The Texas House has advanced a bill designed to lower property taxes over objections from top cities, who say it will hamstring their budgets.
The proposal approved 98-43 late Saturday requires city and county governments to hold elections if property taxes increase by 6 percent, letting voters possibly "rollback" that increase. Final House approval should come Monday.
The state Senate has already approved requiring property tax increases of at least 4 percent to trigger such elections so the issue will now go to conference committee. Current law mandates referendums on property tax hikes worth at least 8 percent.
Rollback election bills stalled during the regular legislative session, but Gov. Greg Abbott called lawmakers back to work, demanding property tax cuts.
Local leaders have for months accused the Republican-led Legislature of "overreach."
