Rep. Rafael Anchia introduced HB 5683, a bill on Special Districts & Authorities, to the Texas House on Tuesday, April 22 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 the Cedar Springs Improvement District; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes’’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
The bill establishes the Cedar Springs Improvement District in Dallas County, Texas, under Section 59, Article XVI of the Texas Constitution. It outlines the district’s purpose to foster employment, economic development, and public welfare, among other objectives, by supplementing existing city and county services. Governed by a board of seven elected directors, the district is authorized to undertake improvement projects, provide law enforcement, and engage in economic development programs. It can impose assessments and taxes, issue bonds, and borrow money. An election is required for implementing ad valorem taxes or bonds backed by such taxes. The district cannot exercise eminent domain. Dissolution is possible through a vote or petition from property owners, but not if there are outstanding debts or public infrastructure responsibilities. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a supporting vote from two-thirds of the legislative members; otherwise, it is effective from Sept. 1, 2025.
Rafael Anchia, the chair of the House Committee on S/C on Telecommunications & Broadband, proposed another 49 bills during the 89(R) legislative session. He is also a member of the House Committee on Environmental Regulation and a member of the House Committee on State Affairs.
Anchia graduated from Tulane Law School with a JD.
Rafael Anchia is currently serving in the Texas State House, representing the state’s 103rd House district. He replaced previous state representative Steven D. Wolens in 2005.
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.
| Legislative Session | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89(R) | HB 5604 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the access by a certificated provider to the rights-of-way and poles of an electric cooperative |
| 89(R) | HB 5479 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to energy efficiency goals and programs |
| 89(R) | HB 5451 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the treatment of certain residence homesteads for purposes of the Tax Increment Financing Act |
| 89(R) | HB 5399 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to certain criminal offenses concerning the unlawful transfer or purchase of certain weapons; increasing a criminal penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 5253 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the authority of a municipality to alter speed limits |
| 89(R) | HB 5200 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the use of grid enhancing technologies and high-performance conductors in the ERCOT power region |
| 89(R) | HB 5131 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the establishment of the office of medical examiner in certain counties |
| 89(R) | HB 4841 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to a program administered by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to connect clean vehicle program applicants with certain vehicle owners to facilitate the issuance of grants or other funding for the replacement of those vehicles |
| 89(R) | HB 4837 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to employer contributions for retirees of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas who resume certain employment with a public school |
| 89(R) | HB 4750 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the exemption from ad valorem taxation of property of certain charitable organizations that provide housing on a cooperative basis |
| 89(R) | HB 4719 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the definition of telephone call for purposes of regulating telephone solicitations |
| 89(R) | HB 4560 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to recording requirements for certain instruments concerning real property |
| 89(R) | HB 4558 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to the filing or recording of documents or instruments conveying or purporting to convey an interest in real or personal property |
| 89(R) | HB 4557 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to the regulation of art therapy, including the establishment of the Texas Art Therapy Board and the duties of the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council; requiring an occupational license; creating a criminal offense; imposing a fee |
| 89(R) | HB 4197 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to a requirement that public schools issue student identification cards to high school students |
| 89(R) | HB 4091 | 03/07/2025 | Relating to the interconnection of the ERCOT power grid to grids outside the ERCOT power region |
| 89(R) | HB 4017 | 03/07/2025 | Relating to the carrying of handguns on the campuses of and certain other locations associated with institutions of higher education |
| 89(R) | HB 4016 | 03/07/2025 | Relating to prohibiting the use of electric resistance as a primary heat source in certain residential buildings |
