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HB5693

Regular Session

Relating to the election of the commissioners of the Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7.

Low
Low Cost
Effective:2025-06-20
Enforcing Agencies

Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7 Board of Commissioners

HB5693
Relating to the election of the commissioners of the Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7.
Low Urgency
Heavily Contested
House Vote109 - 22
YEA
NAY
83% in favor131 voting
Senate Vote30 - 1
YEA
97% in favor31 voting
23
Total Opposition Votes
Cost Impact
Low
Effective
2025-06-20
Enforcing Agencies
Jefferson County Drainage Distri...
Primary Author: Rep. Christian Manuel
89th Texas Legislature
jdkey.com
01

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

  • Effective Date: June 20, 2025 (Immediate effect due to supermajority vote).
  • Compliance Deadline: November 4, 2025 (First operational deadline for the new election cycle).
  • Agency Rulemaking: No formal rulemaking required; however, the District Secretary must immediately update election order templates and verify candidate residency qualifications under the new statutory constraints.

Immediate Action Plan

  • Immediate: Audit all pending permits or variance requests with JCDD7; assume the current Board composition remains the decision-making body through November 2025.
  • Immediate: If you are an election vendor, issue "Stop Work" orders for May preparations and initiate contract amendments for November.
  • Q3 2025: Verify the residency of any candidate you intend to support in the November election to ensure they do not reside in a municipality already represented by a holdover Commissioner.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

  • Election Services Vendors: Any existing contracts for ballot printing, polling location rentals, or election administration services scheduled for May 2026 or May 2028 are now void or require immediate amendment to reflect November delivery dates.
  • Development Agreements: Review Master Service Agreements (MSAs) or variance requests contingent on future Board approval. The "lame duck" period for current commissioners has been statutorily extended; do not anticipate a change in leadership or voting disposition until November.

Hiring/Training

  • Government Relations/Lobbying: No new hiring required, but external affairs teams must be briefed on the new "one-per-municipality" restriction. Candidate vetting protocols must be updated to cross-reference candidate residency against the residency of *sitting* commissioners to prevent statutory disqualification.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

  • Internal District Records: The District must document the extended term expirations for the 2022 and 2024 cohorts to ensure D&O insurance coverage remains valid through the extended dates (November 2025 and November 2027, respectively).
  • Private Sector: No new filing requirements.

Fees & Costs

  • No Fee Changes: The legislation does not authorize new levies or fee structures.
  • Cost Shifting: Election costs will shift from the May fiscal cycle to the November fiscal cycle.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

The "Municipality" Constraint:

The statute dictates: *"Not more than one Commissioner shall be elected from any one municipality."*

  • The Gap: The law does not define a cure mechanism if a sitting Commissioner moves into a municipality already represented by another Commissioner mid-term, or if municipal annexations create a conflict.
  • The Risk: This creates a vector for election contests. If your project relies on a specific vote, verify that the Commissioner’s residency status is unassailable to prevent their vote from being invalidated in court.

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Information presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.

02

Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

Filed
Apr 29, 2025
Passed House
May 16, 2025
Passed Senate
May 25, 2025
Signed
Jun 20, 2025
TopicsJefferson County Drainage District No. 7ElectionsElections--generalSpecial Districts & AuthoritiesSpecial Districts & Authorities--water & Utility
03

House Authors

Rep. Christian ManuelDemocrat · Primary Author

Senate Sponsor

Sen. Robert NicholsRepublican · Primary Sponsor

Bill Text(with markup)

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

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More from Rep. Christian Manuel

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Related by Topic

View more Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7 legislation
Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about HB5693

Q

What does Texas HB5693 do?

HB5693 mandates a structural shift in the governance of Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7 (JCDD7), moving commissioner elections from May to the November uniform election date in odd-numbered years. This legislation extends the terms of current sitting commissioners, freezing the regulatory environment for industrial and real estate projects requiring Board approval until November 2025.

Q

Who authored HB5693?

HB5693 was authored by Texas Representative Christian Manuel during the Regular Session.

Q

When was HB5693 signed into law?

HB5693 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025.

Q

Which agencies enforce HB5693?

HB5693 is enforced by Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7 Board of Commissioners.

Q

How urgent is compliance with HB5693?

The compliance urgency for HB5693 is rated as "low". Businesses and organizations should review the requirements and timeline to ensure timely compliance.

Q

What is the cost impact of HB5693?

The cost impact of HB5693 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

Q

What topics does HB5693 address?

HB5693 addresses topics including jefferson county drainage district no. 7, elections, elections--general, special districts & authorities and special districts & authorities--water & utility.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: November 25, 2025

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