Texas Bill Book

Most doctors and nurses could not be charged with a crime for errors unless they act recklessly or intentionally.

Patients could lose a key tool to punish truly bad doctors, while hospitals and doctors gain protection from criminal cases, so the bill could tip the balance toward providers.

Health care practitioners

• Accountability (hurts) — Reduces criminal accountability for providers. Immunity shields most mistakes from criminal prosecution
• Rights & Protections (hurts) — Limits patients' rights to pursue criminal action. Removes criminal liability except for extreme cases
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Costs shift to the public. Patients may bear harms without criminal recourse
• Process Transparency (hurts) — Limited public input. Bill introduced with little debate recorded
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — No funding changes. Bill does not allocate or shift money

• Official text (TX HB2190)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2190
• LegiScan — HB2190https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB2190/2025

Doctors, pharmacists and state medical directors could not be sued for problems caused by Medicaid nonprescription drug protocols, limiting patients' ability to seek compensation.

The bill would protect health providers from lawsuits, which could lower costs for them but also make it harder for Medicaid patients to hold them accountable if a drug harms them.

Health care providers

• Accountability (hurts) — Immunity reduces ability to hold providers accountable. Providers cannot be sued for protocol‑related harms
• Rights & Protections (hurts) — Limits patients' right to sue. Civil liability immunity cuts legal recourse
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Costs shift to patients. Patients may bear harms without compensation
• Process Transparency (neutral) — No change to transparency. Bill does not require new public reporting
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — No funding provisions. Bill contains no new spending or fees

• Official text (TX SB1500)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB1500
• LegiScan — SB1500https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/SB1500/2025

The bill would make health insurers and doctors pay for gender‑transition care and any reversal, while stopping public money from funding these procedures.

Every Texas resident could see higher insurance premiums or fewer doctors offering care, and low‑income patients may lose state funding for needed treatments.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — adds strict liability for insurers and doctors. makes them answerable for costs and malpractice
• Rights & Protections (helps) — expands patient right to sue and get coverage. gives patients a way to recover costs
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — shifts cost to insurers and providers. could raise premiums for everyone
• Process Transparency (neutral) — no new procedural requirements. bill does not change how decisions are made
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — no new funding created. bill restricts use of public money

• Official text (TX SB115)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB115
• LegiScan — SB115https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/SB115/2025

Farms that move waste out of polluted areas could get a tax break, lowering the money they pay the state.

This could encourage farms to clean up water, but it also reduces tax revenue that could fund schools or roads, so voters should watch it now.

Agricultural businesses

• Accountability (neutral) — neutral. No new oversight, just tax credit
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — neutral. Does not affect personal rights
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — taxpayers. Tax credit reduces state revenue
• Process Transparency (helps) — some. Comptroller must adopt rules and report estimates
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — industry. Credit favors agricultural businesses

• Official text (TX HB3830)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB3830
• LegiScan — HB3830https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB3830/2025

This bill would let new doctors work under supervision, but it might limit your choices for healthcare.

If this bill passes, it could change who you can see for medical help. It is important to think about how it might affect your healthcare choices.

• Rights & Protections (neutral) — Limits options for patients in choosing their doctors.. Patients may have fewer choices in healthcare providers.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — The process for licensing new doctors is outlined.. Clear rules are included for licensing and supervision.

• Official text (TX HB1685)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1685
• LegiScan — HB1685https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB1685/2025

Insurers could move your policy to another company and pay a state fee, while the state watches the switch.

Citizens should watch this bill because it could let big insurers change who holds their coverage without much input, and the added fees might be passed to policyholders.

Insurers

• Accountability (helps) — adds commissioner oversight. Insurers must consent to commissioner oversight of transferred business
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — no new consumer rights. Policyholders get notice but no new protections
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — fees may be passed to policyholders. Authorizes fees for transfers, could increase costs
• Process Transparency (helps) — requires notice to regulators and policyholders. Notice required within 45 days to regulators and policyholders
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — no specific funding changes. Fees are authorized but not earmarked

• Official text (TX HB3999)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB3999
• LegiScan — HB3999https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB3999/2025

Health plans would have to pay a state fee for each regulator review of their pre‑approval and utilization rules.

