Texans for Fiscal Responsibility has issued the following vote notice for April 7th, 2025 

Texas House of Representatives

Subject: House Bill 10 (HB 10) – Regulatory Reform and Efficiency

• Author: State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake)
• Caption: Relating to reforming the procedure by which state agencies adopt rules and impose regulatory requirements and the deference given to the interpretation of laws and rules by state agencies in certain judicial proceedings.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • HB 10, known as the Regulatory Reform and Efficiency Act, seeks to make Texas government more efficient by reducing unnecessary rules and regulations. The bill establishes a new office within the governor’s office to help state agencies identify outdated rules and remove unnecessary barriers for businesses and residents. By streamlining processes, including simplifying paperwork and reducing fees, the bill aims to cut costs and make it easier for businesses to grow. It also requires rules to be written in clear, plain language. This bill helps to reduce government interference, cut unnecessary costs, and promotes a more business-friendly environment that can drive economic growth and job creation. For these reasons, TFR supports HB 10.

Subject: House Bill 12 (HB 12) – Sunset review transparency and reform

• Author: State Rep. Keith Bell (R-Forney)
• Caption: Relating to the review and audit of certain state agency operations.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • HB 12 improves how Texas evaluates and oversees its state agencies. It enhances the Sunset review process by requiring agencies to notify the public and license holders about reviews and invite their input. Regulatory agencies will be subject to additional, targeted reviews of their rulemaking every six years to ensure transparency and efficiency. The bill also mandates in-depth audits to evaluate how effectively agencies are spending taxpayer dollars, identifying waste and recommending improvements. This bill is a step toward smaller, more efficient government, and increases transparency and accountability.

Subject: House Bill 147 (HB 147) – Digital livestock brands registry

• Author: State Rep. Ryan Guillen (R-Rio Grande City)
• Caption: Relating to the establishment of an electronic registry of livestock marks and brands.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • HB 147 (Duplicate SB 503) modernizes Texas’ livestock branding system by establishing a secure, centralized online registry managed by the Texas Animal Health Commission. This reform reduces bureaucracy, eliminates inefficiencies of outdated paper filings, and saves time and costs for both producers and local governments. It enhances law enforcement’s ability to quickly identify lost or stolen animals. This is a smart investment in digital infrastructure that promotes limited government, cuts red tape, and supports property rights.

Subject: House Bill 1522 (HB 1522) – Public meeting transparency

• Author: State Rep. Stan Gerdes (R-Smithville)
• Caption: Relating to notice of a meeting held under the open meetings law.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • HB 1522 ensures that Texans have a real opportunity to see what their local governments are doing—especially when it comes to budgets and taxes. By requiring that public meeting notices be posted for three business days instead of just 72 hours, the bill closes a loophole that lets local officials sneak through budget decisions with minimal public input. It also requires that proposed budgets be physically posted or made clearly available online, preventing governments from hiding financial decisions from taxpayers. 

Subject: House Bill 422 (HB 422) – Expands TWDB bond authority

• Author: State Rep. Mary González (D-San Elizario)
• Caption: Relating to limitations on the issuance of bonds by the Texas Water Development Board for the development of certain projects in economically distressed areas.
• TFR Position: OPPOSE
• Background: 
  • HB 422 raises the Texas Water Development Board’s annual bond cap from $25 million to $100 million for water and sewer projects. While the goal is to improve flexibility in funding, the bill opens the door to a significant increase in state-backed debt. This expansion lacks new oversight or accountability measures to ensure taxpayer money is spent efficiently. Without clear spending guardrails, this move could lead to wasteful projects or debt obligations that outlast their usefulness. Increasing bond capacity without corresponding reforms invites fiscal irresponsibility and could burden future budgets. This sets a precedent for loosening financial discipline under the guise of flexibility. For these reasons, TFR opposes HB 422.

Subject: House Bill 675 (HB 675) – Free access to public records

• Author: State Rep. Cody Vasut (R-Angleton)
• Caption: Relating to the imposition of charges by a governmental body for providing copies of public information under the public information law.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • HB 675 makes it easier and cheaper for citizens to access public information, including campaign finance records by waiving fees when those records aren’t already posted online. If a government agency hasn’t provided three years’ worth of campaign finance reports on its website, it must give paper or digital copies for free. The bill also empowers the Attorney General to cancel or reduce any fees if agencies mishandle records or violate transparency laws. This measure improves government accountability while relieving citizens of unnecessary financial burdens, promotes efficient government and cuts red tape. For these reasons, TFR supports HB 675.

