HB 1573 would require all Texas public school districts to create and post online a policy setting specific square footage limits for custodians' workloads, categorized by elementary, middle, and high school campuses. This policy would establish measurable benchmarks for how much area each custodian can be responsible for during an eight-hour shift, covering maintenance and cleaning duties. The bill, which failed to pass in the 2025 legislative session, would have applied to the 2025-2026 school year if enacted. It directly affects school district boards of trustees and custodial staff by mandating standardized workload requirements.
HB 336 allows sheriffs and constables in Texas counties with 1 million+ residents to directly contract with property owners' associations or subdivision owners to provide law enforcement services in specific areas. The bill authorizes sheriffs to serve areas managed by associations or owned by subdivisions, and constables to serve their precincts under similar terms, without requiring commissioners court approval for the contracts. It also prohibits counties from transferring funds allocated to sheriff or constable offices into general county revenue. This bill applies exclusively to large counties and changes how local law enforcement services can be contracted outside traditional county oversight.
HB 5603 requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to publicly post specific details of service contracts on its website, including contract numbers, amounts, dates, scope of work, and geographic coverage. It mandates that TxDOT update this information weekly and provide written notice to contractors at least 90 days before altering project schedules or deliverables. The bill directly affects TxDOT, contractors awarded service contracts, and the public seeking transparency about transportation projects. Key provisions include standardized disclosure of contract terms and a formal notification process for schedule changes, aiming to improve accountability in TxDOT's contracting practices.
HB 4876 changes rules for condo purchase deposits held in escrow. It allows developers (declarants) to withdraw escrow funds for actual construction costs once building begins, provided they secure a bond or insurance policy. This bond must cover the full deposit amount and be payable directly to the buyer if the developer fails to return funds per the purchase agreement. The bill ensures buyers are protected by requiring the bond to match the deposit value, while restricting funds to construction costs only. It applies directly to condo buyers and developers in Texas.
HB 2496 requires Texas courts to specifically find that family violence occurred within the two years before a protective order application is filed. It creates a legal presumption that family violence happened if the respondent was convicted of certain family violence-related offenses (like those involving a child) or had parental rights terminated during that period. The bill also allows courts to issue protective orders lasting longer than two years if the respondent committed a felony involving family violence, caused serious injury, or has a history of multiple protective orders. This directly affects victims of family violence, their children, and courts handling these cases by standardizing the findings needed for protective orders under Texas Family Code.
HB 2288 allows respondents in family violence protective order cases to argue that future violence is "not likely to occur" as an affirmative defense. If a court finds family violence occurred, it must issue a protective order against the perpetrator unless the respondent proves this defense by a preponderance of evidence. The bill directly affects individuals accused of family violence who seek to challenge protective orders. Key provisions require courts to issue orders under Section 85.022 unless the defense succeeds, and apply only to applications filed on or after September 1, 2025. The law does not change the standard for finding past violence but adds a new defense mechanism for respondents.
HB 4950 requires owners of aeronautics structures taller than 200 feet (such as communication towers or tall buildings) to comply with all applicable federal laws and regulations. This bill directly affects developers, operators, and owners of such structures by mandating adherence to federal standards. The key provision amends Texas law to explicitly require this federal compliance for structures exceeding the 200-foot height threshold.
SB 2056 regulates fees charged in credit card transactions for large financial institutions in Texas. It prohibits credit card issuers with over $85 billion in assets from fixing swipe fees (which include interchange and assessment fees) with other issuers or networks, and requires them to disclose these fees clearly on cardholders' monthly statements. Payment card networks are also barred from fixing fees, penalizing merchants who offer discounts for cash/debit payments, or charging disputed transaction fees without written notice. The bill directly affects major credit card companies and payment networks, while requiring transparency for cardholders and merchants regarding transaction fees.
HB 447 requires municipal utility districts in Texas to conduct traffic impact studies before issuing bonds for road projects. Specifically, districts must obtain studies evaluating potential traffic changes at intersections within the district or within one mile of its boundaries, or at roads serving residential developments in the district. The law applies only to bonds issued on or after September 1, 2025, and does not affect bonds issued before that date. This policy change directly affects local districts planning road infrastructure funded through bond sales.
HB 2486 requires Texas law enforcement agencies to maintain confidential "department files" for employees who hold agency licenses. These files must include documents related to alleged misconduct (even if evidence was insufficient to prove it), separate from standard personnel records. Agencies cannot share these files with other entities except when hiring a license holder or responding to a commission investigation. The bill makes these files confidential, barring disclosure under public information laws, and takes effect September 1, 2025.
HB 2587 requires Texas hospitals to report costs of providing care to patients without legal immigration status. Hospitals must ask about immigration status during intake (without affecting care) and submit quarterly data on costs and financial impact to a state agency. The agency then compiles an annual report for lawmakers by November 1, detailing total costs and how these expenses affected hospitals. This applies to all Texas hospitals serving patients who were not lawfully present at the time of care, focusing on transparency about uncompensated care expenses.
HB 2404 allows specific Texas counties bordering Oklahoma and split by U.S. Highway 62 to impose a hotel occupancy tax under existing state law. It directly affects hotels in those counties and local governments in municipalities that already tax hotels under Chapter 351 of the Tax Code. The bill adds a new provision permitting these counties to levy the tax, while explicitly exempting hotels located in municipalities with their own applicable hotel tax. The law would take effect immediately if approved by a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers, otherwise on September 1, 2025.
