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PASSEDHouston City Council · 2026-05-12

The council voted to send a proposed ordinance to the Ethics Committee rather than vote on it directly. The ordinance would have repealed the city rule that limits how candidates can use campaign contributions to repay personal loans.

What it means for you

This procedural vote delays any decision on whether Houston candidates could repay themselves more freely from campaign funds; no change to the existing rule has been made yet.

Outcome

Adopted — voting aye Council Member Martinez voting aye Council Member Peck voting aye Council Member Pollard voting no Council Member Jackson aye Council Member Castex-Tatum voting aye Council Member Kamin voting no Council Member Ramirez voting aye Council Member Evans-Shabazz voting no Council Member Davis voting aye Council Member Flickinger voting aye Council Member Carter voting aye Council Member Thomas voting no Council Member Salinas voting no Council Member Huffman voting aye Council Member Alcorn voting aye Council Member Castillo voting aye MOTION 2026-0267 ADOPTED MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS - Council Member Carter first There being no further business before Council, City Council adjourned at 11:09 a. Motion 2026-0267, official minutes of May 12, 2026.

Taxes & budget — see all →City of Houston

Official sources

Meeting minutes — full record with the vote (PDF) ↗

These are the official minutes — the narrative record of what happened at the meeting, including the vote on each item.

District A — Amy PeckADistrict B — Tarsha JacksonBDistrict C — Joe PanzarellaCDistrict D — Carolyn Evans-ShabazzDDistrict E — Fred FlickingerEDistrict F — Tiffany ThomasFDistrict G — Mary Nan HuffmanGDistrict H — Mario CastilloHDistrict I — Joaquin MartinezIDistrict J — Edward PollardJDistrict K — Martha Castex-TatumK

Official council district boundaries · City of Houston GIS. Tap a district to see who represents it.

How to weigh in

Where
City Hall, 901 Bagby, 2nd Floor, Houston, TX 77002
When
Council meets Tuesdays 1:30 p.m. & Wednesdays 9:00 a.m. Public Session — when you can speak — is Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. on the last Tuesday of the month).
Speak
Register by 3:00 p.m. the Monday before: call 832.393.1100, email speakers@houstontx.gov, or go in person to the City Secretary (City Hall Annex, 900 Bagby, Room P101). Each speaker gets 1–3 minutes.
Watch
Live on HTV ↗

From the City Council meetings information page. Confirm the exact date on the official agenda before you go.

Quick answersfrom the official record
Who decides?Houston City Council — its 16 members (11 district + 5 at-large) vote; the Mayor presides and also votes. The record names the Ethics and Governance Committee ↗, chaired by Council Member Martinez. Taken up at the May 12, 2026 meeting — Adopted.minutes ↗
The official caption doesn't name a dollar amount, a beneficiary, or who pays for it — full details in the official minutes ↗

Cite this: https://plaindocket.com/item/real-cs20260512-34 — data from official records via PlainDocket.