| 89(R) | HB 3704 | 03/04/2025 | Relating to notaries public; creating a criminal offense; authorizing a fee |
| 89(R) | HB 3541 | 02/28/2025 | Relating to certain criminal offenses concerning the unlawful transfer or purchase of certain weapons; increasing a criminal penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 3511 | 02/28/2025 | Relating to the participation of electric vehicles in the ERCOT market |
| 89(R) | HB 3509 | 02/28/2025 | Relating to a common characteristic or use project in a public improvement district in certain municipalities |
| 89(R) | HB 3280 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to participation in a deferred retirement option plan by members of the retirement systems for police and fire fighters in certain municipalities |
| 89(R) | HB 3208 | 02/21/2025 | Relating to the installation by the Texas Department of Transportation of highway signs for certain cultural attractions |
| 89(R) | HB 3177 | 02/21/2025 | Relating to the office of inspector general in certain municipalities and the investigators of those offices |
| 89(R) | HB 3097 | 02/20/2025 | Relating to the authority of certain political subdivisions to change the date of their general elections |
| 89(R) | HB 3065 | 02/20/2025 | Relating to the disposition of a firearm surrendered through a firearm buyback program administered by certain local law enforcement agencies |
| 89(R) | HB 2937 | 02/18/2025 | Relating to the areas of operation of housing finance corporations |
| 89(R) | HB 2896 | 02/18/2025 | Relating to insurance coverage for the disposition of embryonic and fetal tissue remains |
| 89(R) | HB 2891 | 02/14/2025 | Relating to the imposition of administrative, civil, and criminal penalties for violating certain statutes under the jurisdiction of, rules or orders adopted by, or licenses, permits, or certificates issued by the Railroad Commission of Texas; increasing criminal penalties |
| 89(R) | HB 2854 | 02/14/2025 | Relating to the required approval of certain hospital visits as a condition of release on parole or to mandatory supervision for certain releasees and to the hospital’s liability for damages resulting from those visits |
| 89(R) | HB 2837 | 02/14/2025 | Relating to state, local, and court involvement in determining whether victims and witnesses to an offense and certain detained, arrested, or incarcerated persons are lawfully present in the United States |
| 89(R) | HB 2836 | 02/14/2025 | Relating to the minimum wage |
| 89(R) | HB 2835 | 02/14/2025 | Relating to the basic allotment and guaranteed yield under the Foundation School Program, including an adjustment in those amounts to reflect inflation |
| 89(R) | HB 2769 | 02/13/2025 | Relating to prohibiting the transfer of certain semiautomatic rifles to certain recipients; creating a criminal offense; increasing a criminal penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 2727 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to the creation of certain criminal offenses concerning firearm sales at gun shows |
| 89(R) | HB 2722 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to the denial of certain applications for a permit or other authorization under the Texas Clean Air Act on the basis of certain adverse impacts |
| 89(R) | HB 2720 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to the adoption of the Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote |
| 89(R) | HB 2719 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to the name and governance of the Railroad Commission of Texas |
| 89(R) | HB 2717 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to equalizing compensation for certain wrongfully imprisoned persons |
| 89(R) | HB 2714 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to the issuance and acceptance of a high school student identification card and certain other forms of identification as identification for voting |
| 89(R) | HB 2700 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to the definition of holster for purposes of certain criminal offenses |
| 89(R) | HB 2698 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to the representation of certain indigent applicants for a writ of habeas corpus |
| 89(R) | HB 2697 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to certain procedures in connection with a bond forfeiture |
| 89(R) | HB 2695 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to the use of a social media platform in furtherance of an offense involving the delivery of a controlled substance; increasing criminal penalties |
| 89(R) | HB 2619 | 02/10/2025 | Relating to electronic voter registration |
| 89(R) | HB 2618 | 02/10/2025 | Relating to the development of a severe weather adaptation plan by certain entities |
| 89(R) | HB 2617 | 02/10/2025 | Relating to the procedures for the expunction of arrest records and files for persons who complete certain court programs or pretrial intervention programs |
| 89(R) | HB 1795 | 01/09/2025 | Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for certain conduct constituting the offense of dog fighting or the offense of cockfighting |
| 88(R) | HB 4784 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the provision of electricity service in the ERCOT power region |
