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. Bills targeting Harris County toll road funds roars back to life
Senate Bill 2722 and its companion House Bill 5177 made moves in the House and Senate after being left pending in committees in early April. The bills aim to change how funds collected by the Harris County Toll Road Authority are distributed by having 30%-70% of net revenue paid out to counties which have toll roads within their boundaries.
SB 2722 stalled in the Senate Committee on Transportation on March 27, before an amendment to clarify the bill would not impact any revenues collected by HCTRA for the Austin area after the agency took over TxTAG operations in November was presented and approved in committee on April 22.
The Senate version of the bill will now go before a full vote of the Senate, while in the House, HB 5177 has been rescheduled for a public hearing in the House Committee on Transportation on April 24 after being removed from future schedules on April 7.
2. Bill targeting child welfare system reform making headway
House Bill 2216, filed by Rep. Lacey Hull, R-Houston, would extend the legal standards Native American families receive under the Indian Child Welfare Act to all Texans. The bill would require strong evidence before removing children from their homes and emphasizes placing them with relatives when possible.
“[HB 2216] simply mirrors the Indian Child Welfare Act. [ICWA] is the gold standard for child welfare cases, and all Texas families deserve it,” Hull said during a March 25 hearing.
This bill was placed by the House of Representatives on the General State Calendar for consideration on April 23, according to the Texas Legislature Online.
Another bill targeting foster care reform—HB 194, filed by Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands—was referred to the Human Services committee on Feb. 27, but has not moved to the next stage, according to TLO. The bill would allow religious organizations to establish faith-based child care facilities for children in the foster care system.
3. Lake Houston district bill moves to next steps with edits
A new board-governed maintenance district for Lake Houston is one step closer to being created as lawmakers move House Bill 1532 through the process of becoming law.
Filed by Cunningham, HB 1532 would establish the Lake Houston Dredging and Maintenance District, which would cover 1,748 square miles of Lake Houston in Harris County’s boundaries, according to the Texas Legislature Online. The bill was placed on the House’s Local, Consent, and Res. Calendar for April 25.
4. New grant program could provide aid to homeowners during hurricanes, windstorms
A new program proposed in Senate Bill 2924 and House Bill 1576 by Sen. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, and Rep. Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress, would create a state-sponsored grant program which would help fund the repairs of single-family homes from hurricanes and windstorms.
According to the National Flood Insurance Program, nearly $6.5 billion in claims were paid out in high-risk flood zone areas for single family homes across Texas in 2024.
5. Veterans could be added a new category for historically underutilized businesses
Senate Bill 390, authored by Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, could add veteran-owned businesses as a historically underutilized business, which are frequently considered when choosing businesses for state, city and county project contracting. Only service-disabled veterans who have a disability of at least 20% are eligible currently.
According to the Office of the Texas Comptroller's website, historically underutilized businesses include:
- Asian Pacific American
- Black American
- Hispanic American
- Native American
- American women
- Service-disabled veterans with a service-related disability of 20% or greater
Contributions by Ryan Reynolds
