Texas Bills

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 2564: Relating to the evaluation of Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant applications.

HB 2564 creates a dedicated panel within the Texas Office of the Governor to evaluate applications for Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grants. This panel will score applications based on the significance of the grant's impact on local governments and other criteria set by the commission. The commission will use these scores to decide which applicants receive grants, but only if the legislature has specifically allocated funds for them. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and directly affects local governments seeking financial assistance related to defense economic adjustments.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 1965: Relating to a study on mental health services provided to veterans through the Texas Veterans Commission.

HB 1965 requires the Texas Veterans Commission to study ways to expand mental health services for veterans through its Military Veteran Peer Network. The study specifically focuses on increasing trained peer counselors in rural communities and must include recommendations for improving access to these services for veterans, service members, and their families. The commission must submit a final report with findings and recommendations to the legislature by December 1, 2026. This bill does not create new services but directs a review to identify potential improvements to existing mental health support for veterans.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Veterans

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 2259: Relating to the instructions for an application form for an early voting ballot.

HB 2259 standardizes the instructions printed on early voting ballot application forms in Texas. It requires the Secretary of State to create instructions that fit on a single 8.5x11 inch page in portrait orientation, using Calibri or Aptos font (12-point or larger), with bold print for key items. The bill also mandates that these instructions be provided in all languages commonly used by Texas voters, matching the state's demographic needs. This affects voters applying for early voting ballots and election offices handling these forms, ensuring consistent, clear instructions nationwide. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 851: Relating to the determination and reporting of the number of residence homesteads of certain property owners for which the owner is receiving certain ad valorem tax benefits.

HB 851 requires Texas property appraisers to count and report the number of homestead properties receiving specific tax benefits, including those with tax deferrals or abatements for delinquent taxes. Appraisers must submit these counts to the comptroller when filing annual tax rolls, and the comptroller must then share statewide totals (broken down by school district) with state leaders by November 1 each year. The bill directly affects property owners who qualify for these tax benefits but places the reporting duty on local government officials. It creates new transparency requirements for tracking how many homes benefit from these specific tax provisions, without changing the tax policies themselves.

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 1833: Relating to the use of a social media platform in furtherance of an offense involving the delivery of a controlled substance; increasing criminal penalties.

SB 1833 increases criminal penalties for individuals who use social media platforms to arrange or facilitate the delivery of controlled substances. It applies to specific drug delivery offenses (like those under Texas Health and Safety Code Sections 481.112-481.122) when a defendant uses social media to further the crime. If proven, the offense's punishment level is raised to the next higher category, with first-degree felony penalties increased by five years and maximum fines doubled. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, applying only to offenses committed on or after that date.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 3059: Relating to the preservation, maintenance, restoration, and protection of the Alamo complex and surrounding area by the Alamo Commission.

SB 3059 creates the Alamo Commission to oversee preservation, maintenance, and restoration of the Alamo complex and surrounding area. The bill places the commission under the administrative oversight of the State Preservation Board and requires coordination with the City of San Antonio on development plans. It establishes the commission's legal framework, including definitions and sunset provisions, but does not allocate new funding or change preservation standards. The bill was signed into law on June 20, 2025, and takes effect immediately.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 4063: Relating to the filing and release of record of a unilateral memorandum of contract concerning residential property.

HB 4063 requires anyone filing a "unilateral memorandum of contract" (a document signed only by a non-owner claiming rights to buy or lease residential property) to provide their address, a certificate of mailing, and send a copy via certified mail to the property owner at both the property address and any address listed in property records. Property owners who receive such a notice can file an affidavit denying the claim with the county clerk and must then notify the filer via certified mail. The bill establishes clear procedures for filing, notifying owners, and owners' responses to prevent disputes over property rights. It became effective September 1, 2025.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 1734: Relating to the transfer of court files in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship in which continuing, exclusive jurisdiction is transferred.

HB 1734 requires courts transferring custody cases (suits affecting parent-child relationships) to electronically send specific court files within 10 working days of a transfer order. It mandates sending a transfer certificate, final orders, the transfer order itself, key pleadings, previous transfer records, and cost bills to the receiving court. The law applies only to cases where jurisdiction transfer orders are signed on or after September 1, 2025, leaving prior cases governed by older rules. This procedural change streamlines administrative handling of custody case transfers between courts.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 3053: Relating to municipal and county firearm buyback programs.

HB 3053 prohibits municipalities and counties in Texas from organizing, sponsoring, or participating in firearm buyback programs. The bill specifically bans local governments from creating programs that aim to remove firearms from circulation, reduce civilian firearm ownership, or allow sales without criminal prosecution concerns. This law directly affects local governments by preventing them from implementing such buyback initiatives. The bill takes effect on September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 5084: Relating to the sale of fireworks on and before the Lunar New Year holiday.

HB 5084 allows counties to authorize fireworks sales during the five days leading up to and including Lunar New Year, provided the county commissioners court approves the sale. This directly affects counties that choose to adopt the policy and retailers operating within those approved counties. The bill adds this new sales window to existing permitted periods (July 4th, New Year's Eve, and a border-specific May period), requiring local approval for the Lunar New Year exception. The law took effect September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HCR 146: Directing the governor of the State of Texas to award the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to U.S. Army veteran Rickey Dudley Wittner.

HCR 146 is a ceremonial resolution directing the Texas governor to award the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to U.S. Army veteran Rickey Dudley Wittner. It recognizes Wittner's heroic actions during the Vietnam War on July 10, 1970, when he rescued 12 people from a burning helicopter under enemy fire despite sustaining severe burns. The resolution cites Wittner's prior Soldier's Medal, Purple Heart, and Air Medal for his bravery. As a concurrent resolution, it has no policy impact but formally honors Wittner's military service. The resolution was signed by the governor on June 20, 2025.

Topics ✓ Veterans

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 3073: Relating to the prosecution of the offense of sexual assault.

HB 3073 amends Texas law to clarify when sexual assault occurs without consent, directly affecting all individuals involved in sexual assault prosecutions across the state. The bill adds 12 specific scenarios where consent is legally absent, including when a victim is unconscious, mentally incapacitated, or intentionally drugged by the perpetrator (new point 6), and expands protections for vulnerable groups like patients of healthcare providers, facility residents, and clergy members' spiritual dependents. Key provisions define consent more precisely by listing circumstances where force, coercion, or exploitation negate consent, replacing ambiguous language in the existing Penal Code. This change standardizes how prosecutors must prove lack of consent in court, making it clearer for judges and juries. The law, effective September 1, 2025, is named the Summer Willis Act but focuses solely on legal definitions, not new penalties or programs.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill results