Texas Bills

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 4063: Relating to the filing and release of record of a unilateral memorandum of contract concerning residential property.

HB 4063 requires anyone filing a "unilateral memorandum of contract" (a document signed only by a non-owner claiming rights to buy or lease residential property) to provide their address, a certificate of mailing, and send a copy via certified mail to the property owner at both the property address and any address listed in property records. Property owners who receive such a notice can file an affidavit denying the claim with the county clerk and must then notify the filer via certified mail. The bill establishes clear procedures for filing, notifying owners, and owners' responses to prevent disputes over property rights. It became effective September 1, 2025.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 1734: Relating to the transfer of court files in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship in which continuing, exclusive jurisdiction is transferred.

HB 1734 requires courts transferring custody cases (suits affecting parent-child relationships) to electronically send specific court files within 10 working days of a transfer order. It mandates sending a transfer certificate, final orders, the transfer order itself, key pleadings, previous transfer records, and cost bills to the receiving court. The law applies only to cases where jurisdiction transfer orders are signed on or after September 1, 2025, leaving prior cases governed by older rules. This procedural change streamlines administrative handling of custody case transfers between courts.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 3053: Relating to municipal and county firearm buyback programs.

HB 3053 prohibits municipalities and counties in Texas from organizing, sponsoring, or participating in firearm buyback programs. The bill specifically bans local governments from creating programs that aim to remove firearms from circulation, reduce civilian firearm ownership, or allow sales without criminal prosecution concerns. This law directly affects local governments by preventing them from implementing such buyback initiatives. The bill takes effect on September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 5084: Relating to the sale of fireworks on and before the Lunar New Year holiday.

HB 5084 allows counties to authorize fireworks sales during the five days leading up to and including Lunar New Year, provided the county commissioners court approves the sale. This directly affects counties that choose to adopt the policy and retailers operating within those approved counties. The bill adds this new sales window to existing permitted periods (July 4th, New Year's Eve, and a border-specific May period), requiring local approval for the Lunar New Year exception. The law took effect September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HCR 146: Directing the governor of the State of Texas to award the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to U.S. Army veteran Rickey Dudley Wittner.

HCR 146 is a ceremonial resolution directing the Texas governor to award the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to U.S. Army veteran Rickey Dudley Wittner. It recognizes Wittner's heroic actions during the Vietnam War on July 10, 1970, when he rescued 12 people from a burning helicopter under enemy fire despite sustaining severe burns. The resolution cites Wittner's prior Soldier's Medal, Purple Heart, and Air Medal for his bravery. As a concurrent resolution, it has no policy impact but formally honors Wittner's military service. The resolution was signed by the governor on June 20, 2025.

Topics ✓ Veterans

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 3073: Relating to the prosecution of the offense of sexual assault.

HB 3073 amends Texas law to clarify when sexual assault occurs without consent, directly affecting all individuals involved in sexual assault prosecutions across the state. The bill adds 12 specific scenarios where consent is legally absent, including when a victim is unconscious, mentally incapacitated, or intentionally drugged by the perpetrator (new point 6), and expands protections for vulnerable groups like patients of healthcare providers, facility residents, and clergy members' spiritual dependents. Key provisions define consent more precisely by listing circumstances where force, coercion, or exploitation negate consent, replacing ambiguous language in the existing Penal Code. This change standardizes how prosecutors must prove lack of consent in court, making it clearer for judges and juries. The law, effective September 1, 2025, is named the Summer Willis Act but focuses solely on legal definitions, not new penalties or programs.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 5688: Relating to the creation of the San Benito Municipal Utility District No. 1; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes.

HB 5688 creates the San Benito Municipal Utility District No. 1 to provide water, sewer, and utility services in a defined area of San Benito County. The district is granted limited eminent domain authority to acquire land for utility projects, the power to issue bonds for infrastructure, and the ability to impose property assessments, fees, and taxes within its boundaries. This directly affects residents and businesses in the specific territory outlined in the bill, which includes areas for utility infrastructure and road improvements under Texas law. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after passing both legislative chambers and the governor's office.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 2067: Relating to declination, cancellation, or nonrenewal of insurance policies.

HB 2067 requires insurers in Texas to provide written explanations for denying insurance applications, canceling policies, or refusing to renew coverage. It mandates that insurers give these reasons to applicants or policyholders upon request and submit quarterly reports to the Texas Department of Insurance, organized by zip code. The bill also specifies that notices for commercial insurance denials must be delivered to agents, who must then share them with applicants. These requirements apply to policies regulated under specific insurance chapters and become effective January 2026. The law aims to increase transparency in insurance decisions without altering coverage terms or costs.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 458: Relating to an appraisal process for disputed losses under personal automobile or residential property insurance policies.

SB 458 requires personal auto and residential property insurance policies in Texas to include a standardized appraisal process when policyholders and insurers disagree on the amount of a loss. The law mandates that policies contain this dispute resolution mechanism, involving qualified appraisers and an umpire to determine the loss value. An appraisal award under this process is binding on both parties, except for fraud, accident, or material mistake. This applies to most standard insurers (like capital stock or mutual companies) but excludes commercial policies and Texas Windstorm Insurance Association coverage.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 119: Relating to the registration as a lobbyist of persons who engage in certain lobbying activities on behalf of a foreign adversary and to prohibitions on the receipt of compensation related to those lobbying activities; providing a civil penalty.

HB 119 requires lobbyists who communicate directly with Texas lawmakers to influence legislation on behalf of a "foreign adversary" (as defined by state law) to register with the state. It specifically prohibits receiving compensation for such lobbying activities from foreign adversaries or their designated representatives. The bill establishes civil penalties for violations, including fines for unauthorized lobbying or compensation. This law directly affects lobbyists working for foreign governments or entities designated as national security threats by U.S. authorities.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 103: Relating to the creation and maintenance of a database of taxing unit bond, tax, and bond-related project information; providing a civil penalty.

HB 103 requires Texas comptroller to create and maintain a public database containing detailed information about bonds, taxes, and related projects for all taxing units (like cities, counties, and school districts) in Texas. The database must include bond ballot language, projected tax rates, election results, project uses of funds, and comparisons between adopted and voter-approved tax rates. It also mandates specific data for school district maintenance taxes. The bill includes civil penalties for noncompliance, aiming to increase transparency around local government financial decisions.

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 896: Relating to the enrollment period for newborns under certain health benefit plans.

SB 896 extends the enrollment period for newborns under employer-sponsored health benefit plans in Texas, changing the deadline from 32 days to 61 days after birth. The bill requires health plans to provide coverage until the 61st day unless the plan receives birth notice and any required additional premium by the 60th day. It prohibits plans from excluding initial newborn coverage before day 61, coverage for congenital defects, or costs for required newborn screening tests. This applies to all health benefit plans offering maternity or accident/health coverage for newborns, directly affecting newborns, their parents, and employer health insurance providers. The law became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill results