SENATE FLOOR ACTION

Thursday

May 1, 2025

The Senate suspended the necessary rules to consider and finally pass:

Proposing a constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide for a temporary exemption from ad valorem taxation of the appraised value of an improvement to a residence homestead that is completely destroyed by a fire.

Relating to the regulation of certain nursing facilities, including licensing requirements and Medicaid participation and reimbursement requirements.

Relating to notice from a health benefit plan issuer regarding a physician's or health care provider's preauthorization exemption status.

Relating to the licensing and regulation of hearing instrument fitters and dispensers.

Relating to death records maintained by the vital statistics unit of the Department of State Health Services and provided to certain hospitals.

Relating to the operation of rock crushing facilities.

Relating to a prohibition on payments for certain group home referrals; creating a criminal offense.

Relating to participation in the Texas Leadership Scholars Program.

Relating to the establishment of a work group to conduct a study on the feasibility of implementing an acute psychiatric bed registry.

Relating to the authority of the Texas Military Department to negotiate the release of a reversionary interest and certain other interests of the state in certain property in Palo Pinto County owned by the Palo Pinto County Livestock Association.

Relating to governmental entities subject to the sunset review process.

Relating to the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association; providing an administrative penalty.

2 Floor Amendments

Relating to the amount of certain revenue that may be used for and the location of state veterans cemeteries.

Relating to an education program to enable certain students to practice medicine in certain rural counties and to encourage physician delegation of certain medical acts to advanced practice registered nurses in certain rural counties.

1 Floor Amendment

The Senate adopted the following resolutions:

Recognizing Kier Le'Juan Spates for his work on behalf of those living with sickle-cell disease.

Recognizing The Texas A&M University System policy interns.

Recognizing May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month.

Committee referral on the following:

Relating to the creation of the Colmena Ranch Municipal Management District No. 1; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes.

Local Government

Relating to the creation of the Wolf Creek Municipal Management District No. 1; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes; granting a limited power of eminent domain.

Local Government

Proposing a constitutional amendment to dedicate a portion of the revenue derived from state sales and use taxes to the Texas water fund.

Finance

Relating to the registration as a lobbyist of persons who engage in certain lobbying activities on behalf of a foreign adversary and to prohibitions on the receipt of compensation related to those lobbying activities; providing a civil penalty.

State Affairs

Relating to genetic information security for residents of this state; providing a civil penalty; providing a private cause of action.

State Affairs

Relating to the possession and administration of an epinephrine auto-injector by certain entities.

Health & Human Services

Relating to committing the criminal offense of endangering a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual by engaging in certain conduct involving a controlled substance listed in Penalty Group 1-B of the Texas Controlled Substances Act.

Criminal Justice

Relating to the financial crimes intelligence center.

Criminal Justice

Relating to the prosecution of the offense of fraudulent use or possession of credit card or debit card information.

Criminal Justice

Relating to certain presumptions applicable to claims for benefits or compensation for certain medical conditions brought by certain first responders.

Local Government

Relating to certain statutes of limitations for criminal offenses, including the statute of limitations for the offense of improper relationship between educator and student, and to the applicability of sex offender registration requirements for the offense of improper relationship between educator and student.

Criminal Justice

Relating to the dismissal of a criminal charge related to the illegal hunting of certain deer; authorizing fees.

Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Relating to the notification of certain persons concerning certain events related to children in the managing conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services.

Health & Human Services

Relating to prohibiting a public institution of higher education from partnering with certain private entities for the construction of a student housing facility.

Education K-16

Relating to civil liability arising from a firearm hold agreement.

State Affairs

Relating to expedited credentialing of certain physician assistants and advanced practice nurses by managed care plan issuers.

Health & Human Services

Relating to the care, custody, and display of the letter known as the victory or death letter, the Texas Constitution, and the Texas Declaration of Independence.

Economic Development

Relating to the continuation and functions of the Department of Information Resources, including the composition of the governing body of the department.

Business & Commerce

Relating to changing the name of the offense of child pornography to child sexual abuse material and to updating references to conform to that terminology.

Criminal Justice

Relating to a grant program for hurricane and windstorm loss mitigation for single-family residential property.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the peace officer's notification of emergency detention form for persons evidencing mental illness and retention of that form.

Criminal Justice

Relating to the creation of a list of priority facilities by electric utilities.

Business & Commerce

Relating to increasing the minimum term of imprisonment and changing the eligibility for community supervision, mandatory supervision, and parole for persons convicted of intoxication manslaughter.

Criminal Justice

Relating to designating November as Veterans Month.

Veteran Affairs

Relating to a study on mental health services provided to veterans through the Texas Veterans Commission.

Veteran Affairs

Relating to the Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program.

Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Relating to vehicle safety inspections of certain travel trailers.

Transportation

Relating to the renewal of a certificate of registration by certain interior designers.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the qualifications, communications, and recordkeeping of a child custody evaluator and the admissibility of a child custody evaluation under certain circumstances.

Jurisprudence

Relating to the issuance of permits for the movement of oversize and overweight vehicles in certain counties; authorizing a fee.

Transportation

Relating to the maximum weight of a vehicle or combination of vehicles operating at certain ports of entry.

Transportation

Relating to the compensation and benefits for certain peace officers commissioned by the state fire marshal.

Business & Commerce

Relating to an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a veteran who died as a result of a qualifying condition or disease.

Local Government

Relating to the designation of a portion of State Highway 48 in Cameron County as the Deputy Constable Ruben Garcia Memorial Highway.

Transportation

Relating to the authority of the chief appraiser of an appraisal district to require a person allowed an exemption from ad valorem taxation of a residence homestead to file a new application or confirm the person's current qualification for the exemption.

