Texas Bills

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SCR 49: Recognizing Austin Oaks Church on the occasion of its 100th anniversary.

This is a ceremonial resolution (SCR 49), not a substantive bill. It recognizes Austin Oaks Church for its 100th anniversary in 2025, acknowledging its founding in 1925 by Swedish immigrants as the Swedish Evangelical Free Church, its relocation to southwest Austin in 2002, and its current ministries under pastors Brandon Zieske and BJ Forguson. The resolution formally commends the church's century-long service to the community and directs that a copy be presented to the church. No new laws or policies are created, and it directly affects only the church congregation as a ceremonial honor.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 388: Relating to a uniform coordination of benefits questionnaire for health benefit plans.

HB 388 requires Texas' Insurance Commissioner to create a single, standardized questionnaire for health benefit plans to determine which insurance policy pays first when a person has multiple coverages (like employer and individual plans). It applies to nearly all health plans in Texas, including employer group plans, Medicaid, HMOs, health insurance exchanges, and school district coverage. The key provision mandates the commissioner to develop uniform rules for this questionnaire after consulting with stakeholders, replacing inconsistent forms used by different insurers. This aims to simplify the process for patients and insurers managing overlapping coverage.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SCR 53: Returning House Bill No. 14 to the Senate for further consideration.

SCR 53 is a procedural resolution requesting that the Texas House of Representatives return House Bill 14 to the Texas Senate for further consideration. It does not change any policy or directly affect constituents; instead, it facilitates the legislative process by formally asking the House to send the bill back to the Senate. The resolution was approved by both chambers and signed by the Governor, completing the procedural step. This action is standard for bills needing additional review between chambers.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 5115: Relating to the penalty for the crime of election fraud; increasing a criminal penalty.

HB 5115 increases criminal penalties for election fraud in Texas by elevating the offense from a Class A misdemeanor to a second-degree felony under Election Code Section 276.013. It directly affects individuals who commit specific election fraud acts, such as tampering with ballots, voting for deceased voters, or counting invalid votes. The bill amends the law to impose harsher penalties for these violations, excluding certain scenarios like election officials acting in their official capacity (which remains a state jail felony) or attempted offenses (classified as a third-degree felony). This change applies only to offenses committed on or after its September 1, 2025 effective date.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 441: Relating to criminal and civil liability related to sexually explicit media and artificial intimate visual material; creating a criminal offense; increasing a criminal penalty.

SB 441 creates civil liability for producing, soliciting, disclosing, or promoting AI-generated intimate visual material without a person's consent and with intent to harm. It specifically targets material that reveals the depicted person's identity (e.g., through facial recognition or unique features) and requires proof of actual harm. The law holds both creators of the material and owners of websites/social media platforms liable if they fail to remove such content after notice. This directly affects individuals whose images are used without consent in AI-generated intimate content, providing a legal path to seek damages for the harm caused.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 4748: Relating to state agency purchasing methods and procedures, including a state agency multiple award contract purchasing procedure.

HB 4748 establishes a new "multiple award contract" purchasing procedure for Texas state agencies and the comptroller to use when buying similar goods or services. The bill requires agencies to provide written justification for using this method, disclose their intent and award criteria in solicitations, and ensure each vendor can provide the "best value" to the state. It defines "multiple award" as contracting with multiple vendors to cover all needed goods/services, while excluding professional services contracts. The procedure aims to improve procurement flexibility and competition for standardized purchases across state agencies.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 1024: Relating to the execution of a warrant issued for certain releasees who violate a condition of parole or mandatory supervision related to the electronic monitoring of the releasee.

HB 1024 requires law enforcement to promptly execute arrest warrants for parolees or individuals under mandatory supervision who violate electronic monitoring conditions while participating in the "super-intensive supervision program." It directly affects individuals on strict parole or supervision with electronic monitoring requirements. The bill mandates that warrants issued for such electronic monitoring violations must be acted upon "as soon as practicable" by law enforcement agencies. This change applies only to warrants issued on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 4413: Relating to mass balance attribution of renewable biomass feedstocks used to produce renewable chemicals.

HB 4413 defines "renewable biomass" as waste materials from farms, forests, and processing (like crop residue, animal waste, or invasive species removal) and "renewable chemicals" as products made from these materials. It requires companies producing renewable chemicals to track and account for the renewable biomass used in their production through a "mass balance" system. This policy directly affects renewable chemical manufacturers in Texas, mandating they document their feedstock sources to meet state requirements. The bill amends the Health and Safety Code to establish these definitions and a certification process, effective September 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 2512: Relating to the release of certain areas from a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction by petition or election.

HB 2512 clarifies which land areas automatically fall outside a Texas municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction (control over land outside city limits) without requiring a petition or election. It exempts eight specific categories of land, including areas within 5 miles of military bases, certain newly annexed zones with significant population growth, industrial districts, and small residential lots under defined conditions. This primarily affects landowners and developers in those designated zones by removing municipal jurisdiction over their properties. The bill defines these exemptions to streamline land use decisions without requiring formal release processes.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 493: Relating to ineligibility to serve as a poll watcher.

HB 493 amends Texas election law to clarify who cannot serve as a poll watcher. It requires poll watchers to sign an affidavit confirming they will not use recording devices during their service and that they have not been convicted of certain felonies (including first/second-degree felonies or election-related offenses). The bill directly affects individuals seeking to serve as poll watchers, making them ineligible if they meet these disqualification criteria. These changes take effect September 1, 2025.

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 1818: Relating to the issuance of a license or provisional license to certain military service members, military veterans, and military spouses to engage in a business or occupation in this state.

This bill, SB 1818, allows military service members, veterans, and military spouses to receive a provisional license while their full occupational license application is processed in Texas. State agencies must issue these provisional licenses immediately upon application submission, valid for up to 180 days or until the final license decision is made. The law requires agencies to adopt implementing rules by December 1, 2025, and takes effect September 1, 2025. It directly affects military-connected individuals seeking to work in licensed professions across Texas.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 3228: Relating to the inclusion of certain provisions in lease agreements for wind or solar power facilities.

HB 3228 requires wind power facility operators (leaseholders) to include specific waste management provisions in their agreements with landowners. The bill mandates that operators must collect, reuse, or recycle reusable components (like turbine blades) and properly dispose of non-recyclable parts - hazardous materials at authorized facilities and non-hazardous waste at approved landfills. It also requires operators to provide financial assurance (e.g., bonds or letters of credit) to cover decommissioning costs. This law applies to wind facilities in Texas and took effect September 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

Bill results