Texas Bills | MyRepTracker

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 1566: Relating to connection of utilities by certain entities in certain subdivisions formerly located in a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction.

SB 1566 allows certain utility providers (like water or electricity companies) to connect services to land in specific subdivisions without needing a special certificate, if the land meets one of four conditions: it has an approved development plan, was first connected before September 1, 1987 (or 1989 for some providers), or was removed from a city's jurisdiction before September 1, 2025. This primarily affects existing utility providers and landowners in areas that were once outside city boundaries but are now part of a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction. The bill removes a requirement for utility providers to hold a certificate of convenience and necessity for these specific historical cases. It does not change rules for new developments or general utility connections.

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 13: Relating to a school district's library materials and catalog, the establishment of local school library advisory councils, and parental rights regarding public school library catalogs and access by the parent's child to library materials.

SB 13 requires Texas school districts to provide parents with access to records about their child's school library materials, including books or digital resources checked out. It mandates that school libraries prohibit the acquisition of materials rated "sexually explicit" by vendors or deemed "harmful" under Texas law, and restricts access to content described as "pervasively vulgar" or "educationally unsuitable." The bill also creates local school library advisory councils to help develop library policies. These changes directly affect parents, school districts, and students by expanding parental oversight of library resources and setting new standards for library collections. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Education

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 5629: Relating to the occupational licensing of military service members, military veterans, and military spouses.

HB 5629 simplifies occupational licensing for military service members, veterans, and spouses in Texas. It allows them to practice licensed professions without obtaining a new Texas license if they hold a current, comparable license from another state in good standing, or held a Texas license within the past five years. The bill also removes residency documentation requirements (like proof of military orders or marriage licenses) for these applicants. This directly affects military-connected individuals seeking to work in licensed fields like healthcare, trades, or education across Texas.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 5436: Relating to an exception to the titling requirement for certain motor vehicles; creating a criminal offense; providing for a fee.

HB 5436 creates an exception allowing used automotive parts recyclers to purchase certain older vehicles without requiring a title certificate. It applies to vehicles at least 13 years old, purchased solely for parts, dismantling, or scrap, provided they haven't been registered for seven years and recyclers follow specific reporting rules. Recyclers must submit detailed transaction information to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles within three business days and cannot dismantle the vehicle until after this deadline, unless liens are resolved. Violating these requirements constitutes a criminal offense, with the bill establishing new penalties for non-compliance.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 127: Relating to measures to protect institutions of higher education from foreign adversaries and to the prosecution of the criminal offense of theft of trade secrets; increasing a criminal penalty.

HB 127 creates the Higher Education Research Security Council to protect universities from foreign espionage risks. The council, made up of security officers from university systems and select research institutions, will identify best practices for securing academic research while mitigating threats from foreign adversaries. It directly affects public and private research-focused universities in Texas, particularly those designated as "tier one" institutions. The bill establishes this council as a formal body to coordinate security efforts across higher education, without changing existing trade secret laws. The council’s role is limited to advising institutions on security protocols, not enforcing new penalties.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Technology

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 1596: Relating to the prohibition of short-barrel firearms.

SB 1596 amends Texas Penal Code Section 46.05(a) to explicitly prohibit the possession, manufacture, transportation, repair, or sale of short-barrel firearms without proper registration or classification as a curio/antique. The bill directly affects individuals and businesses handling such firearms, adding them to existing prohibitions alongside machine guns and explosive devices. Key provisions include defining short-barrel firearms as illegal under the law (effective September 1, 2025) and establishing limited exceptions for antique/curio items or specific organizations. The bill repeals a prior Penal Code section (46.01(10)) and clarifies that new restrictions apply only to offenses occurring on or after the effective date.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 835: Relating to the enforceability of certain nondisclosure or confidentiality provisions with respect to an act of sexual abuse.

SB 835, known as Trey's Law, invalidates any nondisclosure or confidentiality agreement that prevents someone from disclosing an act of sexual abuse. The law directly affects survivors of sexual abuse who may have signed such agreements, making those specific clauses unenforceable. Key provisions state that agreements cannot prohibit disclosure of sexual abuse details (defined using existing Texas Penal Code and Family Code offenses), though other settlement terms like payment amounts remain valid. This change applies to all agreements entered into before, on, or after its effective date of September 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 721: Relating to the applicability of certain laws requiring health care cost disclosures by health benefit plan issuers and administrators.

HB 721 clarifies which health benefit plans must provide cost disclosures to consumers. It specifies that disclosure requirements apply to plans like small employer health benefit plans, standard health plans, basic coverage plans, and primary care plans, but explicitly excludes health reimbursement arrangements, workers' compensation insurance, and certain regional health programs. This bill affects health benefit plan issuers and administrators by defining the scope of existing disclosure laws, ensuring they know which plans require cost transparency. The changes take effect on September 1, 2025.

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 764: Relating to the procedure for a hearing by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation on the denial of an electrician's license or disciplinary action against an electrician.

SB 764 changes the procedure for hearings when the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation denies an electrician's license or takes disciplinary action against one. It directs that these hearings be governed by Chapter 2001 of the Texas Government Code (which outlines administrative hearing rules), rather than existing licensing procedures. This change applies only to hearings starting on or after September 1, 2025, meaning existing cases follow the old rules. The bill affects electricians facing license denial or discipline by shifting their hearing process to a standardized administrative framework.

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 1660: Relating to the retention and preservation of toxicological evidence of certain intoxication offenses.

SB 1660 requires Texas crime laboratories to annually notify prosecutors' offices in the county where an intoxication offense (like DWI) occurred about toxicology evidence they hold, including the date the evidence was received. It also establishes a 90-day window for prosecutors to deny requests to destroy evidence after the retention period expires, after which labs may proceed with destruction. The law applies only to evidence with retention periods expiring on or after September 1, 2025, and became effective on that date. This bill directly affects crime labs, prosecutors, and defense attorneys by standardizing evidence retention and destruction procedures for intoxication cases.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 1314: Relating to price estimates and billing requirements for certain health care facilities.

HB 1314 requires Texas healthcare facilities to provide patients with written price estimates for nonemergency elective procedures (like surgeries or outpatient services) before scheduling. Facilities must deliver these estimates within five business days of a patient's request, including disclaimers about potential cost variations based on medical condition and coverage. The bill also mandates that facilities include information on how patients can dispute bills exceeding the estimate by $400 or more. This law directly affects patients seeking cost transparency and healthcare facilities that must comply with new billing requirements, effective September 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 4226: Relating to exemptions from the taxes imposed on the sale, use, or rental of a motor vehicle for a vehicle purchased, used, or rented by a nonprofit food bank or a provider of housing and related services.

HB 4226 exempts nonprofit food banks and specific housing providers from Texas state sales, use, and rental taxes on motor vehicles they purchase, use, or rent. It directly affects food banks (as defined in Section 162.001) and housing providers serving homeless individuals with disabilities who meet strict criteria (continuously homeless for 1+ year or four homelessness episodes in 3 years). The bill adds new Tax Code sections requiring vehicles to be used "primarily" for the organization's core services. This exemption applies only to vehicles acquired on or after its September 1, 2025 effective date. The law was signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing