Texas Bills

passed · Texas · House May 21, 2025

HB 1942: Relating to the participation of an advanced practice registered nurse as a participating or preferred provider for health maintenance organizations and preferred provider benefit plans.

HB 1942 allows health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and insurance plans to directly contract with nurse practitioners (advanced practice registered nurses) for healthcare services, without requiring their supervising physician to also be contracted. It also permits insurers to list nurse practitioners as "preferred providers" on insurance plans, even if their supervising physician isn’t designated as preferred. The bill explicitly states it doesn’t change existing laws about physician supervision of medical practice. This affects nurse practitioners seeking insurance contracts, HMOs, and insurers offering preferred provider plans. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed · Texas · House May 21, 2025

HB 5147: Relating to investigational stem cell treatment.

HB 5147 defines "investigational stem cell treatment" as adult stem cell therapy in clinical trials not yet approved by the FDA. It requires clinics to provide clear informed consent disclosing the FDA status of the treatment and mandates that such treatments be administered only by physician-certified providers at specified locations (hospitals, surgical centers, medical schools, or accredited outpatient settings). The bill also sets strict standards for institutional review boards overseeing these trials, requiring affiliation with medical schools, large hospitals, or accreditation by recognized bodies. These requirements aim to ensure transparency and safety for patients participating in stem cell clinical trials in Texas.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed · Texas · House May 21, 2025

HB 5676: Relating to the eminent domain authority of the Williamson County Municipal Utility District No. 40.

HB 5676 repeals Section 8141.0307 of the Special District Local Laws Code, which previously governed the eminent domain authority of Williamson County Municipal Utility District No. 40. This bill directly affects the utility district by removing a specific legal provision related to its power to take private property for public infrastructure projects. The key change is the elimination of this statutory reference, meaning the district will no longer operate under this particular code section regarding property acquisition. The bill does not create new rules but removes an existing legal framework for the district's eminent domain authority.

passed · Texas · House May 21, 2025

HB 2849: Relating to policies on the recess period in public schools.

HB 2849 requires Texas public school districts to adopt recess policies by May 2026 based on state-developed model guidelines. The policies must specify a minimum amount of weekly unstructured outdoor playtime for students and prohibit withholding recess as discipline. The state health advisory committee must develop these model policies by January 2026, which districts must review and update at least every five years. The law takes effect September 2025, with full implementation required by the 2026-2027 school year.

Topics ✓ Education

passed · Texas · House May 21, 2025

HB 1039: Relating to the use of hotel occupancy tax revenue by certain municipalities and the authority of certain counties to impose a hotel occupancy tax; authorizing the imposition of a tax.

HB 1039 repeals Section 351.1035 of the Texas Tax Code, which previously restricted how certain municipalities could use hotel occupancy tax revenue. This change allows those municipalities greater flexibility in allocating hotel tax funds for local purposes. The repeal applies only to revenue collected on or after the bill's effective date (September 1, 2025, unless passed with a two-thirds vote), with pre-effective-date revenue still governed by prior law. The bill does not create new taxes but removes a specific limitation on existing municipal tax revenue use.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · Texas · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 2788: Relating to an exemption from the assessment requirements of the Texas Success Initiative for students who achieve certain scores on the PSAT or PreACT.

SB 2788 exempts Texas public university students who achieve specific PSAT scores from taking the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) assessment. It applies to incoming undergraduates at public colleges and universities beginning with the 2026 fall semester. The exemption requires students to meet a score threshold set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on the PSAT, SAT, or ACT, and remains valid for five years after the test date. This policy change directly affects new college students who meet the score requirements, reducing testing requirements for those who demonstrate college readiness through standardized exams. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Education

passed · Texas · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 2117: Relating to the establishment of the Texas Committee on Foreign Investment to review certain transactions involving certain foreign entities in coordination with the attorney general; creating a civil penalty.

SB 2117 establishes the Texas Committee on Foreign Investment to review certain transactions involving foreign entities that affect Texas critical infrastructure, such as energy, water systems, or communications networks. It directly affects foreign entities (including non-U.S. citizens, foreign governments, or businesses from countries without U.S. trade agreements) seeking to acquire or control assets in these sectors. The bill requires these entities to submit transactions for review by the committee, with a civil penalty for non-compliance. Key provisions include defining "critical infrastructure" across 16 categories and mandating the committee’s review process for covered transactions. The bill does not block transactions but creates a regulatory framework for oversight.

passed · Texas · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 2864: Relating to the applicability of the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act to, and the regulation by certain political subdivisions of, the installation of roofing materials containing integrated photovoltaic technology.

SB 2864 would exempt the installation of roofing materials containing integrated solar panels (photovoltaic technology) from standard electrical licensing requirements under Texas law. It specifically modifies the Occupations Code to exclude this type of installation from the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act, meaning local governments (political subdivisions) would no longer regulate it through electrical licensing rules. The bill directly affects roofing contractors, solar manufacturers, and local building departments that previously required electrical licenses for such integrated solar roof systems. This change simplifies regulatory requirements for installing solar-integrated roofing materials without altering electrical safety standards.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Technology

passed · Texas · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 2530: Relating to the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association; providing an administrative penalty.

SB 2530 amends Texas Insurance Code provisions affecting the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA), which provides windstorm insurance in coastal areas. Key changes include: removing TWIA's obligation to pay insurance premium taxes (Section 1), banning TWIA from using funds to lobby for legislation with $10,000 fines for violations (Section 2), requiring headquarters to be located in specific coastal counties (Section 3), and establishing new funding mechanisms for disaster claim payments through public securities and member assessments (Sections 4-9). These provisions directly affect TWIA's financial operations, governance, and how it funds claims after hurricanes or other catastrophic events. The bill does not alter coverage for policyholders but changes TWIA's internal financial management and regulatory compliance.

passed both · Texas · House May 20, 2025

HJR 1: Proposing a constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of the market value of tangible personal property a person owns that is held or used for the production of income.

HJR 1 proposes a constitutional amendment to allow Texas lawmakers to exempt up to $125,000 of the market value of business-used tangible personal property (like equipment or vehicles) from property tax. It would directly affect business owners who hold such property for income generation, such as small business operators or farmers. The amendment would revise the state constitution to authorize this specific exemption amount, replacing the current exemption structure. If approved by voters in November 2025, this would become a permanent constitutional provision enabling future legislation to implement the tax break. The bill is now headed to the November ballot after passing both legislative chambers.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes

passed · Texas · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 1642: Relating to the administration of the Texas Department of Insurance, including the appointment of the state commission of insurance.

This bill would replace Texas' single Insurance Commissioner position with a three-member Commission. It requires the governor to appoint three members with specific expertise in insurance regulation, administration, and consumer advocacy. The Commission would serve as the department's governing body, with a presiding officer appointed by the governor for a two-year term. These changes would directly affect how the Texas Department of Insurance is administered and regulated.

passed · Texas · House May 20, 2025

HB 3466: Relating to the cancellation of certain consumer transactions.

HB 3466 amends Texas law to clarify which consumer transactions are exempt from standard cancellation rules under the Business & Commerce Code. It specifically exempts six types of transactions: farm equipment purchases, insurance sales regulated by the Texas Department of Insurance, sales under existing revolving charge accounts, real estate transactions involving licensed professionals, service contracts regulated under Occupations Code Chapter 1304, and services with written cancellation rights. The bill does not create new consumer protections but defines boundaries for existing cancellation rules. It applies only to transactions occurring on or after September 1, 2025.

Bill results