Consumers could see better enforcement of pre‑approval rules, but insurers may push the new fee onto members, raising premiums.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — adds oversight. Commissioner can examine HMOs and insurers annually
• Rights & Protections (helps) — protects consumers. Ensures compliance with utilization review and pre‑authorization rules
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — fees on insurers. HMOs must pay a fee for each examination
• Process Transparency (neutral) — confidential exams. Documentation is not disclosed to the public
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — shifts cost to industry. Fee is assessed to cover commissioner expenses

Pushing for it: Insurers
Bearing the cost: Consumers

• Official text (TX HB1818)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1818
• LegiScan — HB1818https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB1818/2025

This bill would give tax credits to businesses that hire apprentices for broadband jobs, helping them save money.

If this bill passes, businesses might hire more apprentices, but it could also cost the state money. It's important to think about how this affects everyone.

Big Business

• Funding Tilt (hurts) — This could cost the state money.. The total amount of credits that may be awarded in a state fiscal biennium is capped at $10 million.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Tax credits shift costs onto the state budget.. The tax credits reduce state revenue, which could affect funding for public services.

Pushing for it: businesses hiring apprentices
Bearing the cost: state budget

• Official text (TX HB3605)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB3605
• LegiScan — HB3605https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB3605/2025

Builders who add water-saving systems could get a discount on the fees they normally pay to the city.

The bill helps developers save money, which could lower home prices or speed green projects, but it cuts city revenue for water services, possibly shifting costs to taxpayers.

Big Business

• Accountability (neutral) — neutral. Bill does not change who can be sued.
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — neutral. No change to citizen rights.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — cost shift. Reduces fees for developers, cuts city revenue.
• Process Transparency (helps) — transparent. Requires fair calculation and approval procedures.
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — shifts cost. Credits reduce fee revenue, possibly shifting to taxpayers.

• Official text (TX HB3875)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB3875
• LegiScan — HB3875https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB3875/2025

Texas patients could sign a form that forces any treatment to be done only by a physician, and they would get more info about who is treating them.

The bill gives people more control over their health care, but it could make it harder to see nurse practitioners and push up costs if doctors are required for every visit.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — positive. Adds an administrative penalty for providers who do not follow the new patient‑right rules.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — positive. Creates a patient bill of rights that lets adults require physician‑only diagnosis and treatment.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — negative. Patients may have to pay higher fees for physician services instead of cheaper non‑physician care.
• Process Transparency (helps) — positive. Mandates that facilities disclose practitioner licenses and supervising physicians to patients.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — neutral. No funding provisions are included in the bill text.

• Official text (TX HB3588)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB3588
• LegiScan — HB3588https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB3588/2025

This bill would stop landlords from raising rent on people living in special low-income housing until their lease ends.

This bill would give people living in certain low-income housing a clear promise: their rent would not go up until their lease is over. This means families could plan their money better without worrying about sudden rent hikes. Landlords might say they need to raise rents sometimes to cover costs, but this bill would make sure that once a lease is signed, the rent stays the same for that time. It is important to pay attention now because if this bill passes, it would help many people keep their homes affordable.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Landlords would be held to lease terms.. The bill would hold landlords to the rent amount agreed upon in a lease for the full term of that lease.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Tenants gain protection from rent increases.. It would protect tenants from unexpected rent increases during their lease agreement in low-income housing.
• Who Bears the Cost (helps) — Tenants save money, landlords lose flexibility.. Tenants would save money by avoiding rent increases, while landlords would lose the ability to raise rent mid-lease.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — No direct impact.. The bill does not directly affect process transparency.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — No direct impact.. The bill does not directly allocate or shift funding.

Pushing for it: Tenants in low-income housing
Bearing the cost: Owners of low-income housing developments

• Official text (TX HB438)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB438
• LegiScan — HB438https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB438/2025

This bill would make landlords tell you all extra fees before you sign a lease, so you know the full cost.

