SB 1999 Texas Senate · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to protection for a public employee's or student's use of terms consistent with biological sex.

SB 1999 prohibits school districts, charter schools, colleges, and government employers from disciplining, retaliating against, or discriminating against employees or students who use terms consistent with a person's biological sex when addressing them. It applies to K-12 staff and students (Section 22.905), higher education staff and students (Section 51.9316), and public employees addressing colleagues or the public (Section 3001.001). The law specifically protects using terms matching a person’s sex assigned at birth, without requiring anyone to use such terms. The bill takes effect immediately if passed by two-thirds vote, or September 1, 2025, otherwise.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

Senate Passage

May 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 6, 2025 Last action May 23, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Engrossed · 6 edits · May 8, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was reformatted from an introduced draft to an engrossed version, with substantive text changes including updated section numbers, corrected chapter references, and expanded language clarifying that protections do not authorize harassment. The core policy content regarding protection for use of terms consistent with biological sex remains substantively similar but with improved legal structure.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded from only school districts and open-enrollment charter schools in Section 1 to include institutions of higher education in Section 2, and public employers in Section 3. Section 3 was also corrected from Government Code Chapter 3001 to Chapter 621.

TECHNICAL

Bill header and formatting were updated from introduced draft to engrossed version format with proper bill number and sponsor information.

Section 4 was corrected to reference Subtitle A, Title 6, Government Code instead of Subtitle Z, Title 10.

DEFINITION

Section 1 was corrected to reference Subchapter Z, Chapter 22 of Education Code instead of Subchapter Z, Chapter 51.

SCOPE

Section 2 was added to extend protections to institutions of higher education under Section 51.991 of the Education Code.

REQUIREMENT

Section 3 was corrected to reference Subtitle A, Title 6, Government Code Chapter 621 instead of Chapter 3001, and added explicit language stating protections do not authorize harassment violations.

Explicit language was added in all sections clarifying that protections may not be construed to authorize conduct constituting harassment under Section 42.07, Penal Code.

Floor votes · Senate May 7, 2025

How they voted

20–10

Passed

Total votes 30

May 7, 2025

D Democratic10

10 Nay

100% Nay

R Republican20

20 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report sent to Calendars

lower

May 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report distributed

lower

May 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)

lower

May 12, 2025

Committee

Referred to State Affairs

lower

May 12, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

lower

May 9, 2025

Introduced

Received from the Senate

lower

May 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed

upper

May 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed to engrossment

upper

May 7, 2025

Amended

Amendment fails of adoption

upper

May 7, 2025

Introduced

Amendment(s) offered

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee report printed and distributed

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably as substituted

upper

Apr 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

Vote taken in committee

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Left pending in committee

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Testimony taken in committee

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Committee

Referred to State Affairs

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

upper

2 primary · 4 co-sponsors