SB 2407 updates governance rules for the Lower Neches Valley Authority (LNVA), a local water management district in Texas. It specifies grounds for removing a board member, including failing to meet qualifications, violating ethics laws, being unable to perform duties due to illness, or missing over half of scheduled meetings without board approval. The bill also requires new board members to complete mandatory training before voting or attending meetings. These changes apply directly to LNVA board members and ensure clearer separation of policy and management roles. The bill, effective September 1, 2025, follows Sunset Commission recommendations to strengthen oversight of the authority.
HB 4099 changes Texas law to allow physical therapists to treat patients without a referral for up to 10 consecutive business days, reducing the previous 30-day limit. After this initial period, therapists must obtain a referral from a licensed practitioner to continue treatment. The bill directly affects physical therapists and their patients by modifying practice requirements. It repeals an existing subsection and requires the Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners to adopt implementing rules by December 1, 2025, with the law taking effect September 1, 2025.
SB 3039 requires Texas public universities to annually report on transfer credit issues to the state legislature and education board. The bill mandates institutions to detail courses where transfer students (especially those who declared a major) don’t receive credit, identify barriers to transfer pathways, and describe actions taken through agreements with community colleges. These actions include faculty collaboration, student advising, financial aid, and aligning degree programs. The goal is to increase transparency about why credit transfers fail and improve support for students moving between public higher education institutions.
HB 677 restricts county elections administrators in Texas from holding certain political positions. It prohibits them from being candidates for public office, holding public office, serving in a political party office, or holding positions appointed by elected officials. If an administrator violates this rule, they must immediately resign their election administration role. The law applies to new appointments after September 1, 2025, while current administrators serving before that date are exempt under the previous law. This bill directly affects county elections administrators by limiting their political involvement to maintain election integrity.
SB 2368 requires electricity market participants in Texas to report purchases of critical grid equipment from specified foreign entities and attest that such purchases won’t grant foreign access to grid infrastructure (except for warranty/support). It directly affects utilities, power companies, and other entities operating in Texas’ electricity market. Key provisions include mandatory reporting to the independent grid operator (ERCOT), new attestation requirements, and increased administrative penalties for violations - raising fines to $1 million per violation. The bill amends Texas Utilities Code sections 39.360 and 15.023 to implement these requirements, effective September 1, 2025.
HB 5698 updates the legal name of the Southeast Regional Management District to "Harris-Montgomery Counties Management District" and modifies how its board directors are appointed. The bill changes the process so that the current board recommends candidates to the Harris County Commissioners Court instead of petitioning the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for appointments. This is a procedural bill affecting the district's administrative structure, not a new policy. It became effective immediately upon the governor's filing on June 20, 2025. The bill primarily ensures the district's name and governance align with its geographic scope.
HB 5699 allows Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 405 (MUD 405) to exclude specific undeveloped properties from the district through written contracts with property owners. Once excluded, the property no longer receives district services but remains liable for its proportionate share of the district’s existing debt and debt service taxes until fully paid. The bill requires the district to record exclusion orders in Harris County property records and confirms that excluded property owners must pay their share of debt through annual taxes until the obligation is settled. This legislation validates MUD 405’s prior actions and establishes clear terms for territory exclusion without altering the district’s overall governance or service obligations.
SB 740 allows Texas water and sewer utilities to use new rate structures called "system improvement charges" to recover infrastructure investment costs more efficiently. It requires the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) to approve these charges and sets rules for applications, including documentation like receipts and invoices to verify costs. Utilities must file periodic updates with the PUC to adjust base rates based on these charges. The bill directly affects water and sewer utilities in Texas by changing how they can recover infrastructure costs through PUC-approved rate mechanisms, effective September 1, 2025.
HB 742 requires first responders, including firefighters and emergency medical personnel (but excluding volunteers and law enforcement officers), to complete approved human trafficking prevention training on identifying, assisting, and reporting victims. It mandates hospitals to display a specific 11x17 inch sign in emergency departments with human trafficking information, using a 16-point font as defined by the attorney general. The bill also provides legal protection for health care employees who report suspected trafficking incidents. The Health and Human Services Commission must approve training courses (including at least one free option) and maintain an online list of approved courses.
HB 2358 repeals specific training requirements for long-term care facility surveyors, personnel, providers, and ICF-IID program providers under Texas law. It removes Sections 247.066(h), 533A.066, and 22.039(b-1) and (b-2) from the Health and Safety Code and Human Resources Code. This bill directly affects staff and facilities regulated by the Health and Human Services Commission that previously had mandated training obligations. The repeal took effect immediately upon the Governor's signature on June 20, 2025, eliminating these specific training mandates.
SB 995 requires contractors operating oversize or overweight vehicles on Texas roads to secure a financial guarantee (surety bond) approved by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The bond must cover costs for highway maintenance and repairs caused by the vehicle's use, with the amount determined by TxDOT. This applies to all new contracts authorizing such vehicle crossings starting June 20, 2025, directly affecting commercial trucking companies and contractors transporting large equipment.
SB 916 strengthens consumer protections for patients receiving emergency medical services in Texas by targeting billing misconduct. It allows the state health department to revoke, suspend, or refuse to renew an emergency medical services (EMS) provider’s license if they intentionally submit incorrect billing information or repeatedly violate specific insurance billing laws. The bill also establishes limits on how much providers can adjust their billing rates annually - capping increases at either the Medicare Ambulance Inflation Factor or 10% of prior rates, whichever is lower. These provisions apply directly to EMS providers and take effect September 1, 2025, with most rate-related sections expiring in 2027.
