Is it law yet? See where some of the most consequential bills stand in the 2023 Texas Legislature
Texas lawmakers filed thousands of bills during the 2023 legislative session. However, most of those bills won't become law. Lawmakers will spend the final weeks before the session ends on May 29 trying to push through their priorities. They will also try to stop certain bills from going through by delaying votes and letting them miss key deadlines. If a bill fails, it might still be revived as an amendment to other legislation. Most new laws take effect Sept. 1.
Here's how the legislative process works:
In the works
Bills are proposed in the House or Senate and must be approved by both chambers. A conference committee reconciles any differences.
Sent to Abbott
Next, bills go to the governor, who can decide whether to sign or veto them.
Signed into law
Bills signed by Abbott become law. If Abbott doesn't veto a bill, it also automatically becomes law.
Vetoed or failed
Some legislative measures fail by missing a key deadline. Abbott can also veto any bill sent to him.
Bills that are still in the works
Bills are proposed in the House or Senate and must be approved by both chambers. A conference committee reconciles any differences.
Allocating the budget
HB 1: Sent to conference committee on April 20
The state's $300 billion-plus spending plan, which will determine how Texas allocates a $32.7 billion surplus. This is the one bill the Legislature is constitutionally required to pass. Read more
Cutting property taxes
SB 3: Passed the House on May 19
A measure to reduce property taxes for Texans. The Senate wants to do so by increasing homestead exemptions. A recent House proposal increases homestead exemptions and puts a cap on the growth of property appraisals. Both chambers have separately agreed to invest more state money to buy down school district taxes. Read more
Expanding postpartum Medicaid
HB 12: Passed the House on April 21
This bill would extend Medicaid coverage for low-income Texans for a full year after childbirth. Read more
Expanding border security funding and creating a border safety unit
HB 7: Passed the House on May 10
This bill sends nearly $100 million to border communities to help handle the influx of migrants and creates a new state border patrolling unit. A Senate committee expanded the bill by creating a mandatory 10-year minimum sentence for human smugglers and making it a crime for migrants to enter the state anywhere but a port of entry. Read more
Addressing school safety
HB 3: Passed the Senate on May 21
A wide-ranging proposal to increase school safety funding and strengthen school safety standards. The version passed by the House called for an armed guard in every school, though the Senate removed that provision. The bill now heads back to the House, which needs to either accept the new version or negotiate the differences with the Senate. Read more
Shoring up the power grid
SB 7: Passed the Senate on April 5
A measure designed to shore up the Texas electrical grid by setting guidelines for a financial mechanism to give gas-fueled power plants more money, among other things. Read more
Providing teacher bonuses
SB 9: Passed the Senate on April 6
A bill that would give teachers a one-time $2,000 bonus, with teachers in districts with fewer than 20,000 students getting $6,000. Read more
Restricting trans athletes in college sports
SB 15: Passed the House on May 17
A bill designed to restrict transgender women from playing women's collegiate sports. Read more
Banning DEI offices in colleges
SB 17: Passed the Senate on April 19
A bill that would ban diversity, equity and inclusion offices on public university campuses. Read more
Restricting tenure at universities
SB 18: Passed the Senate on April 20
A Senate attempt to ban tenure for university professors. The House has proposed significant changes that would keep tenure while codifying guidelines and requiring regular performance reviews for those who earn it. Read more
Legalizing online sports betting
HJR 102: Passed the House on May 11
A bill that proposes a constitutional amendment election that would allow online gambling on sports in the state. Read more
Expanding broadband
HB 9/HJR 125: Passed the Senate on May 18
This measure proposes a constitutional amendment election to allocate $5 billion to create a fund to expand broadband access in Texas. Read more
Adopting permanent daylight saving time
HB 1422: Passed the House on April 12
A proposal that would adopt permanent daylight saving time in Texas, if Congress allows it. Read more
Regulating drag shows
SB 12: Passed the Senate on April 5
Originally pitched as a measure to ban children from drag performances, this bill was updated in the House to remove any mention of drag. Instead, it would bar minors from attending "sexually oriented" events and penalize performers at those events if kids attend. Read more
Creating university endowments
HB 1595: Passed the Senate on May 9
This bill would create an endowment fund of about $2.5 billion accessible to Texas State University, Texas Tech University, the University of Houston, and the University of North Texas, contingent on voter approval in November. Read more
Funding water infrastructure fund
SB 28: Passed the House on May 17
This proposal would create a fund of between $1 billion and $3 billion for new water supply projects and to fix aging water infrastructure across the state. Read more
Increasing school funding
HB 100: Passed the House on April 27
This bill would add $4.5 billion in school funding from the state and would provide for modest teacher raises. Read more
Bills that have been sent to Gov. Abbott
Next, bills go to the governor, who can decide whether to sign or veto them.
Banning care for trans kids
SB 14: Sent to Abbott on May 17
A bill to block the use of puberty blockers or hormone treatments for transgender children. The bill has spurred protests that have led to altercations with state police. Read more
Allowing murder charges for fentanyl poisoning
HB 6: Sent to Abbott on May 19
This measure would allow prosecutors to pursue murder charges against those accused of providing someone with a fatal dose of fentanyl. Read more
Preempting local regulations
HB 2127: Sent to Abbott on May 19
Sweeping legislation that would bar cities and counties from issuing local ordinances that go further than what's already allowed under areas of state law, including labor, agriculture, natural resources and finance. Read more
Bills that have been signed into law
Bills signed by Abbott become law. If Abbott doesn't veto a bill, it also automatically becomes law.
None of the bills we are watching are at this point right now.
Bills that failed or were vetoed by the governor
Some legislative measures fail by missing a key deadline. Abbott can also veto any bill sent to him.
Creating education savings accounts
SB 8: Missed key deadline on May 20
A measure to allow parents to use state money to fund education savings accounts, which can help pay for private school tuition or home-schooling expenses. This was one of many Senate bills that died after it did not meet a key procedural deadline. One of Greg Abbott's priorities, the governor has already signaled he would call a special session if a voucher-like program open to all students failed to pass. Read more
Raising the age
HB 2744: Missed key deadline on May 10
This bill would raise the age to purchase a semi-automatic rifle in Texas from 18 to 21. Read more
Authorizing casinos
HJR 155: Missed key deadline on May 12
This measure proposes a constitutional amendment election to allow a select number of casinos to operate in the state. Read more
Raising minimum sentence for gun crimes
SB 23: Missed key deadline on May 20
This bill would raise the minimum sentence for many felony crimes involving a firearm to 10 years. This was one of many Senate bills that died after it did not meet a key procedural deadline. Read more
Restricting foreign land ownership
SB 147: Missed key deadline on May 20
Originally written to ban people from China, Iran, North Korea or Russia from owning land in Texas. It has since been updated to only restrict purchases of agricultural land, timberland and oil and gas rights by entities associated with any country that "poses a risk to the national security of the United States." This was one of many Senate bills that died after it did not meet a key procedural deadline. Read more
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