Relating to the award of attorney's fees in an action involving the exercise of certain constitutional rights.

SB 1516 amends Texas law to require courts to automatically award attorney’s fees and costs to the winning party when a lawsuit involving constitutional rights is dismissed under this chapter. It directly affects plaintiffs who file such lawsuits and defendants who successfully defend against them. The bill mandates that courts award fees for defending the case and allows judges to impose additional sanctions on plaintiffs who repeatedly file similar lawsuits. This change applies only to cases filed on or after September 1, 2025, and does not affect cases filed before that date. The law aims to deter frivolous lawsuits challenging constitutional rights by making plaintiffs financially responsible for legal costs when their claims are dismissed.