Texas Bills

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 2733: Relating to the prosecution of the criminal offenses of prohibited barratry and solicitation of professional employment.

HB 2733 amends Texas Penal Code sections to clarify and strengthen penalties for prohibited solicitation by licensed professionals. It directly affects attorneys, chiropractors, physicians, surgeons, and private investigators who solicit clients through deceptive or unsolicited means. Key provisions prohibit: (1) soliciting legal work via social media or electronic messages if misleading, (2) paying family members to solicit clients, and (3) contacting accident victims within 31 days of an incident without their prior legal representation. The law also restricts unsolicited communications about ongoing lawsuits or personal injury cases, requiring licensed professionals to avoid contacting individuals represented by other attorneys.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 3556: Relating to the construction of structures exceeding a certain height in certain counties containing national wildlife refuges and in adjacent counties.

HB 3556 requires developers to notify Texas Parks and Wildlife Department before constructing structures taller than 500 feet in specific counties near national wildlife refuges. It applies to counties bordering the Gulf of Mexico with refuges or adjacent counties without cities over 300,000 residents. Developers must submit review requests 90 days before construction, and the department must recommend bird-impact minimization measures within 45 days. If alternatives don’t prevent material harm to migratory birds, the department can seek court injunctions to halt construction.

Topics ✓ Environment

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 3783: Relating to court-ordered counseling in certain suits affecting the parent-child relationship.

HB 3783 requires Texas courts to follow specific rules when ordering counseling in custody or parenting disputes. It mandates that court-ordered counselors must have family therapy training, a master's degree in mental health, and domestic violence expertise if relevant. The bill prohibits courts from ordering counseling that would place a child at risk (like isolating them from family, moving them out-of-state by force, or requiring contact with an abuser) and bans requiring abuse victims to pay for counseling. It also prevents courts from forcing victims to attend sessions with perpetrators. This law directly affects parents involved in family court cases where counseling is ordered.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 1178: Relating to the creation of a temporary educator certificate for educators certified by other states.

HB 1178 creates a temporary educator certificate for teachers certified in other states who hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. It allows immediate issuance upon application, with the certificate expiring one year after issuance or when the educator obtains a permanent Texas certificate, whichever comes first. For educators whose spouses are active-duty military members, the certificate expires after three years. The bill repeals existing sections of the Education Code and requires the State Board for Educator Certification to adopt implementing rules.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 549: Relating to the availability and use of airway clearance devices at public school campuses and to contracts for medication for respiratory distress and training at public schools.

HB 549 requires Texas public school districts to make at least one airway clearance device available at each campus by the 2025-2026 school year. These devices, defined as noninvasive tools for removing foreign-body airway obstructions, must be stored where students eat and accessible when students are present. Each school must also ensure at least one trained employee is available at all times during student activity. The law applies to all public school campuses and specifies districts may obtain devices through donations or purchased funds, while clarifying it does not create new liability for schools.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 1193: Relating to the confidentiality of certain information on a declaration of informal marriage.

HB 1193 amends Texas Family Code to add confidentiality protections for individuals filing declarations of informal marriage (common-law marriage). If a party checks the "keep identifying information confidential" box on the declaration form, county clerks must not publicly publish or share personal details like addresses, birthplaces, or social security numbers - only the parties' names can be disclosed. This directly affects Texans who establish informal marriages without a formal ceremony by giving them control over sensitive personal information. The bill becomes effective September 1, 2025.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 145: Relating to risk mitigation planning and associated liability for providers of electric service; providing an administrative penalty.

HB 145 requires electric utilities, municipally owned utilities, and electric cooperatives to create wildfire mitigation plans and establishes rules for self-insuring against wildfire-related damages. Utilities may self-insure for certain wildfire damages and catastrophic property losses if the commission approves the plan as cost-effective, in the public interest, and beneficial to ratepayers, but cannot self-insure for wildfires caused by the utility's intentional, reckless, or grossly negligent actions. The commission must prioritize historical wildfire data, actuarial studies, and the risk of multiple disasters when reviewing self-insurance plans. The bill also includes administrative penalties for noncompliance with these requirements.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 143: Relating to the authority of the Railroad Commission of Texas and the Public Utility Commission of Texas to address a failure by an operator to maintain an electrical power line serving a well site or certain surface facilities in accordance with the National Electrical Code.

HB 143 requires oil and gas operators to maintain electrical power lines at well sites and related surface facilities according to the National Electrical Code. Landowners or lessees can report unsafe conditions to the Railroad Commission, which must inspect and notify the Public Utility Commission and operator within three days if a fire or injury risk is found. The Railroad Commission must resolve the issue within 10 days and inform the affected landowner. This law directly affects oil/gas operators, landowners near well sites, and the Railroad Commission and Public Utility Commission of Texas. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor on June 20, 2025.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 5424: Relating to volunteer firefighter compensation limits.

HB 5424 limits volunteer firefighter compensation by prohibiting fire departments from paying or reimbursing volunteers more than 20% of the highest full-time firefighter salary in their county (or an adjacent county if their county lacks such pay data). This directly affects volunteer firefighters and local fire departments, setting a clear annual cap on their compensation. The bill takes effect September 1, 2026, and amends the Government Code to establish this specific financial threshold. It does not change eligibility for volunteer status but restricts the amount departments can provide to volunteers relative to full-time staff pay.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 2560: Relating to creation of the Adopt-a-County Road program.

HB 2560 creates the "Adopt-a-County Road" program, allowing Texas county commissioners courts to partner with donors who fund repairs and maintenance for specific county road sections. Donors receive public recognition through signs installed by the county, and the program requires counties to set minimum donation amounts for recognition. Funds collected under this program must be used exclusively for the designated road section, including maintenance activities outlined in existing transportation codes. The law took effect on September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025.

Topics ✓ Transportation

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 1211: Relating to tuition and fee exemptions at public institutions of higher education for certain students who were under the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services.

HB 1211 creates a tuition and fee exemption for students who were under the conservatorship of Texas' Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) at specific points in their lives. It applies to former foster youth who were under DFPS conservatorship on their 18th birthday, during high school graduation, or on the day of adoption (after Sept. 1, 2009), and who enroll in a public Texas college as undergraduates or in dual credit courses by their 25th birthday. The exemption covers tuition and fees charged by public institutions of higher education, including dual credit courses. This policy takes effect September 1, 2025, for the 2025 fall semester.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 2963: Relating to diagnosis, maintenance, and repair of certain digital electronic equipment.

HB 2963 creates Chapter 121 in Texas' Business & Commerce Code, requiring manufacturers of digital electronic equipment to provide diagnostic tools and documentation to independent repair providers on "fair and reasonable terms." The law defines "digital electronic equipment" broadly as any product relying on embedded digital electronics to function. It specifically mandates that manufacturers make these tools available without restricting access to only authorized repair providers, ensuring non-manufacturer repair shops can diagnose and fix devices. This directly affects consumers seeking affordable repairs and independent repair businesses, aiming to increase repair accessibility and competition.

Topics ✓ Technology

Bill results