HB 1514

AN ACT relating to the authority of a political subdivision to issue debt

House Bill Schofield
Filed

Filed

Bill introduced by legislator

Committee

Hearing

Passed Cmte

Calendar

Passed

Sent

Enrolled

Governor

Signed

89th Regular Session

Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended

Awaiting Committee Assignment

Bill filed, pending referral to House committee

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Fiscal Note

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What This Bill Does

Restricts political subdivisions (counties, municipalities, school districts, etc.) from issuing public securities (debt) to purchase or lease tangible personal property if the property's expected useful life ends before the debt's maturity date. The legislation aims to prevent political subdivisions from taking on long-term debt for short-lived assets, ensuring that the duration of the financial obligation aligns with the useful life of the purchased property. The bill will take effect on September 1, 2025, and applies to all political subdivisions in Texas.

Subject Areas

Bill Text

relating to the authority of a political subdivision to issue debt
to purchase or lease tangible personal property.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  The heading to Chapter 1253, Government Code, is
CHAPTER 1253.  PUBLIC SECURITIES [GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS]
ISSUED BY POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS
SECTION 2.  Section 1253.001, Government Code, is amended to
Sec. 1253.001.  DEFINITIONS [DEFINITION].  In this chapter:
(1)  "Political [, "political] subdivision" means a
county, municipality, school district, junior college district,
other special district, or other subdivision of state government.
(2)  "Public security" has the meaning assigned by
SECTION 3.  Chapter 1253, Government Code, is amended by
adding Section 1253.0015 to read as follows:
Sec. 1253.0015.  LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY TO ISSUE PUBLIC
SECURITY FOR TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY.  A political subdivision
may not issue a public security to purchase or lease tangible
personal property if the expected useful life of the property for
the purpose of calculating depreciation deductions under the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 ends before the maturity date of the
, Government Code, is amended to
Sec. 1253.002.  LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY TO ISSUE GENERAL
OBLIGATION BONDS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO REAL PROPERTY.  [(a)  In this
section, "personal property" has the meaning assigned by Section
[(b)]  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a
political subdivision may not issue general obligation bonds to
purchase, improve, or construct one or more improvements to real
property [, to purchase one or more items of personal property, or
to do both,] if the weighted average maturity of the issue of bonds
exceeds 120 percent of the reasonably expected weighted average
economic life of the improvements [and personal property] financed
SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Bill Sponsors

Legislators who authored or co-sponsored this bill.

Bill History

filed

Bill filed: AN ACT relating to the authority of a political subdivision to issue debt