Texas Bills

in committee · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 1108: Relating to motorcycle profiling by peace officers.

HB 1108 prohibits Texas peace officers from engaging in "motorcycle profiling," defined as stopping riders based solely on their motorcycle, gear, or club affiliation rather than behavior or criminal suspicion. The bill requires all Texas law enforcement agencies to adopt written policies by December 1, 2025, that define profiling, ban it, establish complaint procedures for affected individuals, and mandate corrective action for violations. These policies must cover traffic stops involving motorcycles and extend beyond the stop's necessary duration. The bill is pending in committee and would take effect September 1, 2025, if passed.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Texas · Senate May 7, 2025

SB 1590: Relating to duties of the vital statistics unit of the Department of State Health Services in relation to certain suits affecting the parent-child relationship, including in regard to the electronic transmission of certain information.

SB 1590 requires Texas' vital statistics unit to create an online system for courts, child protective services, attorneys, and parties in custody cases to request child-related court records. The bill mandates that the unit identify the court handling a child's case or confirm no such case exists within 10 days of an electronic request. It also requires the unit to provide certified search results with digital signatures, showing whether records were found. The changes apply only to requests received on or after January 1, 2026, with the law taking effect September 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Technology

in committee · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 2460: Relating to the attorney general's defense of a district or county attorney against certain lawsuits in federal court.

HB 2460 would require the Texas Attorney General to defend district or county attorneys in federal lawsuits when they are sued in their official capacity, the case involves enforcing state law, and the local attorney requests assistance. This bill directly affects district and county attorneys who face federal lawsuits related to their enforcement of state statutes. The law would only apply to federal cases filed on or after September 1, 2025, not cases filed before that date. It does not change existing legal standards but adds a specific defense obligation for the Attorney General in qualifying cases.

in committee · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 5144: Relating to prohibiting certain deceptive trade practices by businesses assisting veterans with Department of Veterans Affairs claims.

HB 5144 aims to prohibit deceptive trade practices by businesses that assist veterans with Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) claims. The bill targets companies that charge fees or provide services related to VA benefits applications, seeking to prevent misleading tactics like false promises of guaranteed approval. However, the full bill text is unavailable in the provided context, so specific provisions, affected parties, or enforcement mechanisms cannot be detailed. Without access to the complete legislative language, a precise summary of how the law would operate or who it directly impacts is not possible. Please consult the bill's PDF version for the full text and detailed provisions.

Topics ✓ Veterans

in committee · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 817: Relating to the determination of a majority vote in certain elections.

HB 817 clarifies how majority votes are determined in Texas elections for public office. It states that a candidate must receive more than half of the votes as originally cast, prohibiting the use of preferential voting systems (where voters rank candidates) to reassign votes and calculate a majority. This bill directly affects local and state elections requiring a majority vote to win, ensuring results are based solely on initial vote counts. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and amends the Election Code to prioritize original vote totals over ranked-choice reassignment methods.

in committee · Texas · House May 7, 2025

HB 5337: Relating to requiring a person to submit proof of citizenship to register to vote; creating criminal offenses.

HB 5337 requires Texas voters to submit proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. Applicants must provide documents like a U.S. passport, birth certificate, or citizenship papers to county registrars. If proof isn't submitted, voters would only qualify for a limited federal ballot under Chapter 115. The bill creates criminal penalties for failing to provide required documentation and amends election code sections to implement these requirements. This directly affects all new voter registrants in Texas seeking full voting rights.

Carrie Isaac (R) · 55 co-sponsors

in committee · Texas · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 2608: Relating to the eligibility of certain at-risk developments to receive low income housing tax credits.

SB 2608 expands eligibility for Texas low-income housing tax credits to include specific "at-risk" housing developments. It defines these as projects that have received federal housing assistance (like Section 8 or HUD subsidies) and are nearing the end of affordability requirements or mortgage terms, or those planning to rehabilitate housing units previously receiving federal Section 9 assistance. The bill applies only to tax credit applications submitted during the 2026 or later allocation cycles, not earlier ones. This change directly affects developers seeking tax credits and public housing authorities managing qualifying properties.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

in committee · Texas · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 1640: Relating to access to criminal history record information that relates to providers and provider applicants under Medicaid and other public benefits programs administered by the Health and Human Services Commission.

SB 1640 would expand background checks for Medicaid providers and applicants by requiring the Health and Human Services Commission to access criminal history records for specific individuals. It directly affects current Medicaid providers and those applying to join the program, including people with 5% or more ownership interest, mortgage holders with 5%+ stakes in provider property, officers/directors of corporate providers, partners in partnership providers, and managing employees. The bill clarifies that providers must disclose these individuals' criminal history records as part of enrollment and eligibility requirements under Medicaid and other public benefits programs. This change modifies existing Texas law to align with federal regulations regarding provider background checks.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Texas · House May 6, 2025

HB 5067: Relating to notices of appeals for matters within the exclusive intermediate appellate jurisdiction of the Court of Appeals for the Fifteenth Court of Appeals District.

This bill clarifies which civil appeals must be handled by the Fifteenth Court of Appeals. It requires that civil notices of appeal filed after the law takes effect only designate this court if the case falls under its specific exclusive jurisdiction - such as disputes involving state agencies or challenges to state laws - excluding cases like family law, criminal proceedings, mental health commitments, or civil asset forfeiture. The law ensures appeals are properly routed to the correct court by specifying that notices must align with the court's defined jurisdiction. This is a procedural rule affecting trial courts, appellate clerks, and parties filing appeals, not a substantive policy change.

in committee · Texas · House May 6, 2025

HB 5469: Relating to the effect of provisions of laws enacted during the regular session of the 89th Legislature requiring certain state agencies to create reports.

HB 5469 automatically ends most reports required by state agencies under the 89th Legislature's 2025 session, effective August 31, 2025, unless specifically exempted. It directly affects state agencies that created new reports through 2025 legislation, requiring them to discontinue these reports unless they fall under key exemptions (such as reports mandated by the state constitution, federal law, or created before the 89th Legislature convened). The bill overrides other legislation that might have created or renewed such reports, ensuring only explicitly exempted reports remain in effect. This is a procedural change focused on reducing administrative reporting requirements from the current legislative session.

in committee · Texas · House May 6, 2025

HB 5508: Relating to the establishment of the Texas Film Academy to facilitate workforce development in the state's film, television, and digital media industries.

HB 5508 establishes the Texas Film Academy to develop workforce training programs for the state's film, television, and digital media industries. The academy, attached to the Texas Workforce Commission, will partner with colleges and industry leaders to create specialized education programs addressing skilled labor shortages. It requires a 9-member board appointed by the governor, including education representatives and industry leaders, to oversee operations. The bill aims to boost job creation and position Texas as a top destination for film and media productions by aligning workforce training with industry needs.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Texas · House May 6, 2025

HB 3207: Relating to the prosecution and punishment of the offense of intoxication assault; increasing a criminal penalty.

HB 3207 amends Texas law to increase criminal penalties for intoxication assault, which occurs when someone causes injury while operating a vehicle, aircraft, watercraft, or amusement ride while intoxicated. It establishes two penalty tiers: causing bodily injury becomes a state jail felony, while causing serious bodily injury becomes a third-degree felony. The bill further increases penalties for injuries to public safety personnel - causing serious injury to firefighters, EMTs, or peace officers on duty becomes a second-degree felony, and causing serious injury to a peace officer or judge on duty becomes a first-degree felony. The changes apply only to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

Bill results