Right now, some landlords can add extra fees after you think you know your rent. This bill would stop that by making landlords list all regular fees, like for pets or amenities, before you sign your lease. This helps you know the true cost of your home upfront and avoid surprises. Landlords might say it adds paperwork, but it helps people budget better. If you want to avoid hidden costs when renting, this bill is important to support while it is still moving through the legislature.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Landlords would be more accountable for all costs.. The bill requires landlords to disclose all fixed, recurring fees other than rent before a lease is signed, increasing their accountability for all charges.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Tenants would have a clearer right to know all costs.. Tenants would gain the protection of not being obligated to pay fees that were not disclosed as required by the bill, strengthening their rights.
• Who Bears the Cost (helps) — Tenants would avoid hidden costs, landlords bear disclosure burden.. The cost of disclosure would fall on landlords, but tenants would benefit by avoiding unexpected fees, potentially saving them money.
• Process Transparency (helps) — Rental agreements would be more transparent.. The bill directly aims to improve transparency in rental agreements by requiring upfront disclosure of all fixed, recurring fees.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — No specific funding changes mentioned.. The bill does not mention any specific funding or financial appropriations.

Pushing for it: Tenants
Bearing the cost: Landlords

• Official text (TX HB1206)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1206
• LegiScan — HB1206https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB1206/2025

This bill would let workers keep their health information private from their boss, and bosses could get a big fine if they ask for it.

This bill would give workers a clear right to keep their personal health information private from their employers. If a boss tried to punish a worker for not sharing this private health information, the boss could face a large fine. This is important because it protects people's personal medical details from being used against them at work. Some might argue that employers need certain health information for workplace safety, but this bill only makes exceptions when other laws already require sharing. It is still early in the process, so now is the time for people to speak up if they want to protect their health privacy at work.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Holds employers accountable for privacy violations.. Employers would face a $50,000 civil penalty for each time they violate an employee's right to health privacy.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Strengthens employee privacy rights.. Employees would gain a clear right to keep their personal health information private from their employer, unless state or federal law requires disclosure.
• Who Bears the Cost (helps) — Costs are borne by violating employers.. Employers who violate the privacy right would pay a $50,000 penalty to the state's general revenue fund.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Not directly addressed by the bill text.. The bill does not directly address transparency of the legislative process or public access to information.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — Fines go to the state, not directly to the employee.. Civil penalties collected from employers would go into the state's general revenue fund, not directly to the harmed employee.

Pushing for it: Employees (privacy protection)
Bearing the cost: Employers ($50,000 for each violation)

• Official text (TX HB949)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB949
• LegiScan — HB949https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB949/2025

This bill would make landlords tell you how much of your rent goes to property taxes, so you know where your money goes.

This bill is good for renters because it would make landlords share important information. You would see exactly how much of your monthly rent helps pay for the building's property taxes. This helps you understand your rent better. Landlords might say it is extra work for them to share this information. But knowing this detail could help you decide if your rent is fair. It also lets you see how property taxes affect your housing costs. This bill is still new, so now is the time to tell your lawmakers if you want this information.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Increases landlord accountability for rent breakdown.. Landlords would be required to show tenants how much of their rent goes to property taxes, making them more open about costs.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Enhances tenant's right to information.. Tenants would gain a new right to know specific details about how their rent money is used, improving transparency.
• Who Bears the Cost (neutral) — No direct cost shift, but disclosure might lead to questions.. The bill does not directly shift costs, but it requires landlords to disclose information that could influence tenant decisions about rent.
• Process Transparency (helps) — Directly improves transparency for tenants.. The core purpose of the bill is to provide tenants with clear, accessible information about a component of their rent.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — Not applicable, no funding mentioned.. The bill does not involve government funding or financial allocations.

Pushing for it: Tenants (through increased knowledge)
Bearing the cost: Landlords (through compliance costs for disclosure)

• Official text (TX HB1860)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1860
• LegiScan — HB1860https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB1860/2025

This bill would make landlords tell you all rental fees upfront, so you know the full cost before you sign a lease.

