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Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Hillary Hickland introduced HB 4978 in Texas House — here’s what you need to know

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Hillary Hickland, Texas State Representative of the 55th district (R) | https://www.linkedin.com/in/hillary-hickland-87746621b/

Hillary Hickland, Texas State Representative of the 55th district (R) | https://www.linkedin.com/in/hillary-hickland-87746621b/

Rep. Hillary Hickland introduced HB 4978, a bill on City Government, County Government, and Special Districts & Authorities, to the Texas House on Thursday, April 3 during the 89(R) legislative session, according to the Texas Legislature website.

More specifically, the official text was summarized by the state legislature as ’’Relating to the creation of municipal utility districts in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of a municipality’’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

This bill amends existing laws concerning the establishment of municipal utility districts within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of municipalities, with an effective date of Sept. 1, 2025. It revises the consent and petition processes for forming these districts, particularly exempting municipal utility districts from certain conditions applied to other political subdivisions. The bill includes specific amendments to the Local Government and Water Codes, limiting the annexation of land by districts without written consent from the City of Weatherford. It mandates a memorandum of understanding for service provision involving water and road services between districts, municipalities, and counties upon municipal approval of a district's creation. The bill repeals several provisions of the Water Code, and changes apply only to districts created on or after the effective date.

Hillary Hickland, member of the House Committee on Ways & Means, proposed another 22 bills during the 89(R) legislative session.

Hickland graduated from Baylor University with a BA.

Hillary Hickland is currently serving in the Texas State House, representing the state's 55th House district. She replaced previous state representative Hugh Shine in 2025.

Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Other Recent Bills Introduced by Rep. Hillary Hickland in Texas House During 89(R) Legislative Session

Bill NumberDate IntroducedShort Description
HB 502404/03/2025Relating to the regulation of cigarettes and tobacco products, including the definitions of cigarettes and tobacco products
HB 444804/02/2025Relating to an automated artificial intelligence review of library material purchased by public schools; providing an administrative penalty
HB 444704/02/2025Relating to information that a property owners' association must file with the Texas Real Estate Commission; authorizing an administrative penalty
HB 438704/01/2025Relating to the eligibility of a person to serve on a civilian oversight board
HB 419103/31/2025Relating to adjustments in the appraised value of a residence homestead
HB 151103/26/2025Relating to the authority of a political subdivision to adopt or enforce a juvenile curfew; creating criminal offenses
HB 359803/25/2025Relating to prohibiting a child in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services from declining a placement
HB 322203/20/2025Relating to school district policies, appeals to the commissioner of education, and reporting on settlement agreements entered into by a public school
HB 314703/20/2025Relating to fiscal reporting by public schools
HB 301303/20/2025Relating to a restriction on the use of public money by a school district regarding the passage of a bond proposal
HB 256903/17/2025Relating to the applicability of certain parental notification requirements to school districts of innovation
HB 174203/14/2025Relating to protesting changes to municipal zoning regulations and boundaries
HB 154903/12/2025Relating to restrictions on the sale of obscene devices; providing a civil penalty
HB 151203/12/2025Relating to reporting the number of children known or reasonably believed to not be citizens of the United States enrolled in a public school and to requesting reimbursement from the United States government for the cost of educating those children
HB 143503/11/2025Relating to an expedited response by a governmental body to a request for public information
HB 143403/11/2025Relating to affirmative defenses to prosecution for certain offenses involving material or conduct that is obscene or otherwise harmful to children
HB 143303/11/2025Relating to efficiency audits for certain political subdivisions
HB 131303/10/2025Relating to the use by a school district or a school district employee of public funds for lobbying activities
HB 131203/10/2025Relating to a person submitting proof of citizenship to verify eligibility to vote in Texas
HB 131103/10/2025Relating to a limitation on rules, bylaws, and policies adopted by a school district's board of trustees
HB 131003/10/2025Relating to an annual report on the costs to this state and political subdivisions of providing health care services to foreign patients
HB 130903/10/2025Relating to the applicability of the law governing the provision of state aid to certain local governments disproportionately affected by the granting of ad valorem tax relief to disabled veterans and to the effect of the receipt of such aid on the maintenance and operations ad valorem tax rate of a local government

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