Texas Bills

in committee · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 4984: Relating to certain deadlines and other timing factors affecting mechanic's, contractor's, or materialman's liens.

HB 4984 amends Texas Property Code to adjust deadlines and clarify timing for construction liens held by contractors, mechanics, and suppliers. It extends deadlines for filing notices or taking action to the next business day if they fall on a weekend or legal holiday. The bill also specifies that the date a lien is recorded determines its priority over other liens and that the lien is invalid against property buyers who acquired the property before the lien was recorded. These changes directly affect contractors, suppliers, and property owners involved in construction projects.

in committee · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 5146: Relating to certain requirements regarding the subsidized child-care program administered by the Texas Workforce Commission.

The bill text for HB 5146 is unavailable in the provided context, with a note stating "This version is not currently available, but is coming soon." No specific provisions, affected parties, or policy mechanisms are described. The bill relates to requirements for Texas's subsidized child-care program administered by the Texas Workforce Commission, but details of the changes are not included. The bill was referred to committee on May 7, 2025, and remains pending. Without access to the actual bill language, a substantive summary cannot be provided.

in committee · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 3396: Relating to the authority of certain medical consenters to assume financial responsibility for certain out-of-network medical care provided to children in foster care.

HB 3396 allows foster children's medical consenters (such as foster parents or guardians) to pay for out-of-network medical care - including behavioral health services - for foster children, rather than relying solely on Medicaid. This applies when the consenter engages an out-of-network provider directly, and the state (Texas Department of Family and Protective Services) is not liable for these costs. The bill clarifies that this does not restrict foster children's access to standard Medicaid benefits or in-network care. It also requires medical consenters to notify caseworkers within 10 business days of providing such care, ensuring records are added to the child's health passport.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Texas · Senate May 7, 2025

SB 2883: Relating to the business court.

SB 2883 sets expiration dates for six Texas business court divisions (Second, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Ninth, and Tenth) on September 1, 2026, requiring legislative reauthorization and new funding to continue beyond that date. The bill also increases the monetary threshold for business court jurisdiction from $4.5 million to $5 million for certain complex civil cases involving corporate governance, securities laws, or organizational disputes. These changes directly affect business courts operating in specific counties across Texas, which serve as specialized venues for high-value commercial litigation. The legislation does not create new courts but establishes terms for existing divisions' continuation.

in committee · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 4517: Relating to liquor sales on credit by the holder of a distiller's and rectifier's permit to a wholesaler.

HB 4517 requires distillers and rectifiers with permits to provide wholesalers with a dated invoice for liquor sales. Wholesalers must pay within 30 days of receiving the invoice, or the distiller may report delinquency to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. The Commission would maintain a public list of delinquent wholesalers and block permit renewals, transfers, or new licenses for those who fail to pay on time. This bill directly affects distillers selling to wholesalers and wholesale liquor businesses that delay payments. It creates a clear payment timeline and enforcement mechanism to ensure timely payment for liquor purchases.

in committee · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HJR 172: Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing a local option exemption from ad valorem taxation by a political subdivision of all or part of the appraised value of the residence homestead of a peace officer employed by the political subdivision.

HJR 172 proposes a constitutional amendment allowing Texas cities, counties, and other local governments to exempt part of a peace officer’s home property value from local property taxes. It directly affects peace officers (like police officers) employed by a political subdivision, offering tax relief based on years of service: 20% for 5-10 years, 40% for 10-15 years, 60% for 15-20 years, 80% for 20-25 years, or 100% for 25+ years. The exemption would apply in addition to existing homestead exemptions and requires voter approval in a 2025 election. If passed, local governments could choose whether to implement this program for their peace officers.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 5578: Relating to notice of a public hearing at which the board of directors of an appraisal district will consider the appraisal district budget.

Based solely on the provided context, HB 5578 appears to be a procedural bill focused on public notice requirements for appraisal district budget hearings. The bill's title indicates it would establish rules for notifying the public about board meetings where appraisal district budgets are considered. However, the full bill text is unavailable in the provided context (marked "not currently available"), so specific mechanisms or who is directly affected cannot be detailed. Without the actual text, a substantive summary of provisions or policy changes cannot be provided.

in committee · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 2354: Relating to charter schools, including the admission, enrollment, and employment policies of and the applicability of certain laws to open-enrollment charter schools.

HB 2354 amends Texas Education Code to clarify the legal status of open-enrollment charter schools. It explicitly defines these schools as "local governments" for certain purposes (like Chapter 791 of the Government Code), "political subdivisions" for others (including property law under Section 16.061 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code), and specifies their tax and transportation code classifications. The bill directly affects all open-enrollment charter schools in Texas by determining which state laws apply to their operations, admissions, enrollment, and employment policies. These changes standardize how charter schools interact with state government structures and legal frameworks.

in committee · Texas · Senate May 7, 2025

SB 2744: Relating to the modernization of cardiovascular screening and prevention under the Texas Heart Attack Prevention Bill.

SB 2744 requires health insurance plans in Texas to cover "advanced cardiovascular screening" for eligible individuals, replacing older methods like coronary calcium scoring. This includes Coronary CT Angiography with Advanced Plaque Analysis (to detect all plaque types), Quantitative Disease Tracking every 1-4 years based on risk, and Telecardiology Consultations. The bill mandates a $2,000 reimbursement cap for these services, aligns with national standards, and requires AI-enabled plaque analysis for precise monitoring. It applies only to screenings performed on or after the bill’s effective date (September 1, 2025, or sooner if approved with a two-thirds vote).

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 5446: Relating to the text of ballot propositions that increase taxes.

HB 5446 requires that ballot propositions seeking voter approval for tax increases must clearly state the specific tax amount or maximum rate and include the phrase "THIS IS A TAX INCREASE" in capital letters. It also mandates that tax reduction propositions must specify the exact tax rate reduction amount. The bill applies only to propositions submitted for voter approval after its effective date (September 1, 2025) and directly affects voters receiving these ballot measures. The law aims to make tax-related ballot language more transparent and standardized.

in committee · Texas · Senate May 7, 2025

SB 1887: Relating to the prohibition of immunization with a product containing mRNA material.

SB 1887 bans the administration of mRNA-based vaccines for routine immunization by healthcare providers, directly affecting doctors, clinics, and public health programs. The bill prohibits any product containing mRNA material (like current COVID-19 vaccines) from being used for immunization, except for treatments targeting cancer or genetic disorders. It includes a sunset provision, expiring September 1, 2035, and takes effect September 1, 2025. The bill does not restrict mRNA treatments for medical conditions like cancer, only general vaccination use.

Topics ✗ Healthcare

in committee · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 323: Relating to requiring political subdivisions of this state to participate in the federal electronic verification of employment authorization program, or E-verify.

HB 323 requires Texas counties, cities, school districts, and other local government entities (political subdivisions) to use the federal E-Verify program to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires. It mandates that these local governments register for and participate in E-Verify, with staff responsible for verification facing immediate termination for noncompliance. The bill defines "political subdivisions" broadly to include municipalities, school districts, and special districts. This requirement takes effect on September 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Immigration

Bill results