Grassroots Priorities 2.0

HB294

Assigned to Committee
Authored by Phil Cortez (D)
View at Source

Caption: Relating to the regulation by a municipality or property owners' association of food production on single-family residential lots.
Initially Referred to House Agriculture & Livestock Committee, chaired by a Republican
Last Referred to Senate Local Government Committee, chaired by a Republican

HB 294 amends the Texas Local Government Code and Property Code to protect residential food production on single-family residential lots by prohibiting municipalities and property owners' associations (POAs) from enforcing ordinances or restrictive covenants that outright ban growing fruits and vegetables, raising up to six domestic fowl (excluding roosters) or adult rabbits, or operating a cottage food production business as defined by the Texas Health and Safety Code. While municipalities and POAs may impose reasonable regulations related to sanitation, safety, odor, and noise, they cannot restrict these activities if they do not constitute a nuisance. The bill permits regulations on the size, location, and shielding of animal enclosures, mandates sanitary conditions, and limits the number of animals, while exempting condominiums and voiding any conflicting municipal ordinances or POA covenants. HB 294 takes effect on September 1, 2025.

Joint authors: Cain (R); McLaughlin (R); Zwiener (D)
Co-authors: Toth (R)

Nov 12, 2024

(H) Cortez signed onto the bill as Author
(H) Filed

Feb 27, 2025

(H) Read first time
(H) Referred to the House Agriculture & Livestock, chaired by a Republican

Mar 11, 2025

(H) Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
(H) Considered in public hearing
(H) Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
(H) Left pending in committee

Mar 27, 2025

(H) House Agriculture & Livestock met.
(H) Considered in formal meeting
(H) Committee substitute considered in committee
(H) Reported favorably as substituted

Mar 31, 2025

(H) Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
(H) Committee report distributed

Apr 1, 2025

(H) Committee report sent to Calendars

Apr 17, 2025

(H) Considered in Calendars

Apr 28, 2025

(H) Considered in Calendars

Apr 30, 2025

(H) Cain signed onto the bill as Joint Author
(H) McLaughlin signed onto the bill as Joint Author

May 1, 2025

(H) Toth signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Zwiener signed onto the bill as Joint Author
(H) Placed on General State Calendar
(H) Read 2nd time
(H) Passed to engrossment
(H) Record vote

RV#1187: Yea 138 (R 81, D 57) - Nay 0 (R 0, D 0)
View Source
Yea - Alders; Allen; Ashby; Barry; Bell, C.; Bell, K.; Bernal; Bhojani; Bonnen; Bowers; Bryant; Buckley; Bucy; Bumgarner; Button; Cain; Campos; Canales; Capriglione; Cole; Collier; Cook; Cortez; Craddick; Darby; Davis, A.; Davis, Y.; Dean; DeAyala; Dorazio; Dutton; Dyson; Fairly; Frank; Gamez; Garcia Hernandez; Garcia, J.; Garcia, L.; Gates; Gerdes; Geren; Gervin-Hawkins; Gonzalez, M.; Goodwin; Guerra; Guillen; Harris; Harris Davila; Harrison; Hayes; Hefner; Hernandez; Hickland; Hinojosa; Hopper; Howard; Hull; Hunter; Isaac; Johnson; Jones, J.; Jones, V.; Kerwin; King; Kitzman; LaHood; Lalani; Lambert; Leach; Leo Wilson; Little; Longoria; Lopez, J.; Lopez, R.; Louderback; Lowe; Lozano; Lujan; Luther; Manuel; Martinez; Martinez Fischer; McLaughlin; McQueeney; Metcalf; Meyer; Meza; Money; Moody; Morales, C.; Morales, E.; Morales Shaw; Morgan; Munoz; Noble; Olcott; Oliverson; Ordaz; Patterson; Paul; Perez, M.; Perez, V.; Phelan; Pierson; Raymond; Reynolds; Richardson; Rodriguez Ramos; Romero; Rose; Rosenthal; Schatzline; Schofield; Schoolcraft; Shaheen; Shofner; Simmons; Slawson; Smithee; Spiller; Swanson; Tepper; Thompson; Tinderholt; Toth; Troxclair; Turner; VanDeaver; Vasut; Villalobos; Virdell; Vo; Walle; Ward Johnson; Wharton; Wilson; Wu; Zwiener
Absent - Anchia; Cunningham; Curry; Harless; Plesa
Present, Not Voting - Burrows; Flores; Landgraf
Please note: the following statements by legislators do not affect the vote count that was recorded.
Mihaela Plesa: "When Record No. 1187 was taken, I was in the house but away from my desk. I would have voted yes." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
Pat Curry: "When Record No. 1187 was taken, my vote failed to register. I would have voted yes." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

