Texas Bills

passed · Texas · Senate May 7, 2025

SR 496: Recognizing May 7, 2025, as Leadership Garland Day.

This is a ceremonial resolution (SR 496) passed by the Texas Senate on May 7, 2025, recognizing Leadership Garland - a program run by the Garland Chamber of Commerce - as part of its community leadership development efforts. It formally designates May 7, 2025, as "Leadership Garland Day" at the Texas State Capitol to honor the group's participants and their civic leadership training. The resolution has no policy impact; it simply acknowledges the program's work in developing community leaders through a nine-month training initiative. It does not create new laws or affect any specific individuals or policies.

passed · Texas · Senate May 7, 2025

SB 1299: Relating to the prohibited release by a public agency of personal affiliation information regarding the members, supporters, or volunteers of or donors to certain nonprofit organizations; creating a criminal offense.

SB 1299 prohibits public agencies (like state or local government offices) from requiring or sharing personal lists identifying members, supporters, volunteers, or donors of certain nonprofits. It bans agencies from releasing "personal affiliation information" - defined as any list that directly or indirectly identifies such individuals - except in limited cases like voluntary disclosures or court orders. Violating this law could result in criminal penalties. The bill specifically covers nonprofits exempt under IRS 501(c) or organized under Texas law, affecting how government entities handle sensitive supporter data.

Topics ✓ Technology

passed · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HR 867: Congratulating the Ganado High School football team on winning the 2024 UIL 2A Division 1 state championship.

This is a ceremonial resolution (not a bill with policy changes) congratulating Ganado High School's football team on winning the 2024 UIL 2A Division 1 state championship. It formally recognizes their 15-1 season record, playoff victories, and overtime championship win against Stamford High School. The resolution expresses the Texas House of Representatives' congratulations and directs that an official copy be sent to the team. It has no legal effect or policy impact - it solely serves as a symbolic honor for the student-athletes and coaches.

passed · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 2145: Relating to the installation of electric vehicle charging stations at certain state-owned parking lots and garages.

HB 2145 requires new state-owned parking lots and garages (constructed on or after September 1, 2025) to include a sufficient number of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The bill directs the state agency responsible for these facilities to determine the required number based on five factors: current/future EV registrations, state employee EV usage, parking lot usage patterns, charging technology types, and anticipated demand. The state energy conservation office must help develop guidelines for installation standards. This applies specifically to new state parking infrastructure, not existing facilities.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

passed · Texas · Senate May 7, 2025

SB 1822: Relating to the use of artificial intelligence-based algorithms in utilization review conducted for certain health benefit plans.

This Texas bill requires health insurers and health plans to publicly disclose whether they use artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to review medical treatments (utilization review). Insurers must ensure these AI tools minimize bias based on race, gender, age, disability, or other protected characteristics and follow evidence-based medical guidelines. They must annually submit their AI systems and training data to the state for review, including proof of compliance. The law directly affects insurers, healthcare providers, and patients by increasing transparency in AI-driven treatment decisions.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Technology

passed · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 184: Relating to student loan repayment assistance for certain prosecuting attorneys who are employed as part of the border prosecution unit.

HB 184 creates a student loan repayment program for Texas prosecuting attorneys working in the border prosecution unit. To qualify, attorneys must be licensed in Texas, have completed one to four consecutive years of employment with the unit, and apply through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The program provides up to 25% of an attorney’s total student loan balance each year for up to four years, totaling up to 100% of the loan. Repayment is delivered as a lump sum directly to the lender or shared between the lender and the attorney.

passed both · Texas · Senate May 7, 2025

SJR 18: Proposing a constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of a tax on the realized or unrealized capital gains of an individual, family, estate, or trust.

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment (SJR 18) that would ban Texas from taxing capital gains - both when assets are sold (realized) or when their value increases without being sold (unrealized) - for individuals, families, estates, or trusts. It explicitly excludes property taxes, sales taxes on goods/services, and use taxes from this prohibition. If approved by voters in the November 2025 election, the amendment would require future Texas laws to comply with this ban on capital gains taxation. The measure directly affects taxpayers who own investments or assets subject to capital gains, but does not change existing tax types like property or sales taxes.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes

passed · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 2316: Relating to the manner of reporting results in the conduct of elections.

HB 2316 requires Texas election officials to report election results using each candidate's percentage of total votes cast for their office, rather than just vote counts. This applies to all general elections, primaries, and runoffs at the precinct, periodic, and final reporting stages, including unofficial tabulations. The bill mandates that every report must show each candidate's share of the total votes received by all candidates for that specific office. It affects county clerks, election administrators, and all entities compiling election results statewide. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

passed · Texas · Senate May 7, 2025

SB 2605: Relating to the formation of a municipal housing authority asset commission by certain municipal housing authorities.

SB 2605 creates a new "asset commission" for certain municipal housing authorities in Texas, specifically those operating in counties with 800,000+ population on the international border or municipalities with 600,000+ population within such counties. The commission, composed of five members with strict qualifications (e.g., licensed real estate brokers with 5+ years in multifamily housing, CPAs, or executives managing 5,000+ housing units), must approve major financial decisions for the housing authority. Members face strict conflict-of-interest rules prohibiting ties to the housing authority or local government, and must disclose any financial interests. The bill establishes compensation for members and removal procedures for misconduct, but does not change housing policies or funding.

passed · Texas · Senate May 7, 2025

SB 1026: Relating to the authority of the attorney general to prosecute criminal offenses prescribed by the election laws of this state.

This bill requires the Texas Attorney General to prosecute certain election-related crimes if local prosecutors do not act within six months. Specifically, it mandates that law enforcement agencies must send reports of suspected election law violations to both local prosecutors and the Attorney General. If a local prosecutor fails to file charges within six months, the Attorney General gains automatic authority to handle the case. The law applies only to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, and affects how election crime cases are processed across Texas.

passed · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 1169: Relating to the adoption of a comprehensive plan to protect oil and gas infrastructure in this state.

HB 1169 requires the Railroad Commission of Texas to develop a comprehensive plan protecting the state's oil and gas infrastructure - including pipelines and wellheads - from natural disasters, severe weather, cyberattacks, terrorism, power outages, and other threats. The plan must be updated periodically and adopted by September 1, 2026. It directly affects Texas's oil and gas infrastructure by mandating specific protective measures for critical systems. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, with the commission allowed to seek input from stakeholders during development.

Topics ✗ Energy

passed · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 1160: Relating to increasing the criminal penalties for the offenses of assault and harassment committed against certain employees or agents of a utility and to the prosecution of the criminal offense of interference with public duties of those employees or agents; increasing criminal penalties for certain criminal offenses relating to interference with public duties.

HB 1160 increases criminal penalties for assaults against specific public service workers, upgrading certain offenses from misdemeanors to felonies. It directly affects utility employees, emergency personnel, security officers, process servers, hospital staff, and pregnant individuals when assaults occur during work duties or as retaliation for performing those duties. Key provisions include making it a felony to assault a utility employee while they are performing services, harass a security officer during duty, or assault a pregnant person to force an abortion. The bill applies when the actor knows the victim is performing a protected duty.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill results