Texas Bills

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 447: Relating to authorizing certain municipalities to change the date on which their general election for officers is held.

SB 447 allows specific Texas border municipalities with populations over 85,000 that host the annual Texas Citrus Fiesta to move their general election dates to the statewide November uniform election date. Currently, these municipalities hold elections on a different date, but the bill permits them to align with the standard November election cycle. Once a municipality switches to November, it must keep all future general elections on that date and cannot revert to another schedule. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, applying only to qualifying border communities.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 3810: Relating to the dissolution of the Rose City Municipal Utility District.

HB 3810 dissolves the Rose City Municipal Utility District, directly affecting the district and its directors. The bill requires the district's directors to wind up operations and file dissolution documents with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. It specifies that the district officially dissolves 60 days after the bill's effective date (September 1, 2025), and director terms expire simultaneously. The bill also repeals Chapter 7958 of the Special District Local Laws Code, which governed the district. This is a procedural dissolution bill with no new policy provisions.

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 1574: Relating to a centers of excellence program developed by the Texas Judicial Council for certain justices and judges.

SB 1574 creates a "Centers of Excellence" program administered by the Texas Judicial Council to recognize judges and justices who excel in community service and judicial representation. The program identifies eligible judges from appellate courts, district courts, county courts, justice courts, and municipal courts based on two key criteria: court governance (including access, fairness, and case management) and compliance with statutory requirements for reporting, security, fees, and fraud prevention. Judges may apply for recognition using forms prescribed by the council. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, applying only to recognitions granted under this program after that date.

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 3031: Relating to the punishment for the offense of aggravated assault.

SB 3031 changes Texas law to increase penalties for certain aggravated assault cases, making them first-degree felonies instead of second-degree. It specifically elevates the charge when the assault involves: using a deadly weapon causing serious injury to family members or causing brain/spine injuries; targeting public servants, witnesses, process servers, or security officers; discharging firearms at occupied buildings/vehicles; or occurring during a mass shooting. The bill applies only to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, and does not affect cases that occurred before that date. This law directly impacts defendants committing aggravated assault under these specified circumstances and provides enhanced legal protections for the affected victim groups.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 4263: Relating to the procedures and practices of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department regarding grievances submitted by department employees and former department employees and to the eligibility of a person to be appointed to the department's release review panel and the authority of a panel member.

HB 4263 requires the Texas Juvenile Justice Department to establish new procedures for handling employment grievances from current and former employees, including a mediation option for employees facing dismissal. The bill also revises rules for the department's release review panel, mandating that panel members must be current central office employees with no prior involvement in cases they review, and requiring the department to ensure panel decisions are transparent and consistent. These changes, effective September 1, 2025, apply directly to department employees and panel members. The law aims to standardize grievance processes and prevent conflicts of interest in review decisions.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 4224: Relating to information regarding consumer access to health care records.

HB 4224 requires health care providers (covered entities) to prominently post clear instructions on their websites and at facilities about how patients can: request their own health records, contact licensing authorities for the provider, and file complaints. This applies to hospitals, clinics, and similar direct care providers but excludes billing or claims processing companies. The law, effective September 1, 2025, mandates specific posting requirements to improve transparency in patient access to records and complaint processes. It does not change existing record-keeping rules but standardizes how providers must share this information.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HCR 10: Designating May 23 as Family Abduction Awareness Day for a 10-year period ending in 2035.

Texas designates May 23 as Family Abduction Awareness Day annually for a 10-year period ending in 2035. This concurrent resolution raises public awareness about family abductions - where a parent or family member abducts a child, often during custody disputes - and highlights that such cases account for 58% of AMBER Alerts in 2022. It does not create new laws or affect specific individuals but aims to emphasize the seriousness of these incidents through annual recognition.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 201: Relating to the financial crimes intelligence center.

HB 201 establishes Texas' Financial Crimes Intelligence Center to combat card fraud and motor fuel theft. The center coordinates law enforcement, financial institutions, and merchants to detect skimmers (devices stealing card data) and motor fuel manipulation devices (tools altering fuel meters for theft). It serves as a centralized hub for sharing information, providing training, and developing prevention strategies. The bill directly affects law enforcement agencies, banks, credit card companies, and retailers by enhancing their ability to address these specific crimes. The center becomes operational September 1, 2025, after the bill was signed by the governor.

Topics ✓ Technology

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 5509: Relating to the suspension or revocation of a hotel's certificate of occupancy by a municipality for suspected human trafficking.

HB 5509 allows Texas municipalities to suspend or revoke a hotel's certificate of occupancy if law enforcement provides an affidavit of probable cause and a court issues a finding of probable cause regarding human trafficking activity occurring at the hotel. The law requires municipalities to follow the same procedural standards used for suspending other business certificates of occupancy. It explicitly states this does not create private lawsuits for hotel owners and defines "human trafficking activity" as offenses under Texas Penal Code Sections 20A.02 or 20A.03. The bill took effect September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025. This law directly affects hotels in Texas municipalities where human trafficking is suspected, creating a specific process for local government action.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 621: Relating to the authority of a property owners' association to regulate the assembly, association, and speech of property owners or residents related to governmental officials or candidates for political office.

HB 621 prevents property owners' associations from banning residents from inviting governmental officials or political candidates to meetings in common areas. Associations may still enforce standard meeting rules like fees, occupancy limits, or reservation requirements for these gatherings. The law does not apply to tax-exempt 501(c)(3) associations. This bill, effective September 1, 2025, directly affects homeowners' associations and residents in Texas communities.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 2960: Relating to choice of law and venue for certain construction contracts.

HB 2960 invalidates clauses in Texas construction contracts that would force disputes to be resolved under another state's law, courts, or arbitration. It requires any lawsuit related to such contracts to be filed only in the Texas county where the property is located, unless parties agree otherwise after a dispute arises. The bill applies to contracts entered into or renewed on or after September 1, 2025, directly affecting construction contractors, property owners, and developers working on Texas projects. This policy change prevents parties from circumventing Texas courts for construction-related legal disputes.

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 1498: Relating to civil asset forfeiture of digital currency or other similar property.

Texas Senate Bill 1498 amends the state code to explicitly include digital currency, non-fungible tokens, and stablecoins as "contraband" subject to civil asset forfeiture. It allows law enforcement to seize these digital assets if used in connection with specific felonies, such as drug trafficking under Chapter 481 of the Health and Safety Code, financial crimes under Chapter 32 of the Finance Code, or healthcare fraud involving government programs. The bill directly affects individuals owning digital currency who are involved in the listed criminal activities. This change clarifies that digital assets now fall under existing forfeiture rules for tangible property, addressing gaps in how cryptocurrency was previously treated under Texas law.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice ✗ Technology

Bill results