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HB 3335

AN ACT relating to the authority of a county to dispose of surplus and

House Bill
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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Committee

Not yet assigned

Fiscal Note

Not available

What This Bill Does

This Texas bill expands county commissioners' authority to dispose of surplus and salvage property by allowing them to donate items to civic or charitable organizations under specific conditions. Counties can donate property if selling it would likely result in no bids or minimal returns, the donation serves a public purpose, and the organization provides adequate consideration like handling transportation or disposal expenses. The bill provides counties more flexibility in managing surplus property while ensuring taxpayer interests are protected.

Subject Areas

Bill Text

relating to the authority of a county to dispose of surplus and
salvage property to a civic or charitable organization.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Section 263.152(a), Local Government Code, is
(a)  The commissioners court of a county may:
(1)  periodically sell the county's surplus or salvage
property by competitive bid or auction, except that competitive
bidding or an auction is not necessary if the purchaser is another
county or a political subdivision within the county that is selling
the surplus or salvage property;
(2)  offer the property as a trade-in for new property
of the same general type if the commissioners court considers that
action to be in the best interests of the county;
(3)  order any of the property to be destroyed or
otherwise disposed of as worthless if the commissioners court
undertakes to sell that property under Subdivision (1) and is
unable to do so because no bids are made;
(4)  dispose of the property by donating it to a civic
or charitable organization located in the county if the
commissioners court determines that:
(A)  [undertaking to sell the property under
Subdivision (1) would likely result in no bids or a bid price that
is less than the county's expenses required for the bid process;
[(B)]  the donation serves a public purpose; [and]
(B)  the county can retain sufficient control over
the donation process to ensure that the public purpose of the
(C)  the organization will provide the county with
adequate consideration, such as relieving the county of
transportation or disposal expenses related to the property;
(5)  transfer gambling equipment in the possession of
the county following its forfeiture to the state to the Texas
Facilities Commission for sale under Section 2175.904, Government
(6)  order any vehicle retired under a program designed
to encourage the use of low-emission vehicles to be crushed and
recycled, if practicable, without a competitive bid or auction.
SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Bill History

filed

Bill filed: AN ACT relating to the authority of a county to dispose of surplus and