Texas Bills

in committee · Texas · Senate Apr 16, 2025

SB 1031: Relating to eligibility for and benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program.

SB 1031 establishes a 12-month standard eligibility period for Texas SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) recipients, requiring households to renew benefits annually instead of more frequently. It creates a monthly quality control review process to verify recipient eligibility and benefit accuracy using electronic data. Exceptions to the 12-month rule include elderly/disabled households, young adults without dependents, and individuals with anticipated income changes within six months. The bill applies directly to SNAP participants in Texas, aiming to streamline program administration while maintaining oversight.

in committee · Texas · House Apr 16, 2025

HB 3953: Relating to a study by the broadband development office on Internet service for multiunit residential properties.

HB 3953 directs Texas' Broadband Development Office to study broadband access for apartment buildings and similar multiunit properties (75+ dwelling units, excluding hotels or single-family homes). The study must examine infrastructure gaps, compare provider availability and internet speeds between multiunit properties and single-family homes in urban areas, assess costs, evaluate exclusive contracts between property owners and providers, and analyze how regulations affect service deployment. It will also investigate differences in low-income versus higher-income neighborhoods and report findings to the legislature by December 2026. This is a data-gathering measure with no immediate policy changes, focusing solely on understanding current broadband access challenges for apartment residents.

Topics ✓ Technology

in committee · Texas · Senate Apr 16, 2025

SB 3013: Relating to the contents and filing of personal financial statements with the Texas Ethics Commission and the removal of certain information in certain statements from public view.

SB 3013 modifies Texas financial disclosure rules by requiring the Texas Ethics Commission to remove home addresses from public financial statements before releasing them. It directly affects state officers, candidates for office, state party chairs, judges, and members of the Texas Civil Commitment Office governing board. The bill adds a new requirement that trustees of blind trusts must sign a sworn statement confirming they haven't improperly disclosed trust details and that the trust complies with the law. This change takes effect September 1, 2025, and aims to protect the privacy of specific public officials' home addresses while maintaining transparency around financial disclosures.

Topics ✓ Technology

in committee · Texas · Senate Apr 16, 2025

SB 3014: Relating to the regulation of technical and clerical errors contained in registrations and reports filed with the Texas Ethics Commission and the commission's authority regarding the imposition of certain penalties.

SB 3014 modifies Texas Ethics Commission rules to allow filers to correct obvious typographical errors in registrations or reports without penalty. The bill requires the Commission to adopt rules specifying which errors qualify as technical/clerical (like typos) and the process for correction, such as filing an amended document. It also clarifies that the Commission cannot impose fines for these simple errors and adjusts penalty structures for late filings (e.g., a $500 base penalty for late statements, with potential increases for delays over 30 days). This directly affects individuals and entities required to file financial disclosures with the Commission under Texas law.

in committee · Texas · Senate Apr 16, 2025

SB 795: Relating to creation of the gulf coast protection account to be administered by the General Land Office.

SB 795 creates a dedicated "Gulf Coast Protection Account" within the state's general revenue fund, administered by the Texas General Land Office. The account is funded by gifts, donations, grants, and legislative appropriations. Money from the account can only be used for specific coastal protection projects, including fulfilling federal obligations under the 2021 Coastal Texas Protection Study, complying with local cooperation agreements, and funding projects that protect the Gulf Coast or are designated as Coastal Storm Risk Management Projects. All expenditures are subject to state audit to ensure compliance with the bill's requirements.

Topics ✓ Environment

in committee · Texas · Senate Apr 16, 2025

SB 696: Relating to limitations on the information reported by consumer reporting agencies.

SB 696 limits the information consumer reporting agencies (like credit bureaus) can include in credit reports. It prohibits reporting most bankruptcy history older than 10 years, civil judgments or lawsuits older than 7 years, tax liens paid over 7 years ago, criminal records (arrests, convictions, or charges without conviction) older than 7 years, and certain medical debt related to out-of-network care. The bill directly affects consumers by removing older negative information from their credit reports, potentially improving their credit scores. It takes effect immediately if approved by a two-thirds vote or on September 1, 2025, if not.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare ✓ Technology

in committee · Texas · House Apr 16, 2025

HB 2287: Relating to liability of judges and magistrates for the improper release on personal bond of defendants accused of committing certain felony offenses.

HB 2287 allows victims (or their estates) of violent felony offenses committed by defendants released on personal bond to sue the judge or magistrate who approved that release. It applies only when the release violated specific bond rules for violent crimes (defined under Texas law), and the lawsuit must prove the release was improper under those rules. The bill caps damages at $10 million and explicitly states judges cannot use judicial immunity as a defense. This law would take effect September 1, 2025, for releases occurring after that date.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Texas · Senate Apr 16, 2025

SB 695: Relating to requiring consumer reporting agencies to notify a consumer when inaccurate information in the consumer's file is corrected.

SB 695 requires credit bureaus (consumer reporting agencies) to notify consumers via email when inaccurate information in their credit file is corrected, if the consumer provides an email address. This directly affects consumers who dispute errors on their credit reports. The bill mandates that bureaus send a secure link to a free corrected credit report within 30 business days of the correction. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, applying only to corrections made on or after that date.

Topics ✓ Technology

in committee · Texas · House Apr 16, 2025

HB 4055: Relating to excepting certain fiber-optic cable projects from certain notice requirements for projects on state or local public land.

HB 4055 exempts certain fiber-optic cable projects from notice requirements when installed in the right-of-way of existing roads on state or local public land. The bill adds this specific activity to a list of "categorical exclusions" under Texas law, meaning companies installing or maintaining buried fiber-optic cables in established road corridors no longer need to provide archaeological notice. This directly affects fiber-optic cable providers and local land managers by streamlining project approvals. The exemption applies only to projects within existing road rights-of-way, not new construction on public land. The change removes a procedural hurdle for utility infrastructure work while maintaining other archaeological protections.

Topics ✓ Technology

in committee · Texas · House Apr 16, 2025

HB 3021: Relating to the use of a consumer's credit score in the underwriting or rating of certain personal lines property and casualty insurance policies.

This bill requires Texas insurers to use credit reports no older than 90 days when setting rates for personal property and casualty insurance (like home or auto policies). Insurers must update credit data every 36 months, notify policyholders of any premium changes tied to credit score updates, and allow annual re-evaluations upon request. Consumers can opt out of credit score updates or request a rate review, with exceptions for policies not using credit scoring. The rules apply to policies delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.

in committee · Texas · Senate Apr 16, 2025

SB 585: Relating to the reporting of certain criminal history record information on a consumer report.

SB 585 limits how long certain criminal history can appear in background checks used for employment, housing, or other consumer purposes. It prohibits consumer reporting agencies from including arrest, conviction, or disposition records older than seven years (except for serious crimes), with similar time limits for bankruptcy, civil judgments, and tax liens. This directly affects job applicants, renters, and others whose background checks might previously have included outdated records. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, applying only to reports furnished after that date.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Housing ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Technology

in committee · Texas · Senate Apr 16, 2025

SB 728: Relating to an incentive program to promote beverage container recycling.

SB 728 establishes a refund program to encourage recycling of beverage containers in Texas. It creates a "Texas Beverage Container Recycling Consortium" to manage the program, requiring redemption centers to pay consumers at least the container's refund value when they return eligible containers. The bill defines eligible containers as glass, metal, or plastic vessels holding drinks (excluding large containers, dairy, infant formula, and medical foods), and specifies that consumers - such as retail shoppers or establishments - can receive refunds at these centers. The program aims to increase recycling rates through financial incentives, with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality overseeing implementation.

Topics ✓ Environment

Bill results