HB 4236 creates a temporary six-member study group (three Senate members, three House members) to examine how the state auditor’s school district property valuation study impacts state education funding. The group must hold one public meeting to assess the study’s current use in distributing funds and recommend better ways to verify valuations of complex properties. It can request data from the state auditor, school agencies, and local property assessors. The study group must submit its findings and recommendations to state leaders by December 1, 2026, and will dissolve by January 1, 2027. This bill does not change funding formulas but aims to improve how property valuations are evaluated for school finance purposes.
SB 2167 requires massage therapy businesses and schools to obtain a new license if they change locations, preventing unlicensed operations at new sites. It allows the licensing commission to delay approving or denying licenses for up to 90 days if there's reasonable suspicion of criminal activity at the proposed location or if the applicant is subject to a public health emergency order. The bill also clarifies that entities (like businesses) are subject to delays if any owner or operator faces such orders. These changes take effect September 1, 2025, and require the licensing commission to update rules to implement the law.
HB 2240 amends Texas Family Code to clarify when a "later marriage" (entered into while a prior marriage was still valid) becomes legally valid after the first marriage ends. It directly affects individuals in void marriages who later cohabited as spouses and presented themselves as married, allowing their later union to be recognized unless specific conditions are met. Key provisions include requiring putative spouses to file a lawsuit within 30 days of discovering the prior marriage was still valid, and adding a new section allowing suits to declare divorce or annulment decrees void if the court lacked jurisdiction. The bill became effective immediately upon the governor's signature on June 20, 2025.
HB 4170 requires lawsuits involving private transfer fees on real property to be filed in the county where the property is located, rather than in other jurisdictions. This directly affects property owners, buyers, and sellers who may dispute these fees in court. The bill adds this venue requirement to Texas Property Code Section 5.208, excluding cases brought by the attorney general. It applies only to lawsuits filed on or after September 1, 2025, with prior cases governed by previous law. The change aims to streamline legal proceedings by tying venue to the property's physical location.
HB 5650 creates Travis County Municipal Utility District No. 40, a new special district to provide utility services (like water, sewer, and drainage) to a defined area in Travis County. The bill grants the district limited eminent domain power to acquire land for utility infrastructure, authorizes it to issue bonds for capital projects, and permits the district to impose assessments, fees, and taxes on properties within its boundaries. This directly affects property owners in the specific territory outlined in the bill, which includes areas designated for utility service improvements. The bill became law on June 20, 2025, after passing both legislative chambers and taking effect immediately without the governor’s signature.
HB 2637 updates Texas law regarding grand jury qualifications and jury summons procedures. It sets specific eligibility requirements for grand jurors, including being a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, a county resident, and without certain criminal convictions (such as felony theft or a felony). The bill requires court clerks to send monthly lists of disqualified jurors to the secretary of state, voter registrar, and prosecuting attorney. This affects prospective grand jurors and streamlines the process for determining eligibility in Texas courts, taking effect September 1, 2025.
HB 2894 creates a state-funded "disabled veteran assistance payment" for Texas local governments that grant property tax relief to disabled veterans and experience significant revenue loss. It specifically applies to municipalities adjacent to U.S. military installations or counties containing such installations, with eligibility based on losing at least 2% of their general fund revenue (or 10% for larger municipalities with populations between 370,000-380,000 or 83,000-84,000). Local governments meeting these thresholds can receive state aid to offset the lost tax revenue starting in the 2025 fiscal year. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and does not change existing tax relief policies for disabled veterans.
HB 2348 allows courts to order video recordings of depositions (pre-recorded testimony) for elderly or disabled individuals in criminal cases when requested by either party. The bill requires the person operating the video device to verify the recording's authenticity in court for it to be used as evidence. It amends Texas law to explicitly include "age or bodily infirmity" as a valid reason to use recorded testimony instead of requiring the witness to appear in person. This change applies only to criminal cases beginning on or after September 1, 2025.
SB 1760 amends Texas Estates Code provisions to streamline guardianship transfers between counties when a person's residence changes. It requires courts to transfer guardianship proceedings to the proper county within 10 working days of a transfer order, with clerks sending all necessary documents electronically via the state's filing system. The bill standardizes the transfer process by mandating specific documents (like court orders, case records, and a bill of costs) be sent to the new county clerk. This directly affects courts, guardians, and individuals under guardianship whose cases move across county lines, ensuring smoother administrative handling without changing the guardianship fee itself.
HB 3033 creates a voluntary $3 or more contribution option for people applying for or renewing Texas driver's licenses, personal ID cards, or commercial driver's licenses. Applicants can choose to add this contribution during the application process, either on paper forms or online. The Texas Department of Public Safety will collect these funds monthly and send them to a state account supporting nonprofit organizations that assist Department of Public Safety employees. This is a procedural bill that enables new funding for these nonprofits through existing license application systems, without changing license requirements or fees.
SB 10 requires all Texas public elementary and secondary schools to display a specific, standardized version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom starting September 1, 2025. The law mandates a durable poster or framed copy meeting strict size (at least 16x20 inches) and content requirements, including only the exact text listed in the bill. Schools must display this unless they accept a privately donated version meeting the same specifications, and may optionally use district funds to purchase compliant displays. This directly affects every public school classroom in Texas, requiring a physical display of the specified religious text.
SB 1946 creates the Family Violence Criminal Homicide Prevention Task Force within Texas' criminal justice division. The task force must include a steering committee with the governor and a family violence advocacy leader, plus 12 task force members representing regional family violence centers, statewide advocacy groups, legal services, key state agencies (like the attorney general's office and health departments), and academic experts. Its purpose is to develop prevention strategies for criminal homicides linked to family violence, as defined by Texas law. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.
