HB 1403 prohibits foster care agencies and state child welfare departments from requiring foster parents to disclose specific firearm types in their homes or report changes to those firearms. It also bans agencies from using any collected firearm information for purposes beyond verifying whether firearms are present in the home. Violating this provision subjects agencies to a $5,000 civil penalty per violation, enforceable by the attorney general. The bill further mandates that all firearm-related information in foster homes remains confidential and exempt from public disclosure under Texas law.
HB 3348 creates a program allowing specific Texas counties to collect mandatory payments from nonpublic hospitals (defined as institutions providing inpatient services) to fund local health care initiatives. It applies only to counties meeting strict population and geographic criteria, such as those adjacent to the state capital with 46,000-50,000 residents, or large bordering counties with populations exceeding 900,000. Funds collected through this program must be deposited into a county-established "local provider participation fund" and can be used for health care services within the county. The bill does not mandate participation - counties must adopt an order via commissioners court to implement the program.
SB 387 requires certain judges to post higher bonds based on their court's caseload. Statutory county court judges handling guardianship or probate cases must post bonds of at least $500,000 (with smaller counties requiring $100,000 and larger counties $250,000), while other judges must post bonds between $1,000 and $10,000. The bill applies only to judges presiding over these specific proceedings, excluding probate court judges covered by existing rules and criminal court judges. It takes effect September 1, 2025, and was signed into law by the governor on June 20, 2025.
HB 2820 sets a $100,000 limit on the operating capital charitable bingo groups in Texas can retain in their accounts for expenses (excluding prizes). It directly affects licensed nonprofit organizations and units of organizations that operate charitable bingo games. The bill establishes this cap unless the state commission sets a higher limit by rule or the bingo director approves a higher amount for a specific organization. Exceptions allow flexibility for operational needs but maintain a clear financial boundary for these fundraising activities.
HB 6 amends Texas Education Code Section 12.111 to update requirements for charter schools. The bill specifically adds new criteria allowing charter schools to exclude students who were expelled under Section 37.007, placed in disciplinary alternative education programs under Section 37.006, or have documented criminal histories or discipline problems. While the bill title mentions telehealth mental health services in public schools, the provided text does not detail provisions for telehealth access. The legislation primarily affects charter schools by modifying their student admission policies and discipline management standards. HB 6 was signed into law by the governor on June 20, 2025, and is now effective.
SB 1233, the Perinatal Palliative Care Act, requires healthcare providers to inform pregnant women diagnosed with a life-threatening or life-limiting fetal condition about available perinatal palliative care. This applies to approximately 2% of pregnancies where the unborn child has a severe medical condition. The law mandates providers to explain comprehensive supportive care options - including medical, social, and mental health services - to reduce suffering for the mother, unborn child, and family during the perinatal period. It creates administrative penalties for noncompliance and defines perinatal palliative care to exclude actions intended to hasten death. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.
HB 252 allows certain Texas state agencies to pay employees in positions classified under "Schedule A" (as defined in the General Appropriations Act) twice monthly instead of monthly. Agencies electing this option must comply with the comptroller's requirements for biweekly payroll processing. The bill directly affects state agencies and Schedule A employees by changing their salary payment frequency. It took effect immediately upon the Governor's signature on June 20, 2025. This is a procedural adjustment to payroll timing with no substantive policy changes to compensation amounts.
SB 1580 requires local mental health authorities in Texas to adjust their governing body composition. For single-county authorities, it mandates including the county sheriff as a nonvoting member; for multi-county authorities, it requires two county sheriffs (chosen per specific rules) as nonvoting members. The bill also adds a requirement for each governing body to select one veteran member by December 1, 2025. This change directly affects all local mental health authorities statewide, altering their governance structure to include sheriff and veteran representation, effective September 1, 2025.
HB 4211 creates new rules for residential arrangements where buyers purchase an interest in a business entity (like a company or LLC) that owns homes, rather than buying the homes directly. It requires sellers to clearly disclose that buyers are purchasing an entity interest - not the property itself - and prohibits entities from charging transfer fees or restricting transfers of these interests. The law also bans discrimination in these arrangements (e.g., refusing to sell to qualified buyers) and ensures disputes must be resolved in state or federal courts, not private tribunals. This applies to single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, and quadruplexes owned by such entities, protecting buyers in these specific ownership structures.
HB 3689 changes how the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) funds catastrophic windstorm and hail insurance losses after major disasters. Instead of relying on public securities (which incur high interest costs), the bill authorizes the state to provide loans of up to $500 million before a disaster and $1 billion after one. TWIA would repay these loans through a surcharge on certain windstorm and hail insurance policies in coastal areas. This directly affects coastal property owners who pay these insurance premiums, as the surcharge ensures repayment of state funds used to cover disaster losses.
HB 300 increases the maximum Texas Armed Services Scholarship to $30,000 per academic year (up from $15,000), capping at the average cost of attendance at Texas colleges. It expands appointment authority, allowing the governor and lieutenant governor to each appoint two students annually, and each state senator or representative to appoint one student, with deadlines set for September 30. The bill directly affects Texas students enrolled in ROTC or similar military commissioning programs at Texas colleges, requiring proof of program enrollment or acceptance into the Texas State Guard. These changes are effective immediately after the bill was signed by the governor on June 20, 2025.
SB 1120 expands rights for victims of specific crimes in Texas, directly affecting victims of family violence, sexual assault, stalking, or violations of protective orders, as well as their guardians or close relatives of deceased victims. The bill codifies 10 specific rights, including the right to receive safety protections from law enforcement, input on bail decisions, timely notifications about court proceedings, information on victim compensation programs, and separate waiting areas during testimony. It also clarifies definitions of "family violence" and "victim" to include offenses like aggravated robbery, trafficking, and injury to vulnerable individuals. These provisions aim to ensure victims and their families have consistent access to information and support throughout criminal proceedings.
