AUSTIN, Texas — Dozens of bills were passed in each chamber of the 87th Texas Legislature this week as the May 31 deadline approaches.
Tuesday, May 25, was the last day the House could take initial votes on Senate bills that aren't contested and Wednesday, May 26, was the last day the Senate could vote on bills from either chamber.
Here is a look at some of the notable bills:
HB 1900: Prevents large cities from defunding police. House accepted Senate amendments on May 28 and it is now going to the governor's desk.
SB 69: Prohibits chokeholds by police. The Senate accepted House amendments on May 28 and it is now going to the governor's desk.
SB 25: Allows essential caregivers for nursing home residents for in-person visitation. On May 30, it was signed in the Senate after senators accepted House amendments two days prior.
HB 1925: A statewide ban on public camping of homeless individuals passed on May 28 in the Texas House, with amendments in the senate. It heads to the governor's desk
SB 69: The House passed this bill on Tuesday, May 25, banning police officers from using chokeholds during an arrest. It prohibits them from applying pressure to someone's throat, neck or torso in ways that impede breathing or blood flow. The bill was signed in the Senate on May 30.
HB 17: Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law this bill to prevent Texas cities from banning natural gas. It is effective immediately.
SB 23: The House passed a bill that requires large counties to get voter approval to decrease law enforcement budgets. As it passed, this only impacts 10 counties. This bill was originally the Senate's response to "defunding the police," but the House made several changes.
SB 1111: A bill that stops people from registering to vote using commercial P.O. boxes is headed to the governor's desk. Debate in the Legislature focused on churches and nonprofits that allow homeless people to use their P.O. boxes to register to vote, which would not be allowed.
HB 3712: The Senate passed this police training reform bill on Tuesday, May 25. The bill was reported enrolled by the House on May 30.
HB 1423: The Senate passed a bill that requires annual inspections of long-term care facilities (nursing homes) and tracking of staffing. The bill was amended, so it headed back to the House, where it was signed on May 30.
HB 1935: Senate passed a bill to allow pharmacies to give patients 30-day amounts of emergency insulin and glucose monitoring supplies. The bill was amended to add monitoring supplies, so it headed back to the House, where it was signed on May 30.
HB 2366: Senate passed this bill to increase the offense for using lasers or fireworks against police, as was done in the protests last year, making it a felony offense. This heads to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk.
HB 2675: The senate passed a bill to allow for an "at-risk license to carry" designation for people who need a gun because they are at risk of family violence. This heads to Gov. Abbott's desk.
HB 4293: Senate passed a bill to create a text-reminder system for defendants to go to court. This bill was amended, so it headed back to the House. The bill was reported enrolled by the House on May 30.
HB 3920: Senate passed this bill to allow women to vote by mail if they are going to have a baby three weeks before or after election day. It now heads to Gov. Abbott's desk.
HB 2622: Senate passed this bill making Texas a second amendment sanctuary state; it says Texas won't enforce federal gun laws that are not state law. It heads to Gov. Abbott's desk.
HB 1900: Senate passed the bill to punish large cities – with a population of more than 250,000 – that decrease police funding. If they decrease funding they can't increase property taxes or fees and can't annex any areas; they can ask the governor for an exemption. The Senate amended the bill so it headed back to the House.
HB 1927: Senate adopted a conference committee report on permitless carry, sending the bill to the governor's desk.
SB 2: House passed a bill to restructure PUC and increase oversight of ERCOT; the bill was amended, so it headed back to the Senate. It is now headed to the governor's desk.
SB 3: House passed Winter Storm Uri response bill, which secures the power grid; the bill was amended, so it headed back to the Senate. It is now headed to the governor's desk.
SB 25: House passed SB 25, allowing people to designate an essential caregiver that must be allowed into long-term care facilities; the bill was amended, so it headed back to Senate, where it was signed on May 30.
SB 6: House passed a bill to prevent frivolous COVID-19-related lawsuits against businesses; the House amended the bill, so it went back to the Senate, where it was signed on May 30.
SB 24: House passed the bill requiring police departments to review files of people before they hire them so that officers with a negative history aren't passed from department to department. The bill heads to Gov. Abbott's desk.
SB 1955: House passed a bill stopping local government regulation of learning pods, which gained popularity during the pandemic. The bill heads to Gov. Abbott's desk.
SB 623: This bill creates new sexual harassment protocols for the Texas military department; the bill was amended, so it headed back to the Senate, where it was signed on May 30.
HB 1382: The House concurred with Senate amendments to this bill to require the SOS to develop an online tool to allow people who vote by mail to track their ballots; the bill heads to Gov. Abbott's desk.
SB 4: The Star-Spangled Banner Act, which would require professional sports teams to play the national anthem at games if they have a contract to get subsidies/tax dollars from a governmental entity. This bill is headed to Gov. Abbott's desk.
SJR 19: House passed a bill to let voters make SB25 law so the government can't waive it. SB 25 allows people to designate an essential caregiver that must be allowed into long-term care facilities. It was signed by both chambers on May 29.
SB 7: On Sunday morning, the Senate approved SB 7, which includes provisions to limit early voting hours, curtail local voting options and further tighten voting-by-mail. Later the same night, House Democrats staged a walkout, preventing a vote on the legislation before a fatal deadline.
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