The bill, H.B. No. 3172, introduces a new subchapter to the Local Government Code that regulates municipal oversight of multifamily and mixed-use developments on religious land. It defines key terms such as "group home," "heavy industrial use," "mixed-use," "multifamily," "religious land," and "supportive housing." The bill stipulates that municipalities must permit multifamily and mixed-use developments on religious land and cannot impose certain zoning or land use changes, such as requiring special exceptions or variances. Additionally, it prohibits municipalities from imposing restrictions on building height, setbacks, and parking requirements that exceed specified limits.

The legislation also outlines the municipality's duty to approve development applications that meet existing land development regulations, except for those matters specifically addressed in the bill. It allows affected individuals or housing organizations to take legal action against municipalities that violate these provisions, including seeking declaratory judgments, injunctions, and damages. The bill waives governmental immunity for municipalities in these cases and establishes that the Fifteenth Court of Appeals has exclusive jurisdiction over related appeals. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

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