SB 1024 Texas Senate · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to the issuance of certain anticipation notes and certificates of obligation.

SB 1024 restricts local governments from using temporary borrowing (anticipation notes or certificates of obligation) to cover costs if a similar bond proposal was recently rejected by voters. Specifically, it generally prohibits such borrowing for five years after a bond vote fails, with exceptions for natural disaster cleanup, federal court orders, or compliance with state/federal laws after official notice. The bill amends Texas Government Code and Local Government Code sections to clarify these rules and applies only to obligations issued on or after September 1, 2025. It directly affects cities, counties, and other local entities that issue these financial instruments to manage short-term cash flow. The law aims to prevent repeated voter rejection of bond measures while allowing flexibility for urgent or legally required spending.
Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 30, 2025 Last action May 25, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Engrossed · 4 edits · Mar 31, 2025
MODERATE
This bill updates Texas laws governing anticipation notes and certificates of obligation, allowing local governments to issue these financial instruments under specific conditions even when recent bond propositions failed. The changes clarify when these notes can be authorized and establish clearer thresholds for their use.
Scope change
The bill expands the conditions under which local governments can issue anticipation notes and certificates of obligation, particularly regarding the five-year bond proposition restriction and the percentage limit on outstanding indebtedness.
ELIGIBILITY

Changed the bond proposition restriction period from five years to three years in one section, then modified back to five years in another section, creating inconsistency in the text.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new requirement that anticipation notes cannot exceed five percent of the issuer's total outstanding bonded indebtedness.

Reorganized and clarified the exceptions to the bond proposition restriction, adding natural disaster cleanup and federal court order compliance as valid reasons to issue notes.

TECHNICAL

Added metadata and formatting changes including bill number updates and digital accessibility compliance statements.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 31, 2025

How they voted

236
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 30
Mar 31, 2025
D Democratic10
4 Yea 6 Nay
60% Nay
R Republican20
19 Yea 1
95% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
39
Key actions
13
Committee
13
Amendments
3
May 25, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report sent to Calendars
lower
May 25, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report distributed
lower
May 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably as substituted
lower
May 20, 2025
Committee
Failed to receive affirmative vote in comm.
lower
May 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
Left pending in committee
lower
May 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Committee
Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Services
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
lower
Apr 1, 2025
Introduced
Received from the Senate
lower
Mar 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed
upper
Mar 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed to engrossment as amended
upper
Mar 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
Mar 31, 2025
Introduced
Amendment(s) offered
upper
Mar 17, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report printed and distributed
upper
Mar 17, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably w/o amendments
upper
Mar 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
Vote taken in committee
upper
Mar 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Left pending in committee
upper
Mar 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Testimony taken in committee
upper
Feb 24, 2025
Committee
Referred to Local Government
upper
Feb 24, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
upper
2 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors