Monitoring the Session

HB 278

Hernandez Budget Notice Bill Cuts Public Review From 30 Days To 21

Filed

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Rep. Cassandra Garcia HernandezDHouse 115
Why it's charged
Caption mismatch

THE TEXT

“The budget officer shall file the proposed budget with”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption talks about public notice for budget hearings, but the only change is a later filing deadline for the proposed budget. Nothing about hearing notice changes, and the move cuts the public's review window from 30 days to 21.

Caption mismatch

Initial review · graded Nov 9, 2026 · How we grade

Caption

relating to public notice requirements for public hearings on municipal budgets.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Caption: public notice. Bill: the proposed budget gets filed nine days later. Less time before taxes are set!

The bill moves the deadline for a city's budget officer to file the proposed budget with the city clerk from 30 days to 21 days before the city sets its tax rate. It touches city budget officers, city councils, and residents who want to read the proposed budget before taxes are set. On the ground, the proposed budget can be filed nine days later, so the public gets less time with it before the levy.

Labels

Labels: QUICK READ: 96 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 96 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 90R bill as filed runs 407 words (derived, 1,039 graded bills, snapshot Nov 10, 2026).

Receipt

The receipt

90R-HB278 · 2026-11-09

SOLD BY

Rep. Cassandra Garcia HernandezDHouse 115

ITEM

relating to public notice requirements for public hearings on municipal budgets.

WHAT IT DOES

Caption: public notice. Bill: the proposed budget gets filed nine days later. Less time before taxes are set!

The bill moves the deadline for a city's budget officer to file the proposed budget with the city clerk from 30 days to 21 days before the city sets its tax rate. It touches city budget officers, city councils, and residents who want to read the proposed budget before taxes are set. On the ground, the proposed budget can be filed nine days later, so the public gets less time with it before the levy.

CHARGES

[x] CAPTION MISMATCHanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

“The budget officer shall file the proposed budget with”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption talks about public notice for budget hearings, but the only change is a later filing deadline for the proposed budget. Nothing about hearing notice changes, and the move cuts the public's review window from 30 days to 21.

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Cassandra Garcia Hernandez

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$23KHernandez Law Group$11KTexas Healthcare Neck & Back Clinics PA$10K

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 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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$22,500.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$22,500.00

Cash
$22,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$22,500.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 2024 to Oct 8, 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: 100988470, 101011363, 101033777, 101073006.

Hernandez Law Group$11,000.00

Hernandez Law Group

$11,000.00

Cash
$11,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$11,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jun 29, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 29, 2026 to Oct 23, 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: 101062154, 101073006.

Texas Healthcare Neck & Back Clinics PA$10,000.00

Texas Healthcare Neck & Back Clinics PA

$10,000.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$10,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Jun 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on 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.

Report IDs: 101062154.

Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$22,500.00

Cash
$22,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$22,500.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 2024 to Oct 8, 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: 100988470, 101011363, 101033777, 101073006.

×

Hernandez Law Group

$11,000.00

Cash
$11,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$11,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jun 29, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 29, 2026 to Oct 23, 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: 101062154, 101073006.

×

Texas Healthcare Neck & Back Clinics PA

$10,000.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$10,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Jun 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on 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.

Report IDs: 101062154.

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 a super-expensive superintelligence, Nov 9, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Nov 9, 2026

11/09/2026 H Filed

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Nov 10, 2026 at 2:32 AM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Subjects

City Government--Finance

City Government--General

PUBLIC NOTICE

Text

The text as introduced · 96 words

90R250 DNC-D

By: Garcia Hernandez
H.B. No. 278

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to public notice requirements for public hearings on

municipal budgets.

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

SECTION 1. Section 102.005(a), Local Government Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(a) The budget officer shall file the proposed budget with

the municipal clerk before the 21st [ 30th ] day before the date the

governing body of the municipality makes its tax levy for the fiscal

year.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.