Monitoring the Session

SB 284

Blanco MUD Bill Targets Border Counties With 500,000-Plus Cities

Filed

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Sen. César BlancoDSenate 29
Why it's charged
Bracket bill

THE TEXT

“borders the United Mexican States; and”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The border-county test, paired with the 500,000-plus city requirement, aims the new rule at a very small number of counties. The caption only says "certain" districts and never names which ones.

Bracket bill

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

Caption

relating to the qualifications for serving as a member of the board of directors of certain municipal utility districts.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Caption: “certain” districts. Bill: border counties with a 500,000-plus city, where directors must be voters.

The bill keeps the existing statewide rules for municipal utility district board members, with only minor wording cleanup. It adds a stricter rule for districts in a county that borders Mexico and contains a city of more than 500,000 people: board members there must be registered voters living in the district, not just landowners. A non-voter may still serve only if most of the district's water or sewer hookups are non-residential and no qualified local voter filed for the seat in time; current board members finish their terms, and the rule starts September 1, 2027.

Labels

Labels: DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 89R SB 1028 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R and 89R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 89R and 90R. Checked against 88R and 89R only.

Receipt

The receipt

90R-SB284 · 2026-11-09

SOLD BY

ITEM

relating to the qualifications for serving as a member of the board of directors of certain municipal utility districts.

WHAT IT DOES

Caption: “certain” districts. Bill: border counties with a 500,000-plus city, where directors must be voters.

The bill keeps the existing statewide rules for municipal utility district board members, with only minor wording cleanup. It adds a stricter rule for districts in a county that borders Mexico and contains a city of more than 500,000 people: board members there must be registered voters living in the district, not just landowners. A non-voter may still serve only if most of the district's water or sewer hookups are non-residential and no qualified local voter filed for the seat in time; current board members finish their terms, and the rule starts September 1, 2027.

CHARGES

[x] BRACKET BILLanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

“borders the United Mexican States; and”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The border-county test, paired with the 500,000-plus city requirement, aims the new rule at a very small number of counties. The caption only says "certain" districts and never names which ones.

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

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 10, 2024 to Jun 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.

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund$25,750.00

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund

$25,750.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$750.00
Total
$25,750.00
consulting $750.00

Also funds 5 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 22, 2024 to Oct 12, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 25, 2024 to Dec 13, 2024. 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: 100989095.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$25,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

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 3, 2024 to Jan 26, 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: 100989095, 101009709, 101033590, 101060872.

Border Health PAC$25,000.00

Border Health PAC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

Also funds 17 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 14, 2024. 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: 100989095.

Money

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

×

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund

$25,750.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$750.00
Total
$25,750.00
consulting $750.00

Also funds 5 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 22, 2024 to Oct 12, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 25, 2024 to Dec 13, 2024. 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: 100989095.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

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 3, 2024 to Jan 26, 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: 100989095, 101009709, 101033590, 101060872.

×

Border Health PAC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

Also funds 17 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 14, 2024. 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: 100989095.

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.

FILED BEFORE

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

89R SB 1028

by Sen. Blanco, same lead author · Died in committee · reworked

Introduced text

Last action, Feb 24, 2025: Referred to Local Government

Relating to the qualifications for serving as a member of the board of directors of certain municipal utility districts.

Caption, 89R bill history

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Nov 9, 2026

11/09/2026 S Filed

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Nov 10, 2026 at 2:41 AM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Companion

HB 495 by González, Mary (identical)

Subjects

MEXICO

Special Districts & Authorities--Municipal Utility Districts

BORDER

Text

The text as introduced · 461 words

90R389 ANG-D

By: Blanco
S.B. No. 284

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the qualifications for serving as a member of the board

of directors of certain municipal utility districts.

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

SECTION 1. Section 54.102, Water Code, is amended to read as

follows:

Sec. 54.102. QUALIFICATIONS FOR DIRECTORS. To be qualified

to serve as a director, a person shall :

(1) be at least 18 years old ;

(2) be [ , ] a resident citizen of the State of Texas ; [ , ]

and

(3) either own land subject to taxation in the

district or be a qualified voter within the district.

SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 54, Water Code, is amended

by adding Section 54.103 to read as follows:

Sec. 54.103. QUALIFICATIONS FOR DIRECTORS IN CERTAIN

COUNTIES. (a) This section applies only to a district wholly or

partly located in a county that:

(1) borders the United Mexican States; and

(2) contains a municipality with a population of more

than 500,000.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 54.102, to be qualified to

serve as a director of a district to which this section applies, a

person shall:

(1) meet the requirements of Sections 54.102(1) and

(2); and

(2) be a qualified voter within the district.

(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (b)(2), a person who is not a

qualified voter within a district may serve as a director of the

district if:

(1) less than 50 percent of the retail water or sewer

connections in the district are for residential users; and

(2) the district did not receive an application for a

place on the ballot for each position on the board from a candidate

who is a qualified voter within the district on or before the 15th

day before the deadline for filing an application for a place on the

ballot as prescribed by Section 144.005, Election Code.

SECTION 3. Section 54.103, Water Code, as added by this Act,

does not affect the entitlement of a member serving immediately

before the effective date of this Act on the board of directors of a

municipal utility district described by that section to continue to

carry out the board's functions for the remainder of the member's

term. That section applies only to a member of the board of

directors of such a district elected or appointed on or after the

effective date of this Act. That section does not prohibit a person

who is a member of the board of directors of such a district on the

effective date of this Act from being reelected or reappointed to

the board if the person has the qualifications required for a member

under that section.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.