by Dallas, TX – More than 830 new laws officially take effect in Texas starting Monday, September 1, 2025, impacting nearly every area of daily life — from schools and healthcare to crime prevention, technology, housing, and agriculture. Lawmakers passed hundreds of bills during the most recent legislative session, and several key measures are drawing statewide attention.
Education Changes in Texas Schools
Several high-profile education laws are now in effect:
- SB 2: Education Savings Accounts (School Vouchers) – Creates a taxpayer-funded program for private school tuition. Implementation is planned for the 2026–27 school year.
- SB 10: Ten Commandments in Schools – Requires donated copies of the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms.
- SB 11: Mandatory Prayer/Bible Reading – Allows schools to schedule structured time for prayer or Bible reading during class.
- HB 1586: Vaccine Exemptions – Makes it easier for parents to download exemption forms online instead of contacting the health department.
- SB 12: Parental Rights in Education – Bans diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in K–12 schools and prohibits staff from supporting students with gender-based name or pronoun changes.
- HB 1481: Cell Phone Ban – Requires school boards to adopt policies limiting phone use during school hours.
- HB 27: Financial Literacy Course – Mandates all Texas high school students complete a personal finance class before graduation.
These measures significantly reshape classroom environments, particularly around religion, parental oversight, and technology use.
Healthcare: Cannabis, Organ Transplants, and Crisis Services
Healthcare legislation also takes a big leap:
- HB 46: Medical Cannabis Expansion – Adds Crohn’s disease and traumatic brain injuries as qualifying conditions for the Texas Compassionate Use Program. The law also allows prescription cannabis vapes.
- HB 4076: Organ Transplant Protections – Prevents denial of transplants based on vaccination status.
- HB 1052: Telehealth Expansion – Expands coverage for telemedicine across state lines.
- SB 1257: Gender Transition Reversal Coverage – Requires insurers to cover reversal procedures, sparking controversy among LGBTQ+ advocates.
- HB 5342: 988 Crisis Hotline – Provides major funding for Texas’ suicide prevention hotline.
- HB 2187: Nurse Overtime Protections – Limits mandatory overtime and bans retaliation against nurses who refuse excessive shifts.
Together, these laws mark a shift toward expanded access in some areas (cannabis, telehealth, crisis services), while also introducing new restrictions around gender-related healthcare.
Crime and Public Safety
Lawmakers also targeted crime, human trafficking, and road violence:
- HB 1902: Jugging Law – Makes it a felony to rob people followed from banks or ATMs.
- HB 742, HB 754, SB 955, SB 1212 – Increase penalties for human trafficking and require specialized training for first responders.
- SB 835 (Trey’s Law) – Bans nondisclosure agreements in sexual abuse cases.
- HB 2000: Grooming Penalty – Requires convicted groomers to register as sex offenders.
- HB 2017 & SB 745 – Toughen penalties for intoxication manslaughter, especially for undocumented offenders.
- SB 31: Road Rage Shootings – Makes firing a gun from a vehicle at another car or building a felony.
- HB 1443: Ban on Child-Like Sex Dolls – Criminalizes ownership of dolls resembling minors.
The focus here is stricter punishments and more protection for vulnerable groups.
Technology and Artificial Intelligence
Texas also passed landmark tech and AI legislation:
- HB 150: Texas Cyber Command – Establishes a new cyber defense entity.
- HB 3133 & SB 2373: Deepfake Regulation – Addresses AI-generated explicit content and scam prevention.
- HB 2818 & SB 1964: AI Oversight – Introduces regulations for AI use in state government.
- HB 4751: Texas Quantum Initiative – Allocates funds for quantum computing research.
These measures show Texas’ push to balance innovation with regulation, especially as AI scams and deepfake risks rise nationwide.
Read Also: Houston Tragedy: 11-Year-Old Fatally Shot After Ringing Doorbell in ‘Prank Gone Wrong’
Other Notable Laws
- Abortion: SB 31 allows limited exceptions; SB 33 bans government funding for abortion-related assistance.
- Agriculture: SB 261 bans lab-grown meat; SB 17 restricts foreign land purchases.
- Elections: Multiple bills increase penalties for election-related offenses.
- Guns: SB 706 recognizes out-of-state handgun licenses; SB 1362 bans red flag laws.
- Housing: Several bills reform property taxes, limit city moratoriums, and regulate university housing partnerships.
- Medicine: HB 163 expands access to EpiPens in schools.
- Local DFW: HB 2198 names Kaufman County roadway in honor of Officer Jacob Candanoza.
What It Means for Texans
From schools and healthcare to technology and crime prevention, these new laws bring sweeping changes that Texans will notice in everyday life. While some expand freedoms, others add restrictions, sparking debate on how far state lawmakers should go in shaping education, health, and civil rights.
What do you think about these new Texas laws? Do you support the education and crime changes, or do you think lawmakers went too far? Share your thoughts in the comments on ibwhsmag.com.