(H) Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal

May 2, 2025

(H) Read 3rd time
(H) Passed
(H) Record vote

RV#1293: Yea 127 (R 79, D 48) - Nay 6 (R 2, D 4)
View Source
Yea - Alders; Allen; Ashby; Barry; Bell, C.; Bell, K.; Bernal; Bhojani; Bonnen; Bowers; Bryant; Buckley; Bucy; Bumgarner; Button; Cain; Capriglione; Cole; Cook; Cortez; Craddick; Cunningham; Curry; Darby; Davis, A.; Davis, Y.; Dean; DeAyala; Dorazio; Dutton; Dyson; Fairly; Flores; Frank; Gamez; Garcia Hernandez; Garcia, J.; Garcia, L.; Gates; Gerdes; Geren; Gervin-Hawkins; Goodwin; Guerra; Guillen; Harris; Harris Davila; Harrison; Hayes; Hefner; Hernandez; Hickland; Hinojosa; Hopper; Howard; Hull; Isaac; Johnson; Jones, V.; Kerwin; King; Kitzman; Lalani; Lambert; Landgraf; Leach; Leo Wilson; Little; Longoria; Lopez, J.; Louderback; Lowe; Lozano; Lujan; Luther; Martinez; McQueeney; Metcalf; Meyer; Meza; Money; Moody; Morales, E.; Morales Shaw; Morgan; Noble; Olcott; Oliverson; Patterson; Paul; Perez, M.; Perez, V.; Phelan; Pierson; Plesa; Raymond; Reynolds; Richardson; Rodriguez Ramos; Romero; Rosenthal; Schofield; Shaheen; Shofner; Simmons; Slawson; Smithee; Spiller; Swanson; Talarico; Tepper; Thompson; Tinderholt; Toth; Troxclair; Turner; VanDeaver; Vasut; Villalobos; Virdell; Vo; Walle; Ward Johnson; Wharton; Wilson; Wu; Zwiener
Nay - Anchia; Gonzalez, J.; Harless; Manuel; Rose; Schoolcraft
Absent - Gonzalez, M.; Hunter; Jones, J.; Lopez, R.; Ordaz
Present, Not Voting - Burrows
Please note: the following statements by legislators do not affect the vote count that was recorded.
Toni Rose: "When Record No. 1293 was taken, I was shown voting no. I intended to vote yes." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

(H) Reported engrossed

May 5, 2025

(S) Received from the House
(S) Read first time
(S) Referred to the Senate Local Government, chaired by a Republican

Lobbying Against/For/On This Bill

Against

(Tue 3/11/2025) Testifying before H Agriculture & Livestock as Nick Kornuta for self (with Texas Legislative Action Committee/CAI)
(Tue 3/11/2025) Testifying before H Agriculture & Livestock as Nick Kornuta for self (with Texas Legislative Action Committee - Community Association Institute)
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Beverly Biehl for self
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Beverly Biehl for self
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Drew Campbell for Associa
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Drew Campbell for Associa
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as JC Essler for Texas Poultry Federation
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as JC Essler for Texas Poultry Federation
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Jesus Azanza for self (with Community Associations Institute)
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Jesus Azanza for self (with Community Associations Institute/Texas Legislative Action Committee)
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Laura Matz for Texas Community Association Advocates
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Laura Matz for Texas Community Association Advocates (TCAA)

For

(Tue 3/11/2025) Testifying before H Agriculture & Livestock as Judith McGeary for self (with Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance)
(Tue 3/11/2025) Testifying before H Agriculture & Livestock as Judith McGeary for self (with Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance)
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Ashley Harris for United Way
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Ashley Harris for United Way
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Crystal Main for self
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Crystal Main for self
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Justin Houck for self
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Justin Houck for self
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Kathy Ponce for self
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Kathy Ponce for self
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Kelley Masters for self (with Homemade Texas)
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Kelley Masters for self (with Homemade Texas)
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Mary Tiernan for self
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Mary Tiernan for self
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Sheila Hemphill for self (with Texas Right To Know)
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Sheila Hemphill for self (with Texas Right To Know, Texas Hemp Industries Association)
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Stanley Sorrell for San Antonio Food Bank
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Stanley Sorrell for San Antonio Food Bank
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Stephen Zarate for self
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Stephen Zarate for self
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as William Tiernan for self
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as William Tiernan for self

(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Lewis Dinges for Texas Animal Health Commission
(Tue 3/11/2025) Registering before H Agriculture & Livestock as Lewis Dinges for Texas Animal Health Commission