Texas Bills

signed · Texas · Senate May 19, 2025

SB 2034: Relating to the receivership of a single-source continuum contractor providing child welfare services.

SB 2034 creates a legal process for appointing a court receiver to take over a single-source continuum contractor providing child welfare services in Texas when the contractor fails to meet performance standards, plans to stop operations without ensuring service continuity, or poses an imminent risk to children's safety. The bill amends the Family Code to allow the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to petition a court for a receiver if a contractor continues to underperform after improvement plans, fails to provide 60-day notice of shutdown without arranging replacement services, or creates dangerous conditions for children in their care. This applies specifically to contractors operating under community-based care contracts with the state. The law took effect immediately upon the governor's signature on May 19, 2025.

signed · Texas · Senate May 19, 2025

SB 2066: Relating to the repeal of the Texas Research Incentive Program.

SB 2066 repeals the Texas Research Incentive Program, ending a state tax credit program that previously provided financial incentives to businesses conducting research in Texas. This bill directly affects companies and research institutions that previously participated in the program to offset costs for research activities. The law removes the specific legal authority (Subchapter F, Chapter 62 of the Education Code) that established the program, effectively terminating the tax credit. The repeal took immediate effect on May 19, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes

signed · Texas · Senate May 19, 2025

SB 1268: Relating to the review and updating by the Texas Water Development Board of guidance principles and rules related to certain plans adopted or approved by the board.

SB 1268 requires the Texas Water Development Board to review and update its guidelines for the state water plan and state flood plan at least every five years, aligning with the existing cycle for adopting new plans. This directly affects the Board's planning processes, ensuring guidelines reflect current state needs and incorporate input from agencies like the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Parks and Wildlife. The bill specifically exempts these water and flood plan rules from a standard government requirement that most rules be reviewed every four years. This change streamlines the Board's planning cycle while maintaining regular updates to water resource management strategies.

signed · Texas · Senate May 19, 2025

SB 610: Relating to combating human trafficking by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

SB 610 requires the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) to establish an anti-trafficking unit, identify businesses in licensed industries affected by human trafficking, and coordinate with law enforcement, the Attorney General’s office, and anti-trafficking organizations. It directly affects licensed businesses (e.g., spas, massage parlors, or other regulated industries) by enabling TDLR to conduct inspections and investigations for trafficking indicators. The bill mandates TDLR to adopt rules for these inspections and protects victim identities by making information identifying trafficking victims confidential, exempting it from public disclosure under state law. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Texas · Senate May 19, 2025

SB 765: Relating to the confidentiality of fraud detection and deterrence information under the public information law.

SB 765 creates a new confidentiality exception for fraud detection and deterrence information under Texas public information law. It makes specific types of data - such as risk assessments, investigative materials, protocols, and technology specifications - confidential and not subject to public disclosure requirements. The law directly affects state and local governmental bodies that handle fraud prevention, ensuring these materials remain protected while allowing sharing for law enforcement and fraud prevention purposes under other applicable laws. The bill took effect September 1, 2025.

signed · Texas · Senate May 19, 2025

SB 1746: Relating to the relocation or removal of dredged spoils or materials by a navigation district.

This bill requires Texas navigation districts to cover costs if they need to move dredged material (sediment removed during waterway maintenance) from another district's authorized disposal site. If relocation reduces another district's capacity at that site, the requesting district must replace the lost capacity in a new location and pay for any extra transportation costs. The law applies specifically to districts managing dredged material placement areas and mandates compliance with federal Corps of Engineers rules. It became effective immediately upon the governor's signature on May 19, 2025.

Topics ✓ Transportation

signed · Texas · Senate May 19, 2025

SB 1806: Relating to the inspection, purchase, sale, possession, storage, transportation, and disposal of petroleum products, oil and gas equipment, and oil and gas waste; creating criminal offenses and increasing the punishment for an existing criminal offense.

SB 1806 regulates the handling of petroleum products (crude oil and condensate) in Texas by creating new criminal offenses for illegal activities like unauthorized possession, storage, or transportation. It requires law enforcement to use NYMEX oil prices to sell stolen petroleum products and mandates inspections of cargo tanks on public roads by trained officers, with samples sent to crime labs for analysis. The bill directly affects oil and gas industry operators, law enforcement agencies, and individuals involved in petroleum product transactions. It increases penalties for existing crimes related to petroleum products and takes effect September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

signed · Texas · Senate May 19, 2025

SB 1057: Relating to the submission and approval of certain proposals by shareholders of nationally listed corporations.

This law sets requirements for shareholder proposals at major publicly traded companies with Texas ties (those headquartered in Texas or listed on Texas-based exchanges). To submit a proposal, shareholders must hold $1 million in stock value or 3% of voting shares for six continuous months and secure support from 67% of shareholders. It excludes director nominations and routine procedural votes from these rules. Companies must include these proposal requirements in shareholder voting materials. The law applies only to corporations that voluntarily adopt it through their bylaws.

signed · Texas · Senate May 19, 2025

SB 914: Relating to authorizing certain cities and counties to change the date on which their general election for officers is held.

This bill allows small Texas cities (population 9,000 or less) in counties under 6,200 square miles with council-manager government to switch their general election date to the standard November election. Cities must make this change by December 31, 2026, and the option expires January 1, 2027. It applies only to cities currently holding elections on a date other than November. The bill does not affect larger cities or counties, nor does it change voting rules for existing election dates.

signed · Texas · Senate May 19, 2025

SB 1532: Relating to the information required to be posted by the Texas Water Development Board on the board's Internet website regarding the use of the state water implementation fund for Texas.

SB 1532 requires the Texas Water Development Board to post specific details about the state water implementation fund on its website, including project progress, bond details for funded projects, investment portfolio performance, and the scoring system used to prioritize water projects. The bill mandates regular updates on items like project completion dates, bond terms, repayment risks, and fund return rates to increase transparency. This directly affects the Texas Water Development Board, which must now publicly share these details, and indirectly affects Texans by providing clearer information on water infrastructure funding. The requirement takes effect September 1, 2025.

signed · Texas · Senate May 19, 2025

SB 1403: Relating to the administration of the Title IV-D agency, the powers and duties of the Title IV-D agency regarding the collection, modification, and enforcement of child support, and to certain procedures for cases and orders relating to the Title IV-D agency.

SB 1403 amends Texas Family Code provisions governing the Title IV-D child support agency, directly affecting child support enforcement processes for obligors (paying parents) and obligees (receiving parents). Key provisions include: (1) exempting the agency from mediation/arbitration requirements in child support cases (Section 2(j)), (2) allowing the agency to halt enforcement if the custodial parent is jailed for family violence against the child (Section 2(k)), and (3) permitting administrative adjustments to support amounts when an obligor is incarcerated for 180+ days (Section 4). The bill also establishes procedures for dismissing frivolous lawsuits against the agency or its contractors (Section 3). It became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor on May 19, 2025.

signed · Texas · Senate May 19, 2025

SB 1415: Relating to the sales tax exemption period for clothing, footwear, and certain school-related items.

This bill creates a temporary sales tax exemption for clothing and footwear priced under $100 during a specific three-day window each year. The exemption applies only to purchases made from 12:01 a.m. Friday before the first Saturday following July 30 until 12 midnight Sunday. It directly affects Texas residents buying qualifying items for school during this period, as the timing aligns with the start of the school year. The exemption is not permanent and takes effect September 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill results