When the clock struck midnight on September 1, Texas entered a new legal landscape. More than 830 bills passed during the 89th Legislative Session are now in effect, reshaping everything from schools to water infrastructure to property rights.
The Texas Legislature has been busier than usual this year. With Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick leading the Senate and newly elected House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) running the lower chamber, lawmakers advanced a wide slate of conservative priorities. While the Legislature remains in its second special session to address issues like flood relief, redistricting, and a possible ban on hemp-derived THC, the regular session produced some of the most sweeping policy changes in years.
Senate Priorities: Patrick’s Fast-Tracked Agenda
Lt. Gov. Patrick is known for running a tight ship in the Senate, and lawmakers delivered on most of his 40 priority bills. Among the highlights:
SB 1: The State Budget – A $338 billion two-year spending plan, with 70% earmarked for education and health services. It also funds property tax relief and infrastructure investments in energy, water, and broadband.
SB 2: School Choice – A long-fought win for Gov. Greg Abbott, this bill creates one of the nation’s largest voucher-style programs. Families will be able to use tax dollars for private school tuition and other educational expenses beginning in the 2026–2027 school year.
SB 10 & SB 11: Religion in Schools – One law mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, while the other protects the right to pray in school. A federal judge has already temporarily blocked parts of SB 10, signaling legal battles ahead.
SB 12 & SB 13: Parents’ Rights in Education – These measures ban DEI initiatives in K–12 schools and give parents more say over what books are available in school libraries. Supporters say this increases parental control, while critics warn of censorship.
SB 17: Foreign Land Ownership Ban – Restricts residents, businesses, and governments tied to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from buying land in Texas.
SB 33: Abortion Travel Ban – Prevents cities and counties from funding travel for out-of-state abortions.
SB 835 “Trey’s Law” – Bans nondisclosure agreements in child sexual abuse and trafficking cases, ensuring survivors can speak out.
Other Senate bills addressed housing affordability (SB 15), wildfire response (SB 34), homeland security (SB 36), and combating AI-generated child exploitation (SB 20).
House Wins Under Speaker Burrows
The Texas House, led by Speaker Dustin Burrows, had a slower start. Some Republicans expressed frustration mid-session about the pace of conservative priorities. But by May’s end, the House had passed 33 priority bills that now take effect.
Key measures include:
HB 2: Public School Funding Boost – Provides $8.5 billion in new education spending, with more than half directed at teacher pay raises.
HB 33: “Uvalde Strong Act” – Establishes a unified law enforcement response to school shootings, mandates annual safety reviews, and requires after-action reports following active shooter incidents.
HB 46: Medical Cannabis Expansion – Expands eligibility for Texas’ low-dose medical marijuana program to include chronic pain, Crohn’s disease, and traumatic brain injuries. Vaporized forms are now permitted.
HB 229: Defining Sex in State Law – Defines “male” and “female” based on reproductive systems across Texas law. Critics argue this erases recognition of transgender residents.
A Surge in New Laws
In total, Gov. Abbott signed 1,155 bills this year:
Over 200 laws took effect immediately, such as the school cellphone ban, property tax cuts, abortion law clarifications, and energy grid reforms.
Around 830 measures became law on September 1, ranging from school choice and faculty oversight to land ownership restrictions.
Future measures—like stricter bail rules and a $3 billion dementia research fund—will need voter approval in November before taking effect.
This year’s total laws outpaces recent sessions: 774 in 2023 and 666 in 2021.
What Texans Should Watch
Several of these new laws are already facing legal challenges, particularly around education, parental rights, and religious expression. For example, SB 10’s Ten Commandments requirement is temporarily blocked for major school districts, and SB 12’s restrictions on LGBTQ-related instruction are being challenged in court.
Meanwhile, voters will have a say in November on constitutional amendments that could reshape state funding for water, bail reform, and dementia research.
Final Take
The 89th Legislative Session cemented Texas’ reputation as a testing ground for conservative policymaking. With school choice, parental rights, religious displays, land ownership restrictions, and medical cannabis expansion all moving forward, Texans are set to feel these changes in classrooms, neighborhoods, and courtrooms alike.