Subject: House Bill 204 (HB 204) – Prosecutor pay cap removed

• Author: State Rep. Carl Tepper (R-Lubbock)
• Caption: Relating to the total annual salary from state and county sources for certain state prosecutors.
• TFR Position: OPPOSE
• Background: 
  • HB 204 lets smaller counties (under 400,000 people) pay state prosecutors more without losing any of their state salary funding. Currently, if counties pay extra, the state reduces its share, keeping overall compensation in check. This bill ends that limit for rural counties, meaning prosecutors there could earn more than judges, with the state still footing its full portion of the bill, at an additional cost to the State of nearly $300,000 per year. This creates a slippery slope of unchecked salary growth funded by taxpayers, bypasses long-established compensation norms in the public sector, and disproportionately benefits a handful of counties without structural reform. It sets a precedent for duplicative compensation at taxpayer expense, with no performance guarantees or cost controls.

Subject: House Bill 912 (HB 912) – Flexible energy compensation

• Author: State Rep. Joseph Moody (D-El Paso)
• Caption: Relating to the compensation of a distributed renewable generation owner in certain areas outside of ERCOT.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • HB 912 allows Texas regulators to approve new, potentially more efficient methods for compensating small-scale renewable energy producers who are located outside of ERCOT. This change helps modernize outdated rules that may no longer align with current technologies or market conditions. It promotes competition and innovation in energy generation, ensuring that Texans get the most cost-effective and reliable solutions. By reducing rigid regulatory mandates, it allows local utilities and producers to craft compensation models that best fit their needs.

Texas Senate

Subject: Senate Joint Resolution 81 (SJR 81) – Tax relief for small businesses

• Author: State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston)
• Caption: Proposing a constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of the market value of tangible personal property a person owns that is held or used for the production of income.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 81 gives the Texas Legislature the power to exempt the first $25,000 of value in business-related personal property from property taxes. This would ease the tax burden on small businesses, especially those that use tools, equipment, or vehicles to earn income. By removing the old, vague language that tied tax breaks to administrative costs, this amendment sets a clear, consistent threshold. Supporters of limited government and lower taxes should back this measure because it reduces unnecessary taxation on income-generating property and helps small businesses grow without red tape.

Subject: Senate Bill 22 (SB 22) – Corporate welfare for Hollywood

• Author: State Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston)
• Caption: Relating to the Texas moving image industry incentive program and the establishment and funding of the Texas moving image industry incentive fund.
• TFR Position: OPPOSE
• Background: 
  • SB 22 sets up a massive, taxpayer-funded grant program to subsidize movies, TV shows, and digital media projects made in Texas. It takes $500 million every two years from state sales taxes and deposits it into a special fund outside the state treasury. The Governor’s office uses this fund to hand out grants to entertainment companies. The program runs until 2035 and is projected to cost taxpayers over half a billion dollars every two years. The bill undermines core principles of limited government, creates a large, recurring carve-out from essential state revenues, and prioritizes corporate welfare for Hollywood-style projects over pressing taxpayer needs like tax relief. For these reasons, TFR strongly opposes SB 22.

Subject: Senate Bill 32 (SB 32) – Tax relief for small businesses

• Author: State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston)
• Caption: Relating to an exemption from ad valorem taxation of a portion of the appraised value of tangible personal property that is held or used for the production of income and a franchise tax credit for the payment of certain related ad valorem taxes.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 32 is the enabling legislation for SJR 81. The bill exempt the first $25,000 of value in business-related personal property from property taxes. This would ease the tax burden on small businesses, especially those that use tools, equipment, or vehicles to earn income. By removing the old, vague language that tied tax breaks to administrative costs, this amendment sets a clear, consistent threshold. Supporters of limited government and lower taxes should back this measure because it reduces unnecessary taxation on income-generating property and helps small businesses grow without red tape.

