HB 319 requires certain employers in Texas to provide paid sick leave to employees for specific health-related needs. It mandates that employees may use this leave to care for themselves or covered family members (including spouses, children, parents, or individuals living in their household) due to illness, injury, family violence, sexual assault, or other qualifying health conditions. Employers who fail to comply face administrative and civil penalties. The bill defines key terms like "family member" and "health care professional" to clarify eligibility and scope.
HB 271 amends the composition of Texas' Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee, increasing its membership from 23 to 25 members. The bill adds two new physician specialties (critical care and emergency care), two doulas with specific urban/rural representation requirements (one must specialize in end-of-life care), and a representative from a managed care organization. It also specifies that community members must include one urban and one rural representative, and requires at least one maternal fetal medicine specialist among obstetric physicians. The committee, which analyzes pregnancy-related deaths to improve maternal health outcomes, will now include these additional expertise areas to enhance its review capacity.
HB 144 amends Texas law to treat unborn children as legal persons under criminal and civil law from fertilization onward. It redefines "individual" in the Penal Code to include unborn children and adds provisions requiring criminal statutes to apply equally to offenses against unborn children, while excluding unintentional harm from lifesaving medical procedures for the mother or spontaneous miscarriages. The bill repeals existing legal exceptions that permitted "prenatal homicide" and laws that could be interpreted as enabling pressure on pregnant people to obtain abortions. It directly affects medical providers, legal proceedings involving pregnancy-related injuries, and individuals seeking civil remedies for harm to unborn children.
HB 7, the Woman and Child Protection Act, prohibits the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs in Texas while limiting legal actions against certain local providers. It creates new legal protections for Texas-based hospitals, health facilities, and providers who practice exclusively within the state, shielding them from civil lawsuits under this law. The bill also restricts courts outside Texas from enforcing judgments related to abortion drugs and allows private citizens to file lawsuits ("qui tam actions") against violators. It directly affects drug manufacturers, pharmacies, and healthcare entities offering abortion-inducing drugs, but excludes Texas hospitals, state facilities, and in-state-only providers from liability. The law takes effect immediately upon the governor’s signature.
SB 7 creates civil liability for manufacturers and providers of abortion-inducing drugs, with key exemptions for medical emergencies, ectopic pregnancies, and spontaneous miscarriages. It allows private citizens to file lawsuits (qui tam actions) seeking damages against those supplying such drugs, while modifying fee-shifting rules in abortion litigation. The bill also grants the Texas attorney general expanded authority to pursue cases under the "Woman and Child Protection Act" and alters jurisdiction for related court cases. It does not restrict medical procedures covered by the specified exemptions.
HB 196 creates new rules for evidence in civil negligence cases where employers are sued over employee THC use. It prohibits courts from admitting evidence of an employee's *medical use of low-THC cannabis* (per Texas law) unless the employer knew about the use, was aware the employee was intoxicated, and failed to act. It also blocks using a positive THC test alone as evidence; additional proof of intoxication at the time of injury is required. This directly affects employers facing lawsuits alleging negligence related to employee THC use. The law applies only to cases filed after its effective date.
This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to repeal the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and its dedicated fund. It would redirect $3 billion from that fund to the Texas Education Agency to reduce property taxes through lower state compression percentages. If approved by voters in the November 2025 election, the amendment would eliminate dedicated dementia research funding while shifting those resources to property tax relief. The bill does not change existing dementia research programs but redirects existing funding to a different state priority.
HB 131 repeals the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and transfers its funds to the Texas Education Agency. The transferred money would be used to reduce state property tax rates for homeowners. This bill only takes effect if voters approve a related constitutional amendment in 2025; otherwise, it has no legal impact. The legislation directly affects state funding allocations and property tax policy, with no changes to dementia research programs.
HB 127 prohibits Texas state agencies from promoting "diversity, equity, and inclusion" (DEI) or LGBTQ-related content in their operations. The bill requires agencies to treat people equally regardless of race, color, or national origin, while mandating that all actions comply with the "biological reality" that sex is strictly male or female. Key mechanisms include voiding any agency policies, curricula, or contracts violating these rules, and banning DEI initiatives as "null and void ab initio." The bill directly affects all Texas state agencies, including education, health, and government departments, by restricting how they develop policies or communicate with the public. It takes effect immediately if approved by a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers, or 91 days after the session ends.
HB 304 creates a state franchise tax credit for businesses opening grocery stores or "healthy corner stores" (under 2,000 sq. ft. with 20% fresh food space) in designated food deserts. It directly affects businesses that open such stores after January 1, 2026, in low-income areas with limited healthy food access. To qualify, stores must accept WIC and SNAP benefits within 90 days of opening and operate year-round. The credit reduces the business’s state tax liability for establishing these stores, aiming to improve healthy food access in underserved communities.
