By: Guillen, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Perry) H.B. No. 4163

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 30, 2025; May 5, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs; May 19, 2025, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 19, 2025, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of a city to impose certain governmental requirements on an agricultural operation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 251.0055(c), Agriculture Code, is amended to read as follows:

(c) A city may not impose a governmental requirement that directly or indirectly:

(1) prohibits the use of a generally accepted agricultural practice listed in the manual prepared under Section 251.007, except as provided by Subsections (a) and (b);

(2) prohibits or restricts the growing or harvesting of vegetation for animal feed, livestock forage, or forage for wildlife management, except as provided by Subsection (d);

(3) prohibits the use of pesticides or other measures to control vermin or disease-bearing insects to the extent necessary to prevent an infestation; [or]

(4) requires an agricultural operation be designated for:

(A) agricultural use under Section 1-d, Article VIII, Texas Constitution; or

(B) farm, ranch, wildlife management, or timber production use under Section 1-d-1, Article VIII, Texas Constitution; or

(5) requires the owner or lessee of an agricultural operation to mow, bale, shred, or hoe material on the right-of-way of a public road that is adjacent to the agricultural operation.

SECTION 2. Section 251.0055, Agriculture Code, as amended by this Act, applies to a governmental requirement adopted before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

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