8. Considered in public hearing
  9. Vote taken in committee
  10. Reported favorably w/o amendments
  11. Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
  12. Committee report printed and distributed
  13. Placed on intent calendar
  14. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  15. Vote recorded in Journal
  16. Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
  17. Vote recorded in Journal
  18. Three day rule suspended
  19. Record vote
  20. Read 3rd time
  21. Passed
  22. Record vote
  23. Reported engrossed
  24. Received from the Senate
  25. Read first time
  26. Referred to s/c on Property Tax Appraisals by Speaker
  27. Scheduled for public hearing in s/c on . . .
  28. Considered by s/c in public hearing
  29. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
  30. Left pending in subcommittee
  31. Considered by s/c in formal meeting
  32. Reported from s/c favorably w/o amendment(s)
  33. Considered in formal meeting
  34. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  35. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  36. Committee report distributed
  37. Committee report sent to Calendars
  38. Considered in Calendars
  39. Placed on General State Calendar
  40. Read 2nd time
  41. Passed to 3rd reading
  42. Record vote RV#3771
  43. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  44. Read 3rd time
  45. Amended 1-Geren
  46. Nonrecord vote recorded in Journal
  47. Passed as amended
  48. Record vote RV#3880
  49. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  50. House passage as amended reported
  51. House amendment(s) laid before the Senate
  52. Read
  53. Senate concurs in House amendment(s)
  54. Record vote
  55. Senate concurs in House amendment(s)-reported
  56. Reported enrolled
  57. Signed in the Senate
  58. Signed in the House
  59. Sent to the Governor
  60. Filed without the Governor's signature
  61. Effective on 9/1/25
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 79 yea · 58 nay

Senate · 28 yea · 3 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 28, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · Mar 26, 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

Sarah Eckhardt

Donors

Donald Henley$117,500Dale Linebarger$38,769Stephen McNally$24,000

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 1, 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.

Donald Henley$117,500.00
Dale Linebarger$38,769.25
Stephen McNally$24,000.00
Money

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

Votes6

Senate May 30, 2025

Yea
28
Nay
3
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 Eckhardt moved to concur in the House amendment to SB 973. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 3.

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

  • Yea: 28 (published)
  • Nay: 3 (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.

House May 28, 2025

Yea
79
Nay
58
Present, not voting
1
Absent
5
Excused
7
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3880

SB 973, as amended, was passed by (Record 3880): 79 Yeas, 58 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 79 (published)
  • Nay: 58 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 1 (published)
  • Absent: 5 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 7 (derived from named list)

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

House May 27, 2025

Yea
82
Nay
57
Present, not voting
1
Absent
7
Excused
3
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3771

SB 973 was passed to third reading by (Record 3771): 82 Yeas, 57 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 82 (published)
  • Nay: 57 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 1 (published)
  • Absent: 7 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Mar 26, 2025

Yea
28
Nay
3
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 28, Nays 3. (Same as previous roll call)

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

  • Yea: 28 (published)
  • Nay: 3 (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 Mar 26, 2025

Yea
28
Nay
3
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 Eckhardt moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 973 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 3.

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

  • Yea: 28 (published)
  • Nay: 3 (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 Mar 26, 2025

Yea
Not printed
Nay
Not printed
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

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

Senate journal

Names were not printed for yea. Only the named positions are included in member records.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

Senator Eckhardt moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration SB 973 at this time on its second reading: SB 973, Relating to the prohibition on posting on the Internet information held by an appraisal district regarding certain residential property. The motion prevailed. Senators Hancock, Hughes, and Schwertner asked to be recorded as voting "Nay" on suspension of the regular order of business. The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment by a viva voce vote.

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.

Witnesses7
For
3
Against
4
On
0
Names

For

  • Self1 registration
  • Self; Texas Assoc. of Appraisal Districts1 registration
  • Self; Texas Association of Appraisal Districts1 registration

Against

  • Self4 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.

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

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

Fiscal

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version F · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version F · May 29, 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.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R SB 348

by Sen. Springer, different lead author · Vetoed · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Jun 16, 2023: Vetoed by the Governor

Relating to the prohibition on posting on the Internet information held by an appraisal district regarding certain residential property.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Jan 29, 2025

06/22/2025 E Effective on 9/1/25

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

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

Sponsors
Chris TurnerDHouse 101

House committee · Ways & Means · Committee vote 10 aye, 2 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Local Government · Committee vote 7 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

Electronic Information Systems

Taxation--Property-Appraisals & Appraisal Districts

Text

The text as introduced · 198 words

89R4985 TJB-D

By: Eckhardt, et al.
S.B. No. 973

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the prohibition on posting on the Internet information

held by an appraisal district regarding certain residential

property.

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

SECTION 1. Section 25.027(b), Tax Code, is amended to read

as follows:

(b) Subsection (a)(1) does not apply to :

(1) an aerial photograph that depicts [ five or ] more

than one separately owned building;

(2) a street level photograph of only the exterior of a

building; or

(3) a field record or overhead sketch of the property

that depicts only:

(A) the outline of one or more buildings on the

property;

(B) the general landscape features of the

property, including ponds, pools, and walls; and

(C) the dimensions of or distances between the

buildings and features depicted [ buildings ].

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.