By: Bob Hall
The Texas Legislature is nearing adjournment of its second special session, wrap- ping up weeks of debate and decision-making. Several key bills addressing emergency preparedness, property tax reform, water policy, public safety, and youth protections are on their way—or soon headed—to the Governor’s desk. Here’s where things stand today.
✓ Medical Freedom
HB 25 – Freedom to Dispense Ivermectin – Relating to a pharmacist’s authority to dispense ivermectin without a prescription. (In Senate Committee)
✓ Emergency Preparedness & Youth Safety
SB 1 – Campground & Camp Safety: Requires licensed camp listings, updated safety standards, communication tools, and evacuation plans. (Still in House Committee) SB 2 – Disaster Management Overhaul: Expands emergency manager licensing, volunteer management, drone neutralization, flood planning, and fatality response. (House amended; awaiting Senate concurrence)
SB 3 – Flash Flood Warn- ing Sirens: Requires outdoor warning sirens in flood-prone areas. (House amended; awaiting Senate concurrence)
SB 5 – Disaster Relief Appropriations: Provides $294M for FEMA match, flood recovery, forecasting, and first respond- er training. (In Conference Committee)
HB 1 – Youth CAMPER Act: Improves youth camp safety— bans cabins in floodplains, mandates emergency plans, and creates a reporting system. (In Senate Committee) HB 3 – Emergency Communications Interoperability: Establishes the Texas Interoperability Council and funds radio system upgrades.
(In Senate Committee) HB 20 – Disaster Charity Fraud Prevention: Creates voluntary accreditation and penalties for disaster relief fraud. (In Senate Committee)
HB 22 – Emergency Communication Funding: Expands use of broadband funds for early warning and alert systems. (In Senate Committee)
✓ Congressional Redistricting
HB 4 – Adopts PLANC2331; keeps Navarro County whole. (Passed by both chambers; headed to Governor)
✓ Property Tax Reform
HB 17 – Property Tax Trans- parency: Requires detailed tax notices including inflation and population data. (On Senate Floor)
HB 23 – Nonprofit Property Tax Exemption: Provides exemptions for nonprofit-owned property used for agriculture, youth, and education. (In Sen- ate Committee)
SB 10 – Property Tax Cap Calculation: Adjusts how voter-approval tax rates are calculated. (House amended; awaiting Senate concurrence or conference)
✓ Water Reforms
HB 27 – Groundwater Transfer Moratorium: Halts new transfers in the Neches & Trinity Valleys GCD until 2027 pending a TWDB study. (In Senate Committee)
SB 14 – Water Conservation Credits: Grants developers credits for conservation/reuse projects. (Passed; headed to Governor)
SB 18 – Reservoir Permitting Exemptions: Exempts small erosion/floodwater reservoirs from TCEQ permitting. (Passed; headed to Governor)
✓ Judicial & Criminal Justice Reforms
HB 16 – Judicial Updates: Modernizes court procedures, security, records, and juvenile diversion. (Passed; headed to Governor)
SB 11 – Human Trafficking Victim Defense: Provides af- firmative defense for victims forced into criminal acts. (Passed; headed to Governor)
SB 12 – Election Law Prosecution: Grants the Attorney General authority to prosecute election law violations. (Passed; headed to Governor)
SB 34 – Legislative Testimony Immunity: Grants immunity to compelled witnesses, though they may still face indictment. (In House Committee)
✓ Other Priority Reforms
SB 6 – Hemp Product Regulations: Requires licenses, bans unsafe products, and establishes penalties. (In House Committee)
SB 8 – Protecting Women’s Spaces: Requires facility use based on biological sex; establishes civil penalties. (Headed to House Calendars)
SB 13 – Ban on Taxpayer- Funded Lobbying: Prohibits use of public funds for lobby- ing by local governments. (In House Committee)
SB 16 – Deed Fraud Crimes – Criminalizes real property theft/fraud; adds recording, restitution, and statute of limitations. (House amended, Senate will review for concurrence)
Same Day Voter Registration – Prohibits of same day voter registrations within 30 days of an election. (Passed the Senate, heading to the House)