Subject: Senate Bill 393 (SB 393) – Stop debt for short-term assets

• Author: State Sen. Kevin Sparks (R-Midland)
• Caption: Relating to the authority of a political subdivision to issue debt to purchase or lease property.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 393 ensures that local governments in Texas can’t borrow money to buy or lease things that won’t last as long as the loan itself. For example, a city wouldn’t be allowed to take out a 20-year loan to buy vehicles that only last five years. It also limits how long debt can be used to finance construction projects, requiring loan terms to closely match the useful life of the buildings or infrastructure. This helps prevent wasteful spending and discourages hiding short-term costs in long-term debt. By doing this, the bill protects taxpayers from excessive debt and supports smarter, more responsible local budgeting.

Subject: Senate Bill 783 (SB 783) – Modernizes state building energy codes

• Author: State Sen. José Menéndez (D-San Antonio)
• Caption: Relating to certain regulations adopted by governmental entities for the construction or alteration of residential or commercial buildings.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 783 fixes a loophole in state law that was stopping Texas from updating its building energy codes for state-funded construction projects. By restoring the authority of the State Energy Conservation Office, this bill allows the adoption of newer standards that are 5–10% more efficient than current ones. It ensures any updates are backed by a detailed cost-benefit analysis, including how long it will take for savings to offset costs. Public input is also required before anything is finalized. This bill promotes responsible energy use, cuts long-term costs, reduces taxpayer burdens.

Subject: Senate Bill 1163 (SB 1163) – Protects taxpayer due process

• Author: State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola)
• Caption: Relating to the circumstances under which an appraisal review board is required to postpone a protest hearing.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 1163 makes it easier for property owners to navigate local tax protest hearings by giving them more flexibility when hearings overlap. It guarantees that a property owner or agent can request one postponement and expands what counts as a valid reason for rescheduling. If someone misses a hearing because they were attending another one, they won’t be penalized. This bill helps ensure government is not punishing taxpayers for bureaucratic inefficiencies and promotes fairness without adding any new cost or regulation. This is a commonsense reform that helps to protect property rights, reduce red tape, and ensure government processes serve citizens.

Subject: Senate Bill 1470 (SB 1470) – Voter rolls clean-up

• Author: State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola)
• Caption: Relating to requiring the Department of Public Safety to share data for the purpose of maintaining the statewide voter registration list.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 1470 requires Texas to use existing government data more efficiently to clean up the state’s voter rolls. When Texans get a driver’s license in another state, it likely means they’ve moved. This bill ensures that the Department of Public Safety shares this data with the Secretary of State, who must use it to identify people who no longer live in Texas and may be voting in two states. It cuts waste by preventing taxpayer dollars from being spent maintaining outdated voter records. The bill also helps guard against fraud and duplication in elections, which promotes confidence in the system. The bill is a low-cost, common-sense reform that uses existing tools to improve government efficiency and election integrity.

Subject: Senate Bill 2155 (SB 2155) – Veterinary regulation expansion

• Author: State Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock)
• Caption: Relating to the regulation of veterinary professionals and facilities by the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners and the temporary administration of the board by the Department of Licensing and Regulation.
• TFR Position: OPPOSE
• Background: 
  • SB 2155 gives the state bureaucracy greater control over the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, expanding its regulatory reach and formalizing a top-heavy oversight structure led by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. It allows the board to conduct more inspections, issue fines, and enforce new rules on veterinary professionals and facilities. While the bill claims to increase efficiency and accountability, it shifts power away from local, professional control and increases the potential for costly overreach. The bill reduces public transparency by keeping many investigations confidential and adds new layers of administrative burden. From a fiscally conservative perspective, this bill grows government, increases spending on enforcement, and imposes regulatory costs on small veterinary practices. For these reasons, TFR opposes SB 2155.

Reminder: Vote Notices are provided to both Texas state lawmakers and the general public, sharing Texans for Fiscal Responsibility’s position on issues to be rated as a part of the Fiscal Responsibility Index. Notices are provided prior to votes being taken in each legislative chamber.

Disclaimer: We reserve the right to consider amendments to legislation that may be introduced without notice as a part of issues to be rated on the Fiscal Responsibility Index. We will make every effort to provide notice on amendments that are pre-filed.