Texas Bills

passed · Texas · Senate May 26, 2025

SB 1013: Relating to the right-of-way of pedestrians and other sidewalk users.

SB 1013 amends Texas law to clarify the legal definition of a "crosswalk" in the Transportation Code. It specifies that crosswalks include unmarked intersections (where sidewalks connect across roads), portions of driveways between interrupted sidewalks, and marked pedestrian crossings. This directly affects pedestrians, drivers, and local governments responsible for sidewalk and road design by establishing clear, enforceable boundaries for pedestrian right-of-way. The change aims to improve pedestrian safety and legal clarity in situations where crosswalks aren't painted. The bill takes effect immediately if passed with a two-thirds vote or September 1, 2025, otherwise.

Topics ✓ Transportation

passed · Texas · Senate May 26, 2025

SB 2322: Relating to the findings required to be made by the comptroller of public accounts in order to recommend for approval an application for a limitation on the taxable value of eligible property for school district maintenance and operations ad valorem tax purposes under the Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation Act.

SB 2322 amends Texas law to clarify the specific findings the comptroller of public accounts must make before recommending approval of tax limitation applications under the Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation Act. It requires the comptroller to confirm: (1) the project is eligible, (2) it will generate sufficient state/local tax revenue to offset school district losses, (3) the agreement is a "compelling factor" for the project's location in Texas (meaning the company would not invest here without it), and (4) projects in qualified opportunity zones are actually located there. This directly affects school districts that may lose ad valorem tax revenue if projects receive approved tax limitations. The bill establishes clear, measurable criteria for the comptroller to apply, ensuring tax abatements are justified by economic benefits to the state.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

passed · Texas · Senate May 26, 2025

SB 626: Relating to inservice training on identifying abuse, neglect, and illegal, unprofessional, and unethical conduct in certain health care facilities.

SB 626 requires inpatient mental health facilities, treatment facilities, and hospitals providing comprehensive medical rehabilitation services to provide annual inservice training for employees. New staff must complete at least eight hours of training focused on identifying patient abuse, neglect, and illegal, unprofessional, or unethical conduct, while continuing staff must complete three hours annually. The bill amends the Health and Safety Code to establish these specific training requirements, which take effect September 1, 2025. Existing training rules before this date remain in place under prior law.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed · Texas · Senate May 26, 2025

SB 1098: Relating to the disclosure by a pharmacy to a patient of certain price information for a drug or biological product.

SB 1098 requires Texas pharmacies to disclose the lowest cash price for a prescribed drug or biological product to patients. If the cash price is lower than the patient's insurance copayment, pharmacists must offer the option to pay the lower cash price instead of the copayment amount. This directly affects patients filling prescriptions, particularly those with insurance plans where copayments exceed cash prices. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, aiming to increase prescription price transparency and give patients cost-saving options.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed · Texas · Senate May 26, 2025

SB 735: Relating to Holocaust education and training for public school educators and students.

Texas Senate Bill 735 requires public school districts and charter schools to report annually on Holocaust Remembrance Week instruction, including lesson materials and activities, by June 1 each year. It creates a grant program to fund school districts and Holocaust museums for developing age-appropriate lesson plans, student field trips, educator training, and bilingual curricula. The bill also mandates regional education centers to collaborate with Holocaust museums for educator training and establishes a four-year pilot program at colleges to train future educators in Holocaust history and remembrance. These provisions directly affect public school students, educators, school districts, and Holocaust museums across Texas.

Topics ✓ Education

passed · Texas · Senate May 26, 2025

SB 1730: Relating to civil liability arising out of justified uses of or threats to use force or deadly force.

