Texas Bills

passed · Texas · House May 15, 2025

HB 386: Relating to change order limits for certain construction contracts.

HB 386 sets new limits on increases to construction contracts for Texas local governments. It caps total increases at 25% for contracts originally $5 million or more, and for smaller contracts (under $5 million), it limits increases to the greater of 50% or $1 million. The bill also lowers the threshold for routine change order approvals from $250,000 to $50,000, allowing lower-level staff to handle smaller adjustments. These changes apply only to contracts signed on or after September 1, 2025, and do not affect existing contracts.

passed · Texas · House May 15, 2025

HB 638: Relating to a requirement that certain water districts make audio and video recordings of open meetings available on the Internet.

HB 638 requires certain water districts (under Water Code Chapters 36, 49, or 60) to record audio and video of their regular open meetings and specific work sessions or special meetings where voting occurs or public comment is taken. These recordings must be made available online in an archived format. The law applies only to meetings held on or after September 1, 2025, and does not affect meetings held before that date. This bill directly impacts larger water districts by mandating public access to their meeting recordings online.

Topics ✓ Technology

passed · Texas · House May 15, 2025

HB 4504: Relating to restrictions on covenants not to compete for physicians and certain health care practitioners.

HB 4504 restricts non-compete agreements for physicians and certain health care practitioners, such as dentists, in Texas. To be enforceable, these agreements must expire within one year of employment termination, cover no more than a five-mile radius, allow physicians to access patient lists and medical records (with patient consent) at a reasonable fee, and include a buyout option for no more than the physician's annual salary. The bill also prohibits preventing physicians from continuing care for patients during acute illnesses after employment ends. This law directly affects healthcare professionals entering employment contracts with non-compete clauses.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

passed · Texas · House May 15, 2025

HB 3993: Relating to taxes imposed on vinous liquor.

HB 3993 changes Texas tax rates for wine based on alcohol content. It imposes a 20.4-cent-per-gallon tax on wine containing 14% or less alcohol by volume and a 40.8-cent-per-gallon tax on wine with more than 14% alcohol. The bill directly affects wine producers and sellers, as the tax applies to the first sale of wine. The changes take effect on September 1, 2025, and do not apply to taxes owed before that date.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · Texas · House May 15, 2025

HB 1621: Relating to a matching grant program for technological enhancements at hospitals providing mental health care services.

HB 1621 establishes a matching grant program to fund technology upgrades at Texas hospitals providing mental health care. Hospitals licensed under Health and Safety Code Chapters 241 or 577 can apply for state grants, requiring them to contribute 25% of the grant amount from non-state sources (like donations). Funds may be used for electronic health data platforms, secure patient record access, interoperability with other providers, and mobile device integration for mental health services. The program requires biennial reports to the legislature on outcomes, with the law taking effect September 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Technology

passed · Texas · House May 15, 2025

HB 2308: Relating to the establishment of the Texas Commission on Border Security and Illegal Immigration.

HB 2308 establishes the Texas Commission on Border Security and Illegal Immigration as an advisory body composed of 11 members, including legislative leaders, the governor’s designee, and state agency representatives. The commission’s primary duty is to review the economic, legal, cultural, and educational impacts of illegal immigration on Texas and examine state and federal immigration laws. It will conduct this review through quarterly meetings and provide findings to the legislature, though it has no regulatory authority. The bill creates a formal structure for state-level analysis of border-related issues without implementing new enforcement policies. (Bill text: HB 2308, Chapter 330, Texas Government Code)

passed · Texas · House May 15, 2025

HB 3449: Relating to the reimbursement of expenses to certain counsel appointed to represent a defendant in a criminal proceeding.

HB 3449 amends Texas law to require reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred by appointed defense attorneys in noncapital criminal cases (excluding public defender office staff). It covers costs like investigations, expert fees, and travel/lodging for attorneys traveling over 50 miles to meet defendants confidentially, plus remote communication costs. Expenses approved by the court will follow capital case reimbursement rules (Articles 26.052(f)-(g)), while unapproved expenses use capital case rules under Article 26.052(h). The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, applying only to expenses incurred after that date.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

passed · Texas · House May 15, 2025

HB 4398: Relating to municipal permitting requirements for certain development projects supported with low income housing tax credit allocations.

HB 4398 requires municipalities with over 100,000 residents to process building permits for affordable housing projects using federal low-income housing tax credits within half the usual time allowed for residential permits. It directly affects large cities and developers of projects receiving these tax credits, streamlining approval for housing aimed at lower-income residents. The bill mandates that permit decisions must be made in 50% of the standard processing time, and allows applicants to use any existing accelerated review process. This policy change, effective September 1, 2025, aims to reduce delays for qualifying housing developments.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

passed · Texas · House May 15, 2025

HB 5141: Relating to the lease of certain state property from the Health and Human Services Commission to Travis County.

HB 5141 authorizes the Texas Department of State Health Services to lease 16.08 acres of property at the Austin State Hospital tract to Travis County. The 99-year lease requires Travis County to use the land solely for public purposes, with automatic termination if not used for more than 180 consecutive days. The agreement specifies that Travis County may operate public amenities and construct improvements on the property, while the state retains custody of the lease documents. This bill directly affects Travis County's use of this specific state-owned land, with no broader policy changes beyond the lease terms.

passed · Texas · House May 15, 2025

HB 4744: Relating to the role of the members of the board of an appraisal district.

HB 4744 requires appraisal district boards to create a written plan every two years for reappraising all property within their district, following state appraisal standards. The board must hold a public hearing on the plan, notify local taxing units (like cities and school districts) at least 10 days in advance, and finalize the plan by September 15 of even-numbered years. Approved plans must then be shared with all participating taxing units and the state comptroller within 60 days. This bill directly affects appraisal districts across Texas, which are responsible for property valuation for tax purposes in areas with multiple local governments.

passed · Texas · House May 15, 2025

HB 4732: Relating to state recognition of and prohibited gaming activities by the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas.

HB 4732 recognizes the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas as a state-recognized Native American Indian Tribe under Texas law. The bill designates the tribe as eligible for all programs, services, and benefits provided to state-recognized tribes by the U.S. government, Texas, or other states due to tribal membership. It does not address gaming activities, despite the title's reference; the bill focuses solely on formal recognition and eligibility for existing tribal programs. The recognition takes effect September 1, 2025, making the tribe eligible for state-level tribal support programs.

passed · Texas · House May 15, 2025

HB 2015: Relating to the consideration of water conservation by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality when determining whether to grant or deny a petition for the creation of certain municipal utility districts.

HB 2015 requires new petitions for municipal utility districts in Texas to include a water conservation plan meeting specific standards, directly affecting developers and local entities seeking to create such districts. The bill amends the Water Code to mandate this plan as part of the petition (Section 54.015) and adds water conservation as a key factor the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality must consider when reviewing petitions (Section 54.021). It applies only to petitions filed on or after September 1, 2025, with existing petitions governed by prior law. This policy change ensures water conservation is formally integrated into the approval process for new utility districts.

Topics ✓ Environment

Bill results