Local Government

Relating to training on de-escalation, crisis intervention, and behavioral health for correctional officers and certain other employees of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Criminal Justice

Relating to powers and duties of the Texas Workforce Commission with respect to the procurement of goods and services for the provision of vocational rehabilitation services.

Economic Development

Relating to the implementation of projects by the Gulf Coast Protection District.

Natural Resources

Relating to the circumstances in which a rental company may void a damage waiver for a rental vehicle.

Business & Commerce

Relating to designating March 17 as Profound Autism Awareness Day.

Administration

Relating to the authority of a defense base development authority to employ and commission peace officers.

Criminal Justice

Relating to the authority of a development corporation created by the Gulf Coast Authority to finance certain projects.

Economic Development

Relating to an alcoholic beverage tax credit for certain liquor or malt beverage byproducts donated for agricultural use in this state.

State Affairs

Relating to the manner of solicitation of bids for certain purchases by the comptroller of public accounts and state agencies.

Business & Commerce

Relating to participation in reemployment services as a condition of eligibility for unemployment benefits.

Economic Development

Relating to initial claims under the unemployment compensation system.

Economic Development

Relating to the confidentiality and disclosure of certain financial information of perpetual care cemeteries and perpetual care trust funds.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the regulation of state banks.

Business & Commerce

Relating to certain enforcement powers of the banking commissioner regarding the regulation of money services businesses.

Business & Commerce

Relating to prohibited activities of a state trust company under supervision.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the contract requirements for a contract between a single source continuum contractor and the Department of Family and Protective Services.

Health & Human Services

Relating to the authority and responsibilities of the Texas Historical Commission; authorizing fees.

Economic Development

Relating to the creation of a task force to evaluate the school district property value study conducted by the comptroller of public accounts.

Education K-16

Relating to the collection of consumer debt incurred by certain individuals as a result of identity theft.

Business & Commerce

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.

Health & Human Services

Relating to the elimination of the remittance of a portion of certain loan administration fees to the comptroller.

Finance

Relating to the elimination of the requirement that a portion of certain retail charge agreement delinquency fees be remitted to the comptroller.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the establishment of the STEM Excellence Graduate Fellowship program.

Education K-16

The following bills were passed on the Local and Uncontested Bills Calendar:

Designating Bandera as the official Cowboy Capital of Texas for a 10-year period ending in 2035.

Designating Matagorda County as the official Birding Capital of Texas for a 10-year period ending in 2035.

Relating to access to certain information in the adoption process.

Relating to the definition of authorized peace officer for purposes of certain laws governing the installation and use of tracking equipment and access to certain communications.

Relating to the allocation of low income housing tax credits.

Relating to resident safety from criminal activity in senior retirement communities.

Relating to the designation of a portion of U.S. Highway 281 in Hidalgo County as the U.S. Border Patrol Agent Jose Rodriguez-Lua Memorial Highway.

Relating to the designation of a portion of Farm-to-Market Road 2275 in Gregg County as the Bill Stoudt Parkway.

Relating to maintaining the confidentiality of the personal information of election officials and their employees.

Relating to the payment of restitution.

Relating to the transfer of the licensing and regulation of charitable bingo to the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation.

Relating to the execution of a search warrant for taking a blood specimen from certain persons in certain intoxication offenses.

Relating to the designation of a portion of Business U.S. Highway 83-S in Hidalgo County as the SP4 Rodolfo Valdez Memorial Highway.

Relating to the registration of vehicles, the issuance of disabled parking placards, and certain benefits associated with that registration or issuance for certain peace officers with disabilities; authorizing a fee.

Relating to the establishment, powers and duties, terms, and governance of certain advisory bodies for programs administered by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

Relating to the regulation of delivery network companies; requiring an occupational permit; authorizing a fee.

Relating to the effect of a tax certificate accompanying a transfer of certain property.

Relating to certain election practices and procedures.

Relating to nonsubstantive additions to, revisions of, and corrections in enacted codes, to the nonsubstantive codification or disposition of various laws omitted from enacted codes, and to conforming codifications enacted by the 88th Legislature to other Acts of that legislature.

Relating to the employment of certain peace officers of the Department of Public Safety.

Relating to providing notice to a state representative and senator of certain administrative actions of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Relating to certain policies and procedures related to concussions or other brain injuries sustained by public school students.

Relating to the establishment of the Rural Workforce Development Grant Program.

Relating to transfer of the ownership rights of the Woodlawn Water Supply Corporation to the Angelina and Neches River Authority.

Relating to the terms of certain agreements involving minor boundary adjustments between two contiguous school districts.

Relating to the definition of a designated law enforcement office or agency for purposes of certain laws governing the installation and use of tracking equipment and access to certain communications.

Relating to procedures for a commissioners court to close, abandon, or vacate certain county roads.

Relating to certain oversize or overweight vehicle permit fees or surety requirements.

Relating to the disclosure of certain information by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.

Relating to the exemption from the assessment requirements of the Texas Success Initiative for certain students who are public officers or employees.

Relating to a permit issued by the Parks and Wildlife Department for certain hunting dog field trials; authorizing a fee.

Relating to the applicability of the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act to, and the regulation by certain political subdivisions of, the installation of roofing materials containing integrated photovoltaic technology.

Relating to a contract regarding the operation of a school district campus.

Relating to exemptions from sales and use taxes for game animals and exotic animals.

Designating the first full week in April as Gifted and Talented Students Week for a 10-year period ending in 2035.

The following bills were removed from the Local and Uncontested Bills Calendar:

Relating to the authority of a municipality or county to regulate certain matters related to firearms, air guns, archery equipment, and other weapons and related supplies.