HB 3233 requires pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to store and process patient data for Texas residents only within the United States or its territories, prohibiting offshore data handling. This law directly affects PBMs contracted with Texas health plans or providers serving state residents. The key provision mandates that all patient data maintained by PBMs must remain physically or digitally within U.S. borders, with no exceptions for existing contracts. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, applying only to new or renewed contracts after that date.
HB 4804 automatically revokes a person's driver's license or personal identification certificate if they are subject to sex offender or terrorist registration under Texas law (Chapters 62/65 of the Criminal Procedure Code) and fail to apply for renewal as required. The bill affects individuals under these registration requirements who do not complete the renewal process. Key provisions include amending Transportation Code sections to mandate this automatic revocation and repealing two existing sections (521.297(b) and 522.087(b)). The law takes effect September 1, 2025.
HB 5560 increases maximum daily fines for violations of groundwater conservation district rules from $10,000 to $25,000 per violation. It requires courts to consider specific factors when setting penalties, including environmental harm, the violator's history, and whether they gained economic benefits from the violation. The bill also allows courts to impose fines exceeding $25,000 if a violator's economic gain from the violation was greater than the standard penalty. This directly affects groundwater conservation districts, individuals or entities violating district rules, and courts handling enforcement cases under Texas Water Code Section 36.102.
SB 502 adds a new category to Texas law defining who qualifies as a peace officer: employees commissioned by the Health and Human Services Commission’s office of inspector general. This change grants these specific HHS inspectors authority to perform standard peace officer duties, such as making arrests, within their scope of work. The bill also requires these officers to be paid according to Schedule C of the state’s position classification salary schedule. Additionally, it updates the definition of "state employee" to include these HHS inspector general officers.
HB 2014 establishes new election rules for the Somervell County Hospital District board. It requires seven elected directors serving staggered four-year terms, with elections held every May. The bill specifies that the 2026 election will use a lottery to assign two directors to two-year terms and three to three-year terms, while the 2027 election will follow standard four-year terms for all directors. This legislation directly affects how Somervell County residents elect their hospital district board members.
HB 3788 modifies rules for municipal hospital authorities in Texas. It requires that city councils cannot shorten the terms of current directors when reducing the board size, and limits how often the method for selecting directors or their terms can be changed. The bill also allows authorities without a hospital to use assets for public health initiatives like free clinics, medical training facilities, or financial aid to nonprofit health providers. These changes directly affect municipal hospital authorities and their governing city councils.
SB 1939 reorganizes the Ship Channel Improvement Revolving Fund, designating it as a separate account within the state highway fund managed by the Texas Department of Transportation commission. The bill ensures that interest earned on this fund is not reallocated to general state revenue, preserving dedicated funding for port infrastructure projects. It requires transferring any existing unencumbered balances from the previous fund structure to this new account. This change directly affects Texas port maintenance and infrastructure development, ensuring consistent funding for the Houston Ship Channel improvements.
SB 1723 establishes a pilot program allowing Texas law enforcement agencies to use rapid DNA analysis on samples collected during arrests, producing results in under 2 hours for comparison in the national DNA database. The Texas Department of Public Safety must update technology by September 2025 and launch the program in two counties by September 2026, with potential expansion. Law enforcement agencies participating in the pilot will use this faster process to collect and analyze DNA from arrestees, improving efficiency in matching evidence. The program requires a legislative report by January 2028 and expires September 2028.
HB 2559 modifies Texas local government law to regulate how cities can impose temporary pauses on property development. It requires municipalities to hold two public hearings (with at least 30 days between them) before finalizing a moratorium, and creates a 5-business-day temporary moratorium starting after notice publication. The bill mandates a 90-day expiration for all moratoriums unless extended through a new hearing, and requires a 3/4 vote of the city council for final adoption. This directly affects cities seeking to halt development projects and property owners or developers whose permits may be delayed. The law became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.
SB 11 would allow Texas public school districts or charter schools (not affiliated with religious organizations) to adopt a policy requiring daily voluntary prayer and Bible/religious text reading periods on school campuses. To participate, students or employees must provide written consent from a parent/guardian or the employee themselves, acknowledging the choice to participate and waiving legal claims related to the policy. The bill prohibits mandatory participation, using public address systems for these activities, or substituting this time for instruction, and requires physical separation for those who opt out. School districts must also follow specific guidelines to accommodate non-participants, and the Texas Attorney General would provide legal guidance and defend districts in related lawsuits.
SB 2835 permits Texas municipalities to allow apartment buildings with a single stairway, provided they meet strict safety requirements. Buildings must not exceed six stories, have no more than four units per floor, include sprinklers in stairways, feature fireproof walls (two-hour rating for stairway enclosures, one-hour for corridors), and limit exit travel distance to 20 feet from units and 125 feet total. This directly affects new apartment developers and local building codes by setting specific design standards for fire safety. The law gives cities flexibility to adopt these rules while maintaining critical fire egress requirements.
HB 3425 amends Texas Penal Code to create a new criminal offense for unlawfully disclosing a public servant’s residence address or phone number online with intent to cause harm. It directly affects public servants (and their families/households) whose contact information is posted online in retaliation for their service. Key provisions require disclosure to be removed within 48 hours of a safety demand, and prohibit reposting for four years - even if the person is no longer a public servant. The bill establishes that failure to remove or reposting within these timeframes creates legal presumption of harmful intent. It became law on June 20, 2025, and takes effect September 1, 2025.
