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Texas Bills

Track legislation and stay informed about the bills that matter to you.

State Legislature US Congress

All 49,874 Active 2,428 In committee 28,785 Passed 17,440 Signed 5,309 Failed 583

passed · Texas · Senate Aug 15, 2025

SR 19: Recognizing ACCEYSS Consortium on the occasion of their 6th Annual Faith and Community Leadership Summit.

This is a ceremonial Senate resolution (SR 19), not a legislative bill with policy changes. It formally recognizes the ACCEYSS Consortium for its 6th Annual Faith and Community Leadership Summit at Texas State University on July 25, 2025. The resolution highlights the Consortium's work in expanding K-12 STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and math) through community partnerships and faith-informed programs, supported by the National Science Foundation's INCLUDES Initiative. As a symbolic gesture, it expresses the Texas Senate's commendation of their efforts but does not create new laws or affect any regulations.

passed · Texas · Senate Aug 15, 2025

SR 6: In memory of Ruth Ann Bewley of Longview.

This is a commemorative resolution (SR 6), not a legislative bill with policy changes. It honors Ruth Ann Bewley of Longview, who died on April 28, 2025, at age 75, by recognizing her life and family. The resolution pays tribute to her 32-year career at Cloud's Food Service, her 36-year marriage to Terry Bewley, her role as a mother and grandmother, and her dedication to family and community. It extends condolences to her husband, children, stepchildren, grandchildren, and other relatives, and directs the Senate to adjourn in her memory. As a procedural resolution, it has no legal effect or impact on policy.

passed · Texas · Senate Aug 12, 2025

SB 10: Relating to an affirmative defense to prosecution for certain victims of trafficking of persons or compelling prostitution.

This bill creates a legal defense for individuals who were victims of human trafficking or forced prostitution and were compelled by force, fraud, or coercion to commit criminal acts. It allows such victims to argue in court that they engaged in the charged conduct solely because of their traffickers' actions, provided they wouldn't have committed the act without coercion and the coercion would have compelled a reasonable person in their situation. The defense does not apply to certain offenses listed in Texas law, and the person doesn't need to prove their trafficker was charged or convicted. The law applies only to prosecutions for offenses committed on or after the bill's effective date (91 days after the 2025 legislative session).

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

passed · Texas · Senate Aug 12, 2025

SB 13: Relating to the provision by a political subdivision of credits against impact fees to builders and developers for certain water conservation and reuse projects.

SB 13 requires Texas cities and counties (political subdivisions) to offer credits against water and wastewater impact fees to builders and developers who implement eligible water conservation or reuse projects. These credits apply to facilities or systems that reduce per-unit water consumption, decrease wastewater treatment needs, minimize stormwater infrastructure demand, or exceed standard water efficiency requirements. Political subdivisions must establish fair procedures for calculating, applying, and reviewing these credits. The law takes effect January 1, 2026, directly benefiting developers who invest in qualifying water-saving infrastructure.

Topics ✓ Environment

passed · Texas · Senate Aug 12, 2025

SB 3: Relating to making supplemental appropriations for disaster relief and giving direction and adjustment authority regarding those appropriations.

SB 3 provides $294 million in supplemental state funding for disaster relief following a July 2025 flood event in Texas. It allocates funds to match federal disaster aid, support local governments in 27 specific counties (including Travis and Bexar) for flood warning systems and equipment, improve weather forecasting in the Texas Hill Country, and build a swift water training facility for first responders. The bill directs the Office of the Governor to manage these funds over two years, with specific requirements for how each allocation must be used. It directly affects local governments in designated flood-impacted areas and emergency response agencies preparing for future weather events.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Joan Huffman (R) · 16 co-sponsors

passed · Texas · Senate Aug 12, 2025

SB 14: Relating to certain files maintained by a law enforcement agency regarding certain employees of the agency.

SB 14 creates confidential "department files" for law enforcement agencies to track information about licensed employees who hold state-issued law enforcement licenses. These files must include documents about alleged misconduct where evidence was insufficient, but exclude standard personnel records. Agencies must share these files only with the licensing commission during investigations or when hiring new employees, and the files are exempt from public disclosure under Texas law. This policy directly affects law enforcement agencies and their licensed staff by standardizing how sensitive employment-related information is handled and shared.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

passed · Texas · Senate Aug 12, 2025

SB 2: Relating to outdoor warning sirens in flood-prone areas.

SB 2 creates a grant program administered by the governor to help municipalities and counties cover the costs of installing outdoor warning sirens in flood-prone areas. The bill defines "flood-prone areas" as regions affected by a specific 2025 flood event and requires local governments to install sirens in locations with a history of severe flooding and high risks to life or property. The grant program must include clear rules for eligibility, application processes, and monitoring of funds to ensure proper use. This legislation amends both the Government Code (to establish the grant) and Water Code (to mandate siren requirements).

Paul Bettencourt (R) · 20 co-sponsors

passed · Texas · Senate Aug 12, 2025

SB 43: Relating to an exemption from the requirement to obtain a permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for certain dams or reservoirs operated and maintained for the purposes of erosion, floodwater, and sediment control.

SB 43 exempts certain local water management districts from needing permits from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to build or maintain small dams and reservoirs. Specifically, it applies to "qualified local sponsors" (like districts created under Texas Constitution Article III or XVI) operating dams with normal storage under 200 acre-feet for erosion, floodwater, and sediment control. The bill allows these entities to construct, maintain, and divert water for repairs without TCEQ permits, while ensuring the exemption continues even if their federal USDA agreement ends. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality must adopt implementing rules by April 2026.

Topics ✗ Environment

passed · Texas · Senate Aug 12, 2025

SB 1: Relating to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery; requiring a license; authorizing fees.

This bill modifies Texas law regarding death investigations by allowing justices of the peace to skip inquests for deaths resulting from natural disasters, provided clear evidence shows the death was caused by disaster-related injuries and not unlawful acts. It directly affects local courts and families seeking death investigations in disaster-impacted areas. The key provision requires justices to verify disaster causation through clear evidence before waiving the inquest, with similar rules applying to autopsy certifications. The bill expires April 1, 2027, and applies to deaths occurring in the justice's county.

Charles Perry (R) · 22 co-sponsors

passed · Texas · Senate Aug 12, 2025

SB 8: Relating to public school accountability and transparency, including the implementation of an instructionally supportive assessment program and the adoption and administration of assessment instruments in public schools, indicators of achievement, public school performance ratings, and interventions and sanctions under the public school accountability system, a grant program for school district local accountability plans, and actions challenging Texas Education Agency decisions related to public school accountability.

SB 8 establishes a new statewide "instructionally supportive assessment program" for Texas public schools, requiring the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to create assessments focused on student growth rather than punitive measures. It mandates that school districts provide parents with one-click access to their child’s test results through a secure parent portal, meeting specific security and privacy standards. The bill also requires districts to adopt local accountability plans with TEA grants and ensures transparency in school performance ratings and interventions. Directly affecting parents, school districts, and the TEA, the law aims to shift accountability toward supporting student learning through accessible data and updated assessment practices.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Technology

passed · Texas · Senate Aug 12, 2025

SB 16: Relating to the operation and administration of and practices and procedures related to proceedings in the judicial branch of state government, including court security, court documents and arrest warrants, document delivery, juvenile boards, constitutional amendment election challenges, record retention, youth diversion, court-ordered mental health services, the powers of the Texas Supreme Court, and jurors; increasing a criminal penalty; authorizing fees.

SB 16 reorganizes judicial districts in Texas, renaming the 522nd Judicial District to include specific counties (Colorado, Gonzales, Guadalupe, and Lavaca) and adjusting jurisdiction for the 274th District Court (Comal, Guadalupe, and Hays counties). It directs the 173rd District Court (Henderson County) to prioritize civil and family law cases and the 392nd District Court to prioritize criminal cases. The bill clarifies that county clerks handle certain matters (like misdemeanors and juvenile cases) while district clerks manage others, and authorizes new fees while increasing penalties for specific crimes. These changes affect court operations, case handling, and administrative procedures across multiple Texas counties.

passed · Texas · Senate Aug 12, 2025

SB 6: Relating to abortion, including civil liability for the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs, exemptions from the Texas Citizens Participation Act and Religious Freedom Restoration Act, authorizing civil and qui tam actions, amendments to the fee-shifting statute governing abortion litigation, immunity defenses and limits on state-court jurisdiction and relief, the parens patriae standing of the attorney general, and the jurisdiction of the Fifteenth Court of Appeals; providing for severability.

SB 6 establishes civil liability for the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs, with limited exemptions for medical emergencies (like treating ectopic pregnancies or spontaneous abortions). It directly affects drug manufacturers, distributors, healthcare providers, and internet service providers by removing protections under Texas' Citizens Participation Act and Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Key provisions include authorizing civil lawsuits and "qui tam" actions (whistleblower suits), changing fee-shifting rules in abortion litigation, and limiting state-court jurisdiction over such cases. The bill also grants the Texas Attorney General special legal standing to enforce abortion laws and shifts jurisdiction for certain cases to the Fifteenth Court of Appeals.

Topics ✗ Healthcare