Texas Bills

passed · Texas · House May 19, 2025

HB 5354: Relating to the information reported by prosecuting attorneys to the Texas Judicial Council.

HB 5354 requires Texas prosecuting attorneys (county attorneys, district attorneys, and criminal district attorneys handling criminal cases) to report specific data to the Texas Judicial Council. The bill mandates reporting on four key areas: (1) categories and numbers of criminal cases prosecuted, (2) staffing levels and adequacy for caseloads, (3) defendants released under Article 17.151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, and (4) electronic notices submitted to courts under Article 17.027. The Texas Judicial Council must establish the reporting format by September 1, 2026, after consulting with the Texas District and County Attorneys Association. This bill directly affects prosecutors' reporting obligations but does not change criminal law or sentencing.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

passed · Texas · House May 19, 2025

HB 2013: Relating to the authority of certain property owners' associations to prohibit or restrict the keeping of chickens.

HB 2013 prohibits property owners' associations (POAs) from banning or restricting home chicken-keeping when a city ordinance permits it. The bill amends Texas Property Code Section 202.007(a) to explicitly state that POAs cannot enforce such restrictions, directly affecting homeowners in communities governed by HOAs or POAs where municipal laws allow chickens. Key provisions include adding chicken-keeping as a protected activity alongside composting, rainwater harvesting, and water-efficient landscaping. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, if passed.

passed · Texas · House May 19, 2025

HB 4105: Relating to the authority of certain counties to consider a prospective contractor's principal place of business when awarding certain contracts.

HB 4105 allows counties with populations over 3.3 million to consider a contractor’s main business location (within the county or neighboring counties) when awarding certain contracts, provided the bid is within 3% of the lowest out-of-county bid. Counties must document that the chosen bid offers the best value, including local job creation and increased tax revenue. The bill prohibits contracts if officials approving bids are related to the contractor or have financial ties to them. It does not apply to professional services contracts or prevent counties from rejecting all bids. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · Texas · House May 19, 2025

HB 2621: Relating to the recording and archiving of live video feed by the Texas Department of Transportation.

HB 2621 requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to record and keep live video feeds from its cameras for at least 30 days. These recordings are confidential and cannot be disclosed publicly, except when shared with police for criminal investigations. The law applies to all video cameras used by TxDOT in its operations and takes effect on September 1, 2025. This policy change directly affects TxDOT's video management practices and limits public access to these recordings.

passed · Texas · House May 19, 2025

HB 1794: Relating to the carrying of concealed handguns by handgun license holders on the premises of certain polling places on the day of an election or while early voting is in progress.

HB 1794 amends Texas law to permit licensed handgun carriers to carry concealed handguns on polling place premises during elections or early voting. It specifically allows holders of valid concealed handgun licenses (CHL) to possess only a concealed handgun at these locations, provided no other weapons are carried. The bill removes the current prohibition against concealed weapons at polling places for CHL holders, aligning with existing exceptions for other locations like schools. This change directly affects licensed handgun carriers participating in elections but does not permit open carry or other weapons. The amendment modifies Section 46.03(a)(2) of the Penal Code to create this specific exception.

passed · Texas · House May 19, 2025

HJR 47: Proposing a constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the Texas severance tax revenue and oil and natural gas (Texas STRONG) defense fund, dedicating the money in that fund to benefit areas of the state significantly affected by oil and gas production, and providing for the transfer of certain general revenues to that fund, the economic stabilization fund, and certain other funds and accounts.

HJR 47 proposes a constitutional amendment to create the "Texas STRONG" defense fund, funded by 10% of annual severance tax revenues from oil and gas production. This fund would directly benefit communities significantly impacted by oil and gas activity, while other allocations include 38% to the economic stabilization fund, 1% each to oil/gas cleanup and emissions reduction accounts, and the remainder to the state highway fund. The bill mandates specific, automatic transfers from the general revenue fund to these designated accounts each fiscal year. It does not change production regulations but redirects existing revenue streams to address economic impacts on affected regions. This is a procedural constitutional amendment requiring voter approval after legislative passage.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✗ Energy ✓ Transportation

passed · Texas · House May 19, 2025

HB 158: Relating to a study on the use of surplus government property to provide housing to veterans.

HB 158 requires the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs to study whether unused government property (like underused buildings) could be used to provide housing for veterans and low-income families. The study must evaluate available property, feasibility of development, and potential funding sources - including federal tax credits, private donations, and tenant rent payments. It mandates a report to the legislature by November 1, 2026, detailing findings on this approach. The bill does not create new housing but assesses a potential solution for housing needs.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Veterans

passed · Texas · House May 19, 2025

HB 1373: Relating to the designation of a portion of Farm-to-Market Road 70 in Nueces County as the Los Robles Trail.

HB 1373 designates a specific 3.5-mile segment of Farm-to-Market Road 70 in Nueces County (between State Highway 44 and Farm-to-Market Road 1833) as the "Los Robles Trail." The bill requires the Texas Department of Transportation to install markers at both ends of this segment and at appropriate intermediate points along the road. This is a naming designation only, adding "Los Robles Trail" to the road's existing name without altering any transportation policies or funding. The measure takes effect September 1, 2025.

passed · Texas · House May 19, 2025

HB 4505: Relating to the establishment of the workforce housing capital investment fund program to fund the development of workforce housing in this state; authorizing a fee.

HB 4505 establishes a special state fund to finance workforce housing development for households earning 30-80% of the area median income. The fund will be financed through gifts, grants, legislative appropriations, fees, and loan repayments, and will be administered by a contracted nonprofit housing organization. This program aims to increase housing options for working households, stabilize local economies, and reduce demand for other state services. The bill passed the Texas legislature in May 2025, creating a dedicated funding mechanism for workforce housing projects.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Labor & Employment

passed · Texas · House May 16, 2025

HR 868: Honoring the longstanding relationship between the Province of Québec and the State of Texas.

This resolution honors the economic and cultural partnership between Texas and Québec, recognizing their strong trade relationship (with $71.3 billion in trade in 2022) and shared interests in sectors like aerospace and technology. It expresses legislative support for deepening cooperation, particularly highlighting Québec’s government office in Houston and recent high-level meetings. As a ceremonial resolution - not a law with binding provisions - it does not create new policy or directly affect any group. The bill was adopted by the Texas House on May 16, 2025, as a symbolic gesture of bipartisan appreciation for this longstanding partnership.

passed · Texas · Senate May 16, 2025

SB 2751: Relating to the inspection of residential and day placement facilities for special education students.

SB 2751 requires inspections of residential and day placement facilities that provide services to students with disabilities under school district contracts. It mandates that inspections verify whether educational services align with medical standards and best practices for each student's disability, and whether facility staff have completed crisis prevention training. The law applies to all such facilities starting with the 2025-2026 school year. This directly affects students with disabilities in these facilities, the school districts contracting with them, and the agencies conducting inspections.

Topics ✓ Education

passed · Texas · Senate May 16, 2025

SB 1310: Relating to senior retirement communities.

SB 1310 defined terms for senior retirement communities in Texas, including "chronic condition residential customer" (residents needing medical devices) and "common amenities" (like dining or security services). It excluded healthcare facilities, boarding homes, and federal supportive housing from its scope. The bill was reported adversely by the Senate Health & Human Services Committee in May 2025 (9-0 vote) and did not advance to become law. This was a definitional bill with no substantive policy changes, solely establishing terminology for future regulations.

Bill results