Texas Bills

signed · Texas · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 569: Relating to the provision of virtual education in public schools and to certain waivers and modifications by the commissioner of education to the method of calculating average daily attendance in an emergency or crisis for purposes of preserving school district funding entitlements under the Foundation School Program during that emergency or crisis; authorizing a fee.

SB 569 allows Texas school districts to adjust how student attendance is calculated during emergencies (like natural disasters or pandemics) to maintain funding under the Foundation School Program. It authorizes the commissioner of education to grant waivers or modifications to average daily attendance rules during crises, preventing funding cuts that would otherwise occur if attendance dropped due to virtual learning or school closures. The bill also permits the commissioner to charge a fee for processing these attendance adjustments. This directly affects school districts relying on state funding tied to attendance metrics during emergency periods.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Texas · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 365: Relating to the period for which an applicant for admission as an undergraduate student to a public institution of higher education is entitled to an academic fresh start.

This bill allows Texas public universities to disregard undergraduate applicants' academic records older than 10 years when evaluating admission, but requires them to retain the most recent 5 years of grades and credits. Colleges must publicly post their specific policies on this practice and cannot selectively ignore only parts of the 10-year window - they must disregard all records from that period if they choose to apply the policy. The law applies to admissions for the 2025 fall semester and affects how institutions count credits toward degree requirements for students using this "academic fresh start" option. It also ties state funding for relevant credits to this policy starting in 2025.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Texas · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 3035: Relating to the creation of the Montgomery County Water Control and Improvement District No. 7; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes.

SB 3035 creates Montgomery County Water Control and Improvement District No. 7 to manage local water systems and infrastructure. The district will have limited eminent domain power to acquire land for water control projects, the authority to issue bonds for funding, and the ability to impose assessments, fees, and taxes on properties within its boundaries. It directly affects property owners in the designated district area, who will be subject to these financial obligations. The district is governed by a board of five elected directors and must serve public purposes like stormwater management, waste disposal, and road-related drainage improvements as defined in Texas law.

signed · Texas · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 3036: Relating to the creation of the Montgomery County Municipal Utility District No. 258; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes.

SB 3036 creates Montgomery County Municipal Utility District No. 258, a new entity authorized to build and maintain infrastructure in specific areas of Montgomery County. The district gains limited power to acquire property via eminent domain, issue bonds for projects, and collect fees, assessments, and taxes from property owners within its boundaries. Its primary purpose is to fund and manage road improvements, storm drainage systems, and related infrastructure under Texas constitutional authority. The district will be governed by a five-member elected board, with temporary directors appointed until permanent members are chosen by voters. This bill directly affects property owners in the designated district territory through future financial obligations.

Topics ✓ Transportation

signed · Texas · Senate May 5, 2025

SB 3030: Relating to the creation of the Travis County Municipal Utility District No. 40; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes.

SB 3030 creates Travis County Municipal Utility District No. 40 to provide essential infrastructure services like roads, storm drainage, and utility maintenance for property owners and residents within its defined boundaries. The bill grants the district limited power to acquire private property for public projects (via eminent domain), issue bonds for financing, and impose assessments, fees, and taxes to fund these services. It establishes a five-member elected board to govern the district and requires municipal consent before implementation. This bill directly affects landowners and residents in the district’s territory, enabling local infrastructure improvements under Texas law. The bill is pending in the Local Government committee after a public hearing.

Topics ✓ Transportation

signed · Texas · Senate May 5, 2025

SB 3033: Relating to the boundaries of, and validating certain acts and proceedings of, the Creedmoor Municipal Utility District.

SB 3033 clarifies and validates the boundaries of the Creedmoor Municipal Utility District in Texas. It amends state law to ensure that minor errors in the district's boundary descriptions or field notes do not affect the district's legal validity, authority to issue bonds, tax powers, or existing operations. The bill specifically adds a detailed boundary description for the district's territory, referencing specific land tracts and survey records. This procedural bill focuses solely on confirming the district's existing legal standing and powers, with no new policy changes or direct impact on residents beyond clarifying jurisdiction.

signed · Texas · Senate May 3, 2025

SB 503: Relating to the establishment of an electronic registry of livestock marks and brands.

SB 503 requires Texas livestock owners (cattle, hogs, sheep, goats) to register their animal identification marks - such as brands, tattoos, or electronic tags - electronically with county clerks. County clerks must maintain these records electronically and send copies to the Texas Animal Health Commission within 30 days of receipt. The bill updates existing law to mandate electronic record-keeping instead of paper, specifying details like the date of registration and placement location on animals. This law takes effect September 1, 2025, directly impacting all livestock owners who must comply with the new registration system.

signed · Texas · Senate May 3, 2025

SB 2: Relating to the establishment of an education savings account program.

SB 2 establishes a state-funded education savings account program in Texas, allowing eligible families to use public funds for approved educational expenses. The program directly affects Texas families with children who have disabilities or who live in low-income households (at or below 500% of the federal poverty level). The comptroller administers the program, funding accounts with state money that can cover approved education costs like tuition, books, or tutoring. The bill becomes effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor on May 3, 2025. This creates a new state-funded option alongside public schools for participating families.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

signed · Texas · House May 1, 2025

HB 2989: Relating to the name, rights, powers, and privileges of the Cedar Port Navigation and Improvement District.

HB 2989 renames the "Chambers County Improvement District No. 1" to the "Cedar Port Navigation and Improvement District" in Texas law. The bill updates all references to the district's name in the Special District Local Laws Code, including its chapter heading, definition, and legal description. It does not alter the district's existing powers, responsibilities, or operational authority - only changing its official name. The district, serving Chambers County, continues to function under the same legal framework and governance structure. This is a purely administrative name change with no new policy provisions or financial impacts.

signed · Texas · House Apr 30, 2025

HB 3350: Relating to vacancies on the board of directors of the Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District.

This bill standardizes the process for filling vacancies on the Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District board. It requires that vacancies be filled "in the manner provided by Section 8849.052 for making the original appointment," and appointees must serve the remainder of the unexpired term. The bill directly affects the district's board members and its governance procedures. It takes effect September 1, 2025.

signed · Texas · Senate Apr 30, 2025

SB 2408: Relating to the Trinity River Authority of Texas, following recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission; specifying grounds for the removal of a member of the board of directors.

SB 2408 amends the Trinity River Authority of Texas statute to implement recommendations from the Sunset Advisory Commission. It changes the board composition from 24 to 25 directors, specifying exact county allocations (e.g., 3 from Tarrant, 4 from Dallas, 1 from each of 16 other areas, and 3 from "Area-at-Large") and adjusting initial term lengths. The bill also modifies the Sunset review schedule, requiring periodic reviews every 12 years starting September 1, 2037, while preventing the Authority's abolition under the Texas Sunset Act. These changes directly affect the Authority’s board members and governance structure. The bill is currently pending governor approval after recent legislative action.

signed · Texas · Senate Apr 30, 2025

SB 2409: Relating to the Angelina and Neches River Authority, following recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission; specifying grounds for the removal of a member of the board of directors.

This bill requires new members of the Angelina and Neches River Authority board to complete mandatory training before voting or attending meetings. The training covers the authority's operations, budget, applicable laws, ethics policies, and open-government requirements. It also specifies grounds for removing board members (though the full details are truncated in the provided text). The policy directly affects new board appointees and aims to standardize board member knowledge and conduct.

Bill results