Texas Bills

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 261: Relating to a prohibition on the offering for sale and the sale of cell-cultured protein for human consumption; providing civil and criminal penalties.

SB 261 prohibits the sale and offering for sale of cell-cultured protein (food made by growing animal cells in a lab) for human consumption in Texas. It defines "cell-cultured protein" and adds it to existing prohibitions under the Health and Safety Code, making it unlawful to manufacture, distribute, or sell such products. The bill directly affects food producers, retailers, and restaurants selling cell-cultured meat or dairy alternatives within Texas. Violations carry civil and criminal penalties, though specific penalty amounts are not detailed in the provided text. This is a substantive policy change banning a new food category without exceptions for commercial sale.

Gary VanDeaver (R) Stan Kitzman (R) Jay Dean (R) Charles Perry (R) Stan Gerdes (R) · 19 co-sponsors

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 609: Relating to the cleaning of a structure used to grow oysters for cultivated oyster mariculture.

HB 609 (effective September 1, 2025) creates an exemption allowing oyster farmers with cultivated oyster mariculture permits to discharge cleaning water from oyster-growing structures into state waters. It directly affects permit holders operating under Texas Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 75. The bill permits cleaning only at authorized locations using untreated water from that site, prohibits adding chemicals or soap, and requires compliance with all other permit conditions. This change streamlines routine maintenance for oyster farming operations while maintaining environmental safeguards.

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 1302: Relating to eligibility to use a general permit to discharge waste into or adjacent to waters in this state.

This bill amends Texas Water Code to change rules for businesses using general permits to discharge waste into state waters. It requires the state environmental agency to actively authorize a business to resume using a general permit after a denial or suspension, rather than allowing automatic reinstatement. The bill also prohibits the agency from using automatic processes to grant such authorization. These changes apply only to denials or suspensions occurring on or after September 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Environment

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 2121: Relating to the regulation of certain business entities that act as data brokers.

SB 2121 regulates data brokers in Texas by defining them as businesses that collect, process, or transfer personal data not gathered directly from individuals. It applies only to data brokers meeting one of two thresholds: deriving over 50% of revenue from such data, or processing data for more than 50,000 individuals. The bill amends Texas' Business & Commerce Code to establish these criteria, effective September 1, 2025, and directly affects larger data brokerage entities meeting these specific revenue or scale thresholds.

Topics ✓ Technology

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 663: Relating to the approval of a community supervision and corrections department's budget and strategic plan.

SB 663 requires county community supervision and corrections departments to submit their budget and strategic plan to the state division for approval. The bill mandates that district judges (who established the department) must first review and approve these documents before the department submits them to the state division. Departments must submit the budget and strategic plan annually by March 1st for the upcoming state fiscal biennium. This policy change directly affects county-level community supervision departments and the judges responsible for overseeing them.

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 1254: Relating to the regulation of professional employer organizations.

SB 1254 regulates professional employer organizations (PEOs) in Texas by requiring them to hold valid licenses to provide payroll and employee benefits services. The bill establishes a 18-month grace period after a license expires during which PEOs may continue serving covered employees, but they lose this status and face penalties if they continue operating beyond that period without renewal. It also expands disciplinary actions against PEOs that provide services without a current license or while their license is expired, suspended, or inactive. This law directly affects PEOs operating in Texas, requiring them to maintain active licensing to legally provide these services.

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 1313: Relating to prohibited signs, logos, and designs in advertising or marketing cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or other tobacco products; creating a criminal offense.

SB 1313 prohibits tobacco retailers from using specific signs, logos, or designs in advertising or marketing cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or tobacco products. It bans elements like cartoon characters targeting minors, copied trademarks of youth-focused products, symbols marketed to children, celebrity images, and designs resembling candy or juice. Retailers violating this law face a Class B misdemeanor charge. The law applies directly to businesses selling tobacco products and takes effect September 1, 2025.

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SCR 32: Directing the Texas Facilities Commission to name the new transit amenity center at 207 W. 14th Street in the Capitol Complex the "Lead On! Transit Amenity" in honor of Justin Dart.

This concurrent resolution directs the Texas Facilities Commission to name a new transit amenity center at 207 W. 14th Street in the Capitol Complex the "Lead On! Transit Amenity" in honor of Justin Dart. It commemorates Dart's pivotal role in drafting the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and his lifelong advocacy for people with disabilities. The resolution specifically recognizes his work as a key architect of the ADA and his signature "Lead On!" motto. The facility name change is purely ceremonial and does not alter any laws or policies.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 3487: Relating to a deduction from the amount of taxable sales used to calculate the amount of sales and use taxes that the owners of restaurants that participate in an oyster shell recycling program are required to remit to the comptroller of public accounts.

HB 3487 allows restaurant owners participating in a state-recognized oyster shell recycling program to reduce their sales tax liability. Specifically, it permits a $2 deduction for every 50 pounds of oyster shells recycled at their establishment and provided to a qualifying recycling project. This deduction applies to taxable sales used to calculate sales and use taxes remitted to the Texas comptroller. The bill requires restaurants to participate in a program certified by the comptroller and takes effect October 1, 2025. It directly affects restaurants with food service establishments that join the oyster shell recycling initiative.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 4158: Relating to the compensation of the directors of the Texana Groundwater Conservation District.

HB 4158 repeals the existing compensation provision for directors of the Texana Groundwater Conservation District under Texas law. The bill removes Section 8857.056 of the Special District Local Laws Code, which previously governed their pay. This change directly affects the district's directors by eliminating the specific compensation rules previously in place. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025.

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 706: Relating to the recognition of a handgun license issued by another state.

Texas House Bill 706 requires Texas to recognize valid handgun licenses issued by other states, directly affecting out-of-state license holders who travel or reside in Texas. The bill mandates that Texas will recognize such licenses only if the other state either has a mutual agreement with Texas or conducts background checks through the FBI's National Crime Information Center before issuing licenses. Texas must publish and update an annual list of states that recognize Texas-issued licenses. The law took effect September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor on June 20, 2025.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 2775: Relating to the composition of the I-27 Advisory Committee.

HB 2775 adjusts the membership of Texas' I-27 Advisory Committee, reducing county representatives from 11 to 10 and municipal representatives from 8 to 7. The committee now includes one county official per designated county (like Dallam, Ector, and Lubbock) and one city official per participating city (including Amarillo, Lubbock, and Laredo). It also adds three economic development professionals (based on existing feasibility study regions) and one business representative each from agriculture, international trade, and energy sectors. The changes take effect September 1, 2025, and directly affect local government officials and industry representatives in the I-27 corridor region.

Bill results