Texas Bills

signed · Texas · Senate May 30, 2025

SB 687: Relating to liability for land surveying services in or in connection with certain construction or services contracts.

SB 687 modifies Texas law to void certain indemnity clauses in construction contracts. It makes unenforceable promises requiring contractors to cover damages from a land surveyor's negligence or defects in their work, and also voids promises requiring land surveyors to cover damages from an owner's negligence (except for single-family or multifamily residential projects). This bill directly affects land surveyors, architects, engineers, contractors, and property owners in construction contracts. The law aims to prevent shifting liability for professional negligence through contractual terms.

signed · Texas · Senate May 30, 2025

SB 920: Relating to the administration of nonprescription medications to certain public and private school students.

SB 920 allows Texas public and private schools to administer over-the-counter medications (like pain relievers or antihistamines) to students without requiring additional authorization from a healthcare provider. Schools must have a written request from a parent or guardian, and the medication must be in its original labeled container or a properly labeled single dose. Staff administering the medication must follow the dosage instructions printed on the container. This change applies to school employees like nurses and teachers, protecting them from liability when following these specific protocols.

signed · Texas · Senate May 30, 2025

SB 1239: Relating to choice of law and assignment or acquisition of claims and demands in connection with certificated and uncertificated securities.

SB 1239 clarifies which state law governs disputes involving certificated and uncertificated securities, particularly those issued by foreign states (as defined by 28 U.S.C. §1603). It requires that the law agreed upon by the issuer governs invalidity consequences and automatically transfers certain claims (like damages against issuers or trustees) to security purchasers without requiring separate written agreements. The bill also prohibits issuers or other parties from raising defenses based on a purchaser's intent to enforce rights through litigation. It directly affects purchasers of securities and ensures consistent application of governing law for these financial instruments. The law became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

signed · Texas · Senate May 30, 2025

SB 664: Relating to qualifications, training, removal, and supervision of certain masters, magistrates, referees, associate judges, and hearing officers.

Texas Senate Bill 664 establishes new qualification standards, training requirements, and oversight procedures for judicial officers including masters, magistrates, referees, associate judges, and hearing officers. It requires most appointees to have been licensed to practice law in Texas for at least five years (or two years for specific roles like those under Sections 54.991 and 54.1231), be residents of their appointed county, and have no history of removal or misconduct. The bill also mandates specialized training on bail procedures for officers handling bail bonds and creates a reporting system where local administrative judges must notify county commissioners courts, judicial regions, and the Office of Court Administration of violations. These changes apply directly to judicial officers in Texas county courts and aim to standardize qualifications and conduct oversight across judicial roles.

signed · Texas · Senate May 30, 2025

SB 207: Relating to excused absences from public school for certain students to attend mental health care appointments.

SB 207 allows public school students in Texas to be excused from school for mental health care appointments with licensed professionals, provided they return to school on the same day. It directly affects public school districts, requiring them to excuse these absences under Section 25.087(b)(2) of the Education Code. The key provision mandates that students must attend the appointment and return to school the same day, with no requirement for prior parental notification beyond standard health care appointment documentation. The bill applies starting the 2025-2026 school year.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

signed · Texas · Senate May 30, 2025

SB 541: Relating to cottage food production operations.

SB 541 expands Texas cottage food production rules by raising the annual income limit from $50,000 to $100,000 for home-based food businesses. It defines eligible foods to include baked goods (excluding those requiring time/temperature control), candy, jams, dried fruits, and fermented products, while excluding meats and shellfish. The bill also creates a new "cottage food vendor" category for individuals selling these products on behalf of producers. This law, effective September 1, 2025, directly affects small home-based food entrepreneurs and their vendors by broadening allowable products and increasing revenue thresholds.

signed · Texas · Senate May 30, 2025

SB 1646: Relating to criminal conduct involving the theft, damage, or destruction of copper or brass or involving the unauthorized possession of certain copper or brass material, to transactions of metal recycling entities involving certain copper or brass material, to training on identifying certain copper or brass material, and to studying the effect of certain regulations on incidents of theft of copper or brass material; creating criminal offenses; increasing criminal penalties; providing an administrative penalty.

SB 1646 creates new criminal offenses for stealing, damaging, or destroying copper or brass from critical infrastructure sites, such as power plants, water treatment facilities, and oil pipelines. It increases penalties for these crimes and requires metal recyclers to verify the legal origin of copper or brass they purchase. The law also mandates training for recyclers to identify stolen materials and defines "critical infrastructure" to include facilities like electrical substations, refineries, and wastewater plants. These changes directly affect thieves targeting infrastructure, metal recyclers, and property owners at protected sites. The bill became law on May 30, 2025, after passing both chambers and receiving the governor's signature.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

signed · Texas · Senate May 30, 2025

SB 529: Relating to the entitlement of certain municipalities to receive and use tax revenue from certain establishments located near a hotel and convention center project.

SB 529 amends Texas tax law to expand which cities can receive tax revenue from businesses near a specific hotel and convention center project. It directly affects large municipalities (with 130,000+ residents) that qualify under existing provisions. The key change adds a new provision allowing these cities to collect tax revenue generated by certain establishments (like hotels or restaurants) located near the project site. This modifies the existing tax entitlement rules to include these larger cities without changing the project's location or scope. The bill takes effect immediately upon the governor's signature.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

signed · Texas · Senate May 30, 2025

SB 927: Relating to the issuance of Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal specialty license plates.

SB 927 creates specialty Texas license plates for recipients of the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. The bill requires the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to issue plates featuring the medal's emblem and the phrase "Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal" at the bottom. These plates will be available to veterans who earned the medal, providing a visible way to recognize their service. The law takes effect on September 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Veterans

signed · Texas · Senate May 30, 2025

SB 1332: Relating to a group health benefit plan policy or contract holder's obligation to pay premiums on behalf of an individual after the individual's eligibility for group coverage terminates.

This bill modifies Texas insurance law to clarify when group health plan sponsors (like employers) must pay premiums after an employee loses coverage. Specifically, if an employer notifies the health insurer about an employee's coverage termination after the end of the month their eligibility ended, the insurer may waive the employer's obligation to pay for future premiums. This waiver applies only if no covered health services were provided to the employee after their coverage ended. The law directly affects employers managing group health plans and insurers handling premium billing.

signed · Texas · Senate May 30, 2025

SB 2124: Relating to publication of the Texas Groundwater Protection Committee's annual report.

Texas Senate Bill 2124 requires the Texas Groundwater Protection Committee and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to jointly publish an annual groundwater monitoring and contamination report by June 1 each year. The report must detail current groundwater monitoring programs, document all contamination cases from the previous year (including unresolved cases), and track enforcement actions for each case. This law, effective September 1, 2025, directly affects the committee and commission by mandating transparency about groundwater protection efforts. It applies to all agencies conducting groundwater monitoring at regulated facilities or activities.

Topics ✓ Environment

signed · Texas · Senate May 30, 2025

SB 402: Relating to the payment of certain ad valorem tax refunds.

SB 402 allows Texas property owners to request that their ad valorem (property) tax refunds be mailed to a different address than the one listed on the appraisal roll. Property owners must submit a written request using a form provided by the comptroller before the refund is issued, and the tax collector must then send the refund to the requested address. The bill requires the form to include a warning about penalties for false statements under Texas law. This change applies only to requests filed on or after September 1, 2025, with older requests following prior rules.

Bill results