AUSTIN (Nexstar)– After 140 days, Texas’ 89 th Legislative Session closed Monday with state lawmakers passing over 1, 000 bills.
Senators and representatives submitted 8, 719 costs and 2, 765 resolutions this session ; by the session’s end, 1, 189 bills went to the desk of Gov. Greg Abbott. In 2023, the legislature passed 1, 222 of its 8, 046 submitted costs; Abbott vetoed 76 expenses adhering to the session.
Ahead of the 2025 Legal Session, KXAN set out which topics we would focus on– education, migration, housing, AI, LGBTQ+ civil liberties, and much more.
KXAN and Nexstar journalists created hundreds of tales covering the 89 th Legal Session considering that bill filing opened in November 2024 Due to the quantity of bills, KXAN additionally republished tales from The Texas Tribune
What delayed out & & died
When legislators, legal team, protestors, journalists, and various other lege watchers discuss an item of legislation “passing away,” they imply that a costs fell short to meet a due date
The clearest due date is the end of a session. Unless called back for an unique session, legislators must wait till 2027 to pass even more regulation.
This session, 7, 530 expenses passed away in the legislature (86 4 % of filed). That number most likely additionally includes buddy costs for costs that did pass this session. If every expense that passed had a companion, then the total shakes out to around 6, 300 (72 7 %).
KXAN reported on the adhering to bills that failed this session:
- HB 274, which would have placed Austin under the state’s direct control
- HB 5151, which would certainly have limited advancement of rock squashing plants
- SJR 1, which would have prevented bond for undocumented suspects
- SB 18, which would certainly have banned drag tale time occasions
- SB 240, which would certainly have restricted transgender Texans’ use exclusive areas
- SB 819, which would certainly have added multiple policies to renewable energy jobs
HB 366 , which would certainly have criminalized deceitful AI-generated project advertisements, also fell short to pass.
Various other bills died during the final days of session. That duration is when committees with members from both legal chambers fulfill to hash out any type of distinctions in a costs that both passed.
Costs that pass away do not constantly stay dead; lawmakers can refile them during the following session. Some already introduced their intent to do so, such as Sen. Royce West with his bill to require healthcare facilities set up bollards near entries.
In fact, a lot of the expenses that we covered in our session sneak peek wound up failing.
The expenses that passed
Ahead of the 2025 session, Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick introduced their priority expenses for the session. They fulfilled most of those priorities this session, such as developing education savings accounts (HB 2, moneying water facilities tasks (SB 7, and creating a “Texas Cyber Command” (HB150
Here’s what some other bills that passed this session would certainly do:
- Ban hemp products that contain THC (SB 3
- Need Texas areas companion with United States ICE to impose migration law (SB 8
- Restriction “DEI” programs, LGBTQ+ clubs in colleges (SB 12
- “Make Texas Healthy Again” with nourishment educational program, daily exercise (SB 25
- Broaden the Texas Compassionate Use Program (HB 46
- Develop a sickle cell computer registry (HB 107
- Define “male” and “female” in Texas regulation (HB 229
- Limitation roadside pet sales (HB 2012, 2731
- Close a loophole in sexual assault laws (HB 3073
- Further restrict abortion (several bills)
Abbott has 20 days following the session’s end to veto costs, after which they end up being legislation despite his signing them. Last session, KXAN reported that Abbott vetoed 76 expenses, setting a new individual record.
When will these work?
Many new legislations in Texas will take effect on September 1 in the same year as the session.
Some, like a regulation enabling fireworks sales prior to Juneteenth ( HB 554 , begin instantly. A number of regulations related to ad valorem tax obligations work at the start of 2026, and so will SB 2420 , which requires mobile app shops confirm the ages of their users.
Nonetheless, Texas citizens have last word on anything that would effect tax obligations. In 2023, 14 regulations required a change to the state’s constitution; citizens authorized 13
In November, 14 tally steps will be prior to voters, according to legislative documents:
Legal challenges can lead to a court telling the state and its agents from carrying out or implementing some legislations. The ACLU revealed its intent to bring a claim against lately passed SB 10, which would certainly call for public institutions display a state-approved variation of the Ten Commandments in every class.
Did we miss an expense that you would certainly such as an upgrade on? Let us understand at ReportIt@kxan.com