SB 1730 prevents civil lawsuits seeking damages for injuries or death resulting from the use of force or deadly force if the defendant was not criminally charged, had charges dismissed, or was acquitted in a criminal case. The bill requires claimants whose lawsuits are blocked under this law to pay the defendant’s court costs and reasonable attorney fees. It applies only to new cases filed on or after September 1, 2025, and does not affect cases that accrued before that date. This bill directly impacts individuals seeking compensation from police or others who used force in situations where criminal proceedings did not result in charges.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

passed · Texas · Senate May 26, 2025

SB 993: Relating to the authority of a peace officer commissioned by the comptroller to apply for an order authorizing the installation and use of a mobile tracking device.

SB 993 amends Texas law to allow peace officers commissioned by the comptroller (such as those working for tax or revenue enforcement) to apply for court orders authorizing mobile tracking devices on vehicles. The bill directly affects these specific comptroller-commissioned officers by expanding their eligibility to seek such orders, which previously only applied to "authorized peace officers." Key provisions add this group to the list of applicants under Article 18B.202(a) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, requiring the same judicial review process as other officers. The bill makes a specific procedural change to the application process without altering the requirements for obtaining a tracking device order.

passed · Texas · Senate May 26, 2025

SB 673: Relating to municipal and county regulation of accessory dwelling units; authorizing a fee.

SB 673 prevents Texas cities and counties from banning or restricting accessory dwelling units (ADUs) - secondary housing units on single-family lots - from being built, leased, or converted. It blocks local rules requiring parking for small lots, minimum lot sizes, or most fees (like impact fees), but allows standard building code requirements and height/setback limits. Local governments can still set design rules for ADUs, such as maximum size or setbacks, and may charge fees only if the unit requires new infrastructure like water connections. This bill directly affects homeowners seeking to add ADUs and local governments managing zoning regulations.

Topics ✓ Housing

passed · Texas · Senate May 26, 2025

SB 2540: Relating to the terms of certain agreements involving minor boundary adjustments between two contiguous school districts.

SB 2540 amends Texas Education Code Section 13.231 to require school districts making minor boundary adjustments to include specific written terms in their agreements. It mandates that agreements executed on or after January 1, 2025, clearly state any ongoing restrictions, covenants, or contracts affecting property after the boundary change, along with each district's rights and responsibilities regarding those terms. This directly affects school districts that adjust shared boundaries with neighboring districts. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and applies retroactively to agreements made before the law's effective date but after January 1, 2025.

passed · Texas · Senate May 26, 2025

SB 1370: Relating to the establishment of the office of medical examiner in certain counties.

Texas Senate Bill 1370 requires counties with a population exceeding 2.5 million (based on the latest federal census) to establish and maintain a medical examiner office. Counties with fewer than 1 million residents may choose to create such an office. The bill also allows two or more counties (regardless of size) to form a joint medical examiner district covering their entire contiguous areas. This law takes effect on September 1, 2025, directly impacting county governments in Texas.

passed · Texas · Senate May 26, 2025

SB 1986: Relating to warning labels for opioid prescription drugs.

SB 1986 requires pharmacists to affix a specific warning label on all opioid prescription containers. The label must state: "CAUTION: Opioid. Risk of Addiction, Respiratory Depression, and Overdose." This applies to prescriptions dispensed on or after March 1, 2026, affecting pharmacists who dispense opioids and patients receiving these medications. The Texas State Board of Pharmacy must adopt implementing rules by January 1, 2026. The bill does not change prescribing practices but mandates this standardized patient warning.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed · Texas · Senate May 26, 2025

SB 2782: Relating to discovery requirements related to sworn complaints made to the Texas Ethics Commission.

SB 2782 requires the Texas Ethics Commission to establish a "discovery control plan" for handling sworn complaints filed with the commission. This plan must be approved by the commission before evidence exchange begins, set clear deadlines for discovery completion, and follow Texas civil procedure rules while allowing the commission to adjust discovery levels based on the complaint's violation type. The bill directly affects the Ethics Commission, complainants, and respondents by standardizing how evidence is managed in these cases. It mandates that the commission must propose settlement or dismiss a complaint by a specific deadline after discovery concludes, effective September 1, 2025.

Bill results