Texas Bills

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 5674: Relating to the creation of the River Ranch 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 5674 creates the River Ranch Municipal Utility District No. 1 to provide essential utility services like water, sewer, and road maintenance within its designated area. The bill grants the district limited authority to acquire private property through eminent domain (for utility infrastructure), issue bonds to fund projects, and impose fees, assessments, and taxes on property owners within the district. Property owners in the district’s boundaries will directly pay for services through these new fees and taxes. The district must obtain prior approval from local municipalities before operating, as required by Texas law.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 4426: Relating to permits issued by the Railroad Commission of Texas for commercial surface disposal facilities.

HB 4426 sets a maximum 10-year term for permits issued by the Railroad Commission of Texas to commercial surface disposal facilities (like waste management sites). It requires renewal applications to be submitted 120 days before expiration and allows the Commission to consider an applicant's compliance history - including past inspections, reports, and rule adherence - when determining permit terms for new, amended, or renewal applications. The law applies only to permits issued, amended, or renewed on or after September 1, 2025, leaving existing permits governed by prior rules. This changes how long facilities can operate under a single permit and influences renewal decisions based on their regulatory track record.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 5081: Relating to the protection of personal identifying information of certain individuals in the judicial system; creating a criminal offense.

HB 5081 creates criminal penalties for unauthorized disclosure of specific personal information belonging to judges, court clerks, and judicial employees in Texas. The bill defines "covered information" to include home addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, school/daycare attendance details, and vehicle identifiers - excluding public property listings or standard employment data. It establishes Chapter 92 in the Government Code, making it a criminal offense to share this information without authorization. The law directly affects judicial branch staff and their families by protecting sensitive personal data from misuse. The bill became effective on September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor.

Topics ✓ Technology

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 512: Relating to prohibiting the imposition of a monetary fine or penalty for a violation of a money services business's terms of service agreement; providing a civil penalty.

SB 512 prohibits money services businesses (such as wire transfer companies) from including monetary fines or penalties in their customer terms of service agreements for violations. Businesses that violate this rule would face a civil penalty equal to three times the fine they attempted to impose, enforced by the attorney general. The law applies only to new terms of service agreements entered into after September 1, 2025, leaving existing agreements unaffected. It does not prevent businesses from closing accounts for violations but bans the use of fines as a penalty mechanism.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 4809: Relating to the authority of an owner of property that qualifies for an exemption as a historic or archeological site to protest the allocation of the appraised value of the property between the land and the improvements to the land.

HB 4809 allows owners of property qualifying for historic or archaeological site tax exemptions to protest how the appraised value is split between the land and the historic improvements (like buildings or sites). This directly affects property owners who already qualify for these exemptions but disagree with how tax assessors allocate value between the land and the historic structure. The bill amends Texas tax law to add a specific protest right for owners challenging the "allocation of appraised value between the structure or site and the land" as part of their property tax review. It does not change the exemption eligibility but gives owners a new avenue to contest valuation methods that impact their tax burden.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 5033: Relating to the authority of this state to implement a motor vehicle emissions inspection and maintenance program.

HB 5033 removes Texas' requirement for a motor vehicle emissions inspection and maintenance program. It states that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Department of Public Safety are no longer obligated to implement or enforce emissions inspections under state law. The bill only takes effect if Congress repeals or significantly amends the federal Clean Air Act, or if the U.S. Constitution is amended to grant states authority to prohibit such programs. This change directly affects vehicle owners who would previously have needed emissions inspections for registration.

Topics ✗ Environment ✗ Transportation

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 800: Relating to a public institution of higher education's sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking resources and policy orientation.

SB 800 requires Texas public universities to provide new undergraduate students (freshmen and transfer students) with a mandatory orientation session about campus policies on sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. The session must be completed before or during the first semester and include a video listing Title IX coordinators, office contact details, and available support services. This law applies to all public institutions of higher education beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 379: Relating to prohibiting the purchase of sweetened drinks and candy under the supplemental nutrition assistance program.

SB 379 prohibits SNAP (food stamp) benefits in Texas from being used to purchase energy drinks, sweetened beverages (like soda), carbonated drinks, candy, potato/corn chips, and pre-packaged cookies. It directly affects SNAP recipients who previously could buy these items with their benefits. The law includes exceptions for milk products, milk substitutes (like almond milk), unsweetened beverages, infant formula, weight-loss drinks, and health-recommended products. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 4535: Relating to COVID-19 vaccine administration requirements.

HB 4535 requires healthcare providers to obtain written informed consent before administering any COVID-19 vaccine to patients, including parental or guardian consent for minors or individuals lacking decision-making capacity. The law mandates that consent forms include acknowledgment of receiving a standardized information sheet developed by the state health department. This sheet must detail vaccine benefits/risks, accelerated development timeline, availability of long-term studies, manufacturer liability status, and instructions for reporting adverse reactions through the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). The law, effective September 1, 2025, applies directly to healthcare providers and patients receiving COVID-19 vaccinations in Texas.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · Texas · House Jun 20, 2025

HB 2674: Relating to prohibiting the regulation of home school programs.

HB 2674 prohibits the Texas Education Agency, State Board of Education, and other educational institutions from adopting rules or policies that regulate homeschool educational programs. It directly affects homeschooling families in Texas by preventing state oversight of their curriculum, teaching methods, or operational standards. The bill adds Section 1.010 to the Education Code, explicitly banning such regulations, and takes effect September 1, 2025, for the 2025-2026 school year. This is a substantive policy change that removes potential state regulatory requirements for homeschools.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 1137: Relating to group home consultant referrals; creating a criminal offense.

SB 1137 requires group home operators to obtain criminal history records for all applicants and employees, prohibiting hiring for individuals convicted of specific offenses under the Penal Code (e.g., violence, sexual offenses, or certain felonies). It creates a new criminal offense under Section 767.004 for group home consultants who refer potential residents to homes employing individuals banned under these rules. The bill directly affects group home operators, their employees, and consultants who facilitate resident placements. Violations are punishable as Class A misdemeanors, with key provisions targeting background checks and referral practices to protect vulnerable residents.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

signed · Texas · Senate Jun 20, 2025

SB 1718: Relating to the eligibility of the National Rifle Association's Annual Meetings and Exhibits or another annual event of the National Rifle Association for funding under the major events reimbursement program.

This bill amends Texas law to include the National Rifle Association's (NRA) annual meetings and exhibits as eligible events for state funding under the major events reimbursement program. Previously, the program funded events like sports championships (e.g., NCAA Final Four, NASCAR races) and music awards, but excluded NRA gatherings. The bill adds the NRA specifically to the definition of "Event" in the Government Code, expanding the list of qualifying activities. This change directly affects the NRA by allowing it to seek state reimbursement for these events starting September 1, 2025.

Bill results