Several bills have been filed that relate to the power of eminent domain for either private or both private and public entities. Below is a spotlight on those bills and, in the filed version, the entities they will impact.

 

HB 991 (Burns) / SB 421 (Kolkhorst) – Relating to the acquisition of real property by an entity with eminent domain authority.

  • Impacts Private entities – bill language has been narrowed to only include private entities
  • A press conference was held with both bill authors on Jan. 23, a report was published on this conference, Burns in the press conference notes the bill in some ways is about raising the expectations of private entities since some governmental/public entities are already doing things stated in the bill

 

HB 1245 (Ashby) / SB 552 (Schwertner) – Relating to notice of a property owner’s rights relating to the examination or survey of property by an entity with eminent domain authority.

  • Any entity with eminent domain authority
  • This bill language is a refile from the 85th Session SB 627. It was passed out of the House unanimously and stalled in House committee.

HB 1246 (Ashby) / SB 553 (Schwertner) – Relating to the acquisition of certain real property in conjunction with the acquisition of real property for a public use through eminent domain procedures.

  • Any entity with eminent domain authority

HB 1253 (Leman) / SB 554 (Schwertner) – Relating to establishing actual progress for the purposes of determining the right to repurchase real property from a condemning entity.

  • Any entity with eminent domain authority
  • Includes specifying requirements to repurchase real property for a navigation district or port authority

HB 1157 (Bell) – Relating to the acquisition of property by an entity with eminent domain authority.

  • Any entity with eminent domain authority
  • Requires a disclosure of an appraisal report and addresses condemnation proceedings