Relating to the filing for record of a plat, replat, or amended plat or replat of a subdivision of real property or a condominium.
Summary
HB 2025 amends the Texas Property Code rules governing when a plat, replat, or amended plat/replat of a subdivision or condominium may be filed for record with a county clerk. The bill keeps the core requirement that the filing must be accompanied by an original tax certificate from each taxing unit with jurisdiction showing no delinquent ad valorem taxes are owed, but it removes the prior requirement that, if filed after September 1, the filing also include proof that current-year taxes have been paid or a statement that they have not yet been calculated.
The bill also adds a new requirement that, if the tax certificate from a taxing unit does not cover the preceding year, the filing must include a tax receipt showing the preceding year’s taxes were paid. Existing exceptions remain in place for certain inherited property subdivisions and for property acquired by a taxing unit for public use through eminent domain or voluntary sale. The act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Impact
HB 2025 narrows and clarifies the documentation required to record subdivision and condominium plats in Texas by eliminating the current-year tax payment/statement requirement tied to filings after September 1, while preserving the no-delinquent-taxes certification and adding a preceding-year tax receipt requirement when needed. It affects county clerks, taxing units, property owners, developers, and condominium filers by changing the paperwork needed for recording plats and related instruments under Property Code Sections 12.002 and 82.051.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly noncontroversial and received unanimous or near-unanimous support throughout the legislative process. It passed the House 132-0 with one present-not-voting and the Senate 31-0, with no committee transcript evidence of opposition or significant debate. The voting history suggests general agreement that the changes were technical or administrative in nature rather than policy-driven.
Contention
No notable substantive contention is evident in the available record. The main policy change is the removal of the after-September-1 current-year tax proof requirement and replacement with a preceding-year tax receipt requirement when the tax certificate does not already cover that year. Any practical concerns would likely center on administrative burden for filers and county clerks, but no specific opposing viewpoints are reflected in the provided materials.
Relating to verification of citizenship or legal residency for purposes of certain contracts for or concerning the purchase of residential real property located in platted subdivisions; creating a criminal offense.