Texas Bills

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 1024: Relating to the execution of a warrant issued for certain releasees who violate a condition of parole or mandatory supervision related to the electronic monitoring of the releasee.

HB 1024 requires law enforcement to promptly execute arrest warrants for parolees or individuals under mandatory supervision who violate electronic monitoring conditions while participating in the "super-intensive supervision program." It directly affects individuals on strict parole or supervision with electronic monitoring requirements. The bill mandates that warrants issued for such electronic monitoring violations must be acted upon "as soon as practicable" by law enforcement agencies. This change applies only to warrants issued on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 4413: Relating to mass balance attribution of renewable biomass feedstocks used to produce renewable chemicals.

HB 4413 defines "renewable biomass" as waste materials from farms, forests, and processing (like crop residue, animal waste, or invasive species removal) and "renewable chemicals" as products made from these materials. It requires companies producing renewable chemicals to track and account for the renewable biomass used in their production through a "mass balance" system. This policy directly affects renewable chemical manufacturers in Texas, mandating they document their feedstock sources to meet state requirements. The bill amends the Health and Safety Code to establish these definitions and a certification process, effective September 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 2512: Relating to the release of certain areas from a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction by petition or election.

HB 2512 clarifies which land areas automatically fall outside a Texas municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction (control over land outside city limits) without requiring a petition or election. It exempts eight specific categories of land, including areas within 5 miles of military bases, certain newly annexed zones with significant population growth, industrial districts, and small residential lots under defined conditions. This primarily affects landowners and developers in those designated zones by removing municipal jurisdiction over their properties. The bill defines these exemptions to streamline land use decisions without requiring formal release processes.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 493: Relating to ineligibility to serve as a poll watcher.

HB 493 amends Texas election law to clarify who cannot serve as a poll watcher. It requires poll watchers to sign an affidavit confirming they will not use recording devices during their service and that they have not been convicted of certain felonies (including first/second-degree felonies or election-related offenses). The bill directly affects individuals seeking to serve as poll watchers, making them ineligible if they meet these disqualification criteria. These changes take effect September 1, 2025.

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 1818: Relating to the issuance of a license or provisional license to certain military service members, military veterans, and military spouses to engage in a business or occupation in this state.

This bill, SB 1818, allows military service members, veterans, and military spouses to receive a provisional license while their full occupational license application is processed in Texas. State agencies must issue these provisional licenses immediately upon application submission, valid for up to 180 days or until the final license decision is made. The law requires agencies to adopt implementing rules by December 1, 2025, and takes effect September 1, 2025. It directly affects military-connected individuals seeking to work in licensed professions across Texas.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 3228: Relating to the inclusion of certain provisions in lease agreements for wind or solar power facilities.

HB 3228 requires wind power facility operators (leaseholders) to include specific waste management provisions in their agreements with landowners. The bill mandates that operators must collect, reuse, or recycle reusable components (like turbine blades) and properly dispose of non-recyclable parts - hazardous materials at authorized facilities and non-hazardous waste at approved landfills. It also requires operators to provide financial assurance (e.g., bonds or letters of credit) to cover decommissioning costs. This law applies to wind facilities in Texas and took effect September 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 868: Relating to the allocation of money appropriated to the rural volunteer fire department assistance program.

SB 868 requires at least 10% of annual state funds for rural volunteer fire department assistance to be allocated to departments in areas classified as high-risk for large wildfires by the state wildfire service. This directly affects rural volunteer fire departments located in these high-risk zones. The bill establishes that if these departments request less than the allocated amount, the remaining funds can be used for other eligible fire department assistance requests. The provision applies only to funds appropriated on or after September 1, 2025, the bill's effective date.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 4370: Relating to the projects undertaken by a public improvement district, municipal management district, water control and improvement district, fresh water supply district, or municipal utility district.

HB 4370 expands the types of projects public improvement districts, municipal management districts, water control districts, fresh water supply districts, and municipal utility districts can fund. It adds specific provisions allowing districts to finance affordable housing development (Section 372.003(b)(15)), geothermal water facility maintenance (Section 372.003(b-2)), and special services like public safety or business recruitment. The bill also clarifies how costs for improvements can be paid, including through combinations of methods for projects benefiting municipalities or approved entities. This policy change directly affects these specialized districts by broadening their authorized project scope under Texas Local Government Code.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Housing

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 860: Relating to abolishing the Criminal Justice Legislative Oversight Committee.

SB 860 abolishes Texas's Criminal Justice Legislative Oversight Committee by repealing the law that established it (Chapter 328, Government Code). The bill redirects the committee's former reporting responsibilities to relevant standing legislative committees with primary jurisdiction over criminal justice. Specifically, it amends statutes requiring annual reports from the director of the department and the parole board to be submitted directly to those standing committees instead of the abolished committee. This change takes effect immediately upon the Governor's signature, streamlining reporting without altering the underlying reporting requirements.

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 370: Relating to the availability of certain personal information of a child, spouse, or surviving spouse of a current or former employee of the office of the attorney general or of a public defender's office.

SB 370 amends Texas public records law to protect the home address, phone number, and social security number of spouses, children, or surviving spouses of current or former employees in the Attorney General's office or Public Defender's office from public disclosure. It adds these family members to an existing exemption list that already covers law enforcement personnel, ensuring their personal information remains confidential. The bill directly affects family members of these specific government employees by preventing their sensitive details from being accessible through public records requests. This change became effective September 1, 2025, after Governor's signature on June 20, 2025.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 100: Relating to the purchase, adoption, and use of instructional materials by public schools.

HB 100 prohibits Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools from using state funds to purchase or adopt instructional materials that contain obscene or harmful content or appear on the State Board of Education's rejected materials list. The bill requires the State Board to issue a 45-day notice before adding materials to the rejected list, allowing time for revisions. It also bans the use of any instructional materials - whether traditional or open education resources - listed as rejected, while permitting local funds for non-rejected materials. This law applies starting the 2025-2026 school year and became effective immediately after the governor signed it on June 20, 2025.

Topics ✗ Education

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 102: Relating to early registration for students in military-related programs at public institutions of higher education.

HB 102 requires Texas public universities to offer early registration for courses and programs to students in military-related programs who are in good standing. Specifically, it mandates this for students enrolled in ROTC programs, cadet corps (including at senior military colleges), or maritime academies. The law, effective for the 2026 spring semester, obligates institutions to provide this early registration opportunity on the same basis as other designated student groups. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will develop rules to implement this requirement.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

Bill results