This bill is important because it would stop landlords from surprising renters with hidden fees after they've decided on a place. Right now, people often find out about extra costs like trash or internet fees only when they're about to sign the lease, making it hard to compare prices or back out. This bill would make sure all costs are clear from the start. Some landlords might say this makes renting more complicated for them, but for everyday Texans, it means no more guessing what their rent will truly be.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Increases landlord accountability for transparent pricing.. Landlords would be liable for $100 plus three times the undisclosed fee and attorney's fees if they don't disclose fees as required.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Strengthens tenant rights to clear and upfront pricing.. Tenants would have the right to receive full disclosure of all fees and charges before signing a lease or even applying, and recourse if not provided.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Landlords bear the cost of compliance and penalties.. Landlords would need to update their advertising, application, and lease forms to comply with new disclosure requirements, and face financial penalties for violations.
• Process Transparency (helps) — Significantly improves transparency for renters.. The bill requires landlords to disclose all fixed, recurring, one-time, and variable fees in advertisements, applications, and on the first page of the lease.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Favors consumer protection over landlord flexibility.. The bill prioritizes a tenant's right to clear pricing over a landlord's ability to structure fees without upfront disclosure.

Pushing for it: Tenants/Prospective Tenants ($100 + 3x fee + attorney's fees)
Bearing the cost: Landlords ($100 + 3x fee + attorney's fees)

• Official text (TX HB4305)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB4305
• LegiScan — HB4305https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB4305/2025

This bill would stop landlords from raising rent on low-income housing tenants while their lease is active, helping people keep their homes.

This bill would protect people living in low-income housing from sudden rent increases during their lease. If passed, landlords who get special tax credits to offer affordable housing would not be able to raise your rent until your lease is up. This means you would not have to worry about your rent going up unexpectedly in the middle of your agreement. It would help families plan their money better and keep their homes. Landlords might say this limits their business choices, but the bill only applies to housing that gets special tax help to be affordable.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Landlords would be held to rent stability terms.. The bill would make landlords who receive housing tax credits unable to raise rent during a tenant's lease, holding them accountable to the spirit of providing affordable housing.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Protects tenants from unexpected rent increases.. This bill would protect the right of low-income tenants to stable housing costs by preventing rent increases during their lease term.
• Who Bears the Cost (neutral) — Prevents cost increase for tenants, no new cost shift.. This bill would prevent a cost increase for tenants by stopping rent hikes. It does not create a new cost shift onto consumers, but rather limits potential profit for landlords who benefit from tax credits.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — No direct impact on transparency.. The bill's text does not address changes to process transparency.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — No new funding, just rules for existing programs.. The bill does not introduce new funding but sets rules for developments already supported by low-income housing tax credits.

Pushing for it: Low-income housing tenants
Bearing the cost: Landlords of low-income housing tax credit developments

• Official text (TX SB1155)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB1155
• LegiScan — SB1155https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/SB1155/2025

This bill would make landlords tell you about all extra fees before you sign a lease, so you know the full cost upfront.

This bill would help renters avoid surprise costs. Right now, landlords can sometimes add fees that you only find out about after you've decided to rent a place. This bill would make sure landlords tell you about all regular extra fees, like for pets or amenities, before you sign any papers. If they don't tell you, you wouldn't have to pay those fees. This means you can see the true cost of renting a place from the start. Some landlords might say it adds extra steps, but it helps people budget better and makes renting more fair. It's important to support this bill so everyone knows what they are paying for.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Landlords must be upfront. Landlords would be held accountable for disclosing all fixed, recurring fees before a lease is signed, preventing hidden costs for tenants.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Tenants protected from hidden fees. Tenants would gain the right to know all recurring fees upfront and would not be obligated to pay undisclosed fees, protecting their financial interests.
• Who Bears the Cost (helps) — Landlords bear transparency cost, tenants save. Landlords would bear the administrative cost of clear disclosure, while tenants would save money by avoiding unexpected or hidden fees.
• Process Transparency (helps) — Increases fee transparency. The bill directly increases transparency by requiring landlords to disclose all fixed, recurring fees before a lease is signed.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — No direct funding impact. The bill does not involve government funding or financial allocations.

