With the 89th Texas legislative session underway, Houston-area lawmakers have begun working on hundreds of bills they hope to pass into law. Priorities for local representatives and senators include power line durability, enhancing Texas’s electric grid and school board elections.

Lawmakers across the state have been filing bills for the 89th session since Nov. 12 with a filing deadline of March 14. The session is scheduled to end June 2, barring no special sessions are called.

Check out some of the bills filed by Houston-area lawmakers this legislative session.

1. Houston could see buried power lines following study to analyze cost

After more than 2.2 million customers lost power during Hurricane Beryl, Texas lawmakers are requesting a study through House Bill 842 on the cost and feasibility of burying power lines in the Gulf Coast region.

The bill filed by Rep. Suleman Lalani, D-Sugar Land, calls for the study to include all areas in the state within 150 miles of the Gulf of Mexico, according to the draft legislation. The study would explore the potential:

• Cost of burying existing power lines
• Cost of maintaining and repairing underground power lines
• Cost saving analysis with reduced weather-related power outages
• Technologies developed or tested by the Department of Energy

If passed, the bill calls for all results and recommendations by the commission to be submitted to the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the house by Sept. 1, 2026.

A similar bill has been filed by State Rep. David Cook, R-District 96, although he proposed the study explore the costs and benefits of burying power lines in metropolitan areas including Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio.

2. House bill seeks to change school board elections

House Bill 955 from state Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, aims to officially make school board candidates sign on with a political party in order to run for office, as well as expanding the mandatory term period from three to four years.

Texas Election Code outlines school board officials as a nonpartisan position which is subject to election for three- or four-year terms. However, the new bill would require school board candidates to run in both a primary and general election before gaining the seat.

If passed, independent school districts would have until December to reschedule their regular election timeframes to adhere to the new requirements.

3. New bill targets ban on e-cigarette stores near schools

County and city governments would be able to ban e-cigarette stores from operating within 300 feet of a public or private school campus through House Bill 1183.

The bill was filed by Rep. Charles Cunningham, R-Humble, on Nov. 12, and also includes:

• Measures to ban e-cigarette stores within 1,000 feet of a school, if requested by a school or school district’s governing body
• Exceptions for retailers who make less than 50% of their gross receipts from e-cigarettes

With vaping as the top form of tobacco use for U.S. middle and high school students—according to a 2024 survey from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration—Texas lawmakers have been cracking down on student e-cigarette use. Bills passed in previous sessions include House Bill 114, which was signed into law in 2023 and increased punishments for individuals caught vaping at school, as previously reported by Community Impact.4. Maintenance district to be considered for Lake Houston

A new board-governed maintenance district will be created for Lake Houston, should House Bill 1532 be approved during the 89th legislative session.

Filed by Rep. Charles Cunningham, R-Humble, HB 1532 would establish the Lake Houston Dredging and Maintenance District, which would cover Lake Houston in Harris County’s boundaries. According to the bill, the district would:

• Coordinate the removal of lake sediment and debris to “restore, maintain or expand” the lake’s capacity and to move storm flows
• Have the ability to issue bonds
• Not be allowed to impose a tax or charge a fee
• Be permitted to seek grants to fund operations

The district could receive a maximum of $125 million per year in state funding, according to the draft legislation. Its board would be made up by seven directors selected by Harris County Commissioners Court, Houston City Council, the county judge of Harris County and the mayor of the city of Houston.



5. Lawmakers seek the creation of a statewide grid security commission

Texas lawmakers are seeking once again to create a Texas Grid Security Commission to provide oversight into the state’s electric grid stability following an initial attempt during the 88th legislative session in 2023.

According to the draft legislation for Senate Bill 75, the commission would be responsible for evaluating municipalities across the state for their ability to maintain power during a power crisis. The commission would also look into the viability of nuclear power in the state, according to the legislation.

The commissioners would be comprised of six members including representatives from:

• Texas Department of Emergency Management
• Texas Railroad Commission
• Electric Reliability Council of Texas
• A representative for power generation utilities (appointed by TDEM)
• A representative for transmission and distribution utilities (appointed by TDEM)

The commission was first proposed in the 88th legislative session in 2023 following the effects of Winter Storm Uri on the state. The legislation did not make it through the house before the closure of the session, which delayed the creation of the commission. However, 17 state senators including Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, and Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, have authored the new bill. In the Texas House, Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, has also filed a companion bill supporting the creation of the commission.

The bill has not yet been assigned in either chamber to a committee for further review.