Pushing for it: Tenants
Bearing the cost: Landlords

• Official text (TX SB759)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB759
• LegiScan — SB759https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/SB759/2025

This bill would stop certain teachers in Texas from paying fees to renew their licenses, helping them teach important subjects like nursing and engineering.

This bill would make it easier for people with valuable skills, like nurses, engineers, and plumbers, to teach at public colleges by removing a fee they currently pay. This could help more people become teachers in these important areas, making sure students have good instructors and helping to fill jobs that are needed. It is a good step to support educators and the future workforce.

Higher education instructors

• Accountability (neutral) — Neutral impact on accountability.. The bill does not directly address accountability for state agencies or individuals, focusing instead on fee waivers.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Helps instructors by removing a fee burden.. The bill would waive license renewal fees for faculty and adjunct professors teaching in specific high-demand fields at public institutions of higher education.
• Who Bears the Cost (helps) — Instructors would save money on renewal fees.. State agencies would waive license renewal fees for eligible instructors, meaning these instructors would no longer pay these fees.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — No impact on transparency.. The bill does not change how decisions are made or how information is shared with the public.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Benefits instructors directly.. Instructors in high-demand fields would save money by not having to pay license renewal fees.

Pushing for it: Certain instructors at public colleges
Bearing the cost: State agencies that collect license renewal fees

• Official text (TX HB3976)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB3976
• LegiScan — HB3976https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB3976/2025

This bill would make it easier to catch human traffickers and help victims by requiring more businesses to post warnings and train staff.

This bill would help protect people from human trafficking by making more businesses aware of the signs and requiring them to post helpful information. It would also make it easier for police to go after traffickers. This is a chance to make Texas safer for everyone, especially those who might be forced into bad situations.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Increases accountability for traffickers and expands reporting requirements.. The bill aims to strengthen the prosecution of human trafficking and related offenses, and expands the scope of entities required to post signs and provide training to identify victims, increasing overall accountability.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Enhances protections for potential victims of human trafficking.. By requiring training and public notices in more locations, the bill seeks to better identify and assist victims of human trafficking, thereby protecting their rights.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Businesses will incur costs for training and posting signs.. Tattoo studios, body piercing studios, and cosmetology facilities would need to provide employee training and post signs, incurring some operational costs.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — No direct impact on process transparency.. The bill focuses on criminal offenses and victim identification, not on making government processes more open.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — No specific funding changes mentioned.. The bill does not detail new state funding or appropriations, though businesses will bear training costs.

Pushing for it: Victims of human trafficking, the public
Bearing the cost: Human traffickers, businesses (for training/signage)

• Official text (TX SB741)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB741
• LegiScan — SB741https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/SB741/2025

This bill would stop some college teachers from paying fees to keep their licenses, making it easier for them to teach important jobs.

This bill would help teachers in important fields like nursing and engineering by letting them keep their licenses without paying renewal fees. This could make it easier for colleges to find and keep good teachers for these jobs. When more skilled teachers are available, students can learn these high-demand skills, which helps everyone. Citizens should care because it could mean better education and more skilled workers in Texas.

Workers

• Accountability (neutral) — Neutral impact. The bill does not change how instructors are held accountable for their work.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Helps instructors. The bill would remove a financial barrier for certain instructors to maintain their professional licenses, protecting their ability to teach.
• Who Bears the Cost (helps) — Cost shifted from instructors. The cost of license renewal fees would shift from individual instructors to the state agencies that would no longer collect those fees.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Standard process. The bill follows a standard legislative process and does not affect public transparency.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Benefits instructors. The bill would reduce revenue for state agencies by waiving license renewal fees for eligible instructors, benefiting those instructors financially.

Pushing for it: Certain instructors at public institutions of higher education
Bearing the cost: State agencies that issue licenses

• Official text (TX SB1969)https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB1969
• LegiScan — SB1969https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/SB1969/2025