A First Look At Texas’s 89th Legislative Session: Opening Day Bill Highlights

An early peek at Texas lawmakers' agendas in 2025.

Today marks the pre-session filing opening of the Texas 89th Legislative Session. We’ve had a flurry of new bills being filed today. As of writing this, 1,511 bills have been filed. During the last legislative session, 920 were filed on the first day, and nearly 12,000 were filed throughout the session. Obviously, we aren’t discussing them all, but we will get into some of the good, the bad, and the downright bizarre.

• You can look up, read, and follow bills HERE.

The burst of bills on the first filing day gives us a glimpse into some of the legislators’ top priorities and where their heads are going in the session. Of course, more bills will come, maybe for the better or, the worse, but it’s easy to see who is working for the people of Texas and who is working for the billionaires or only focused on culture war issues.

This list is just a small sample of some of the bills in 2025. Not all of them will get a hearing, and even fewer will become law, but this list will tell you much about who is focused on what.

The bad. 👎🏻

Many of this session’s initial bills spotlight culture war issues, prioritizing restrictions on education, immigration, local governance, and even voting rights. While some lawmakers appear focused on polarizing policies targeting marginalized communities or stoking ideological divides, these proposals reveal an agenda that could impact everyday Texans. Here’s a look at some of the most concerning bills filed on day one.

The Culture War Against Clean Energy and Climate Intervention.

HB206 by Tom Craddick (R-HD82) restricts a county’s authority to require a cash bond as a condition for approving pipeline construction.

Brian Harrison (R-HD10) filed HB988, which would legally require Texas corporate directors to focus solely on shareholder value and ignore socially responsible and sustainable investing.

The Culture War On Education.

Book burner Jared Patterson (R-HD106) is still on a book-banning crusade. Today, he filed HB183 to establish a process for reviewing and regulating library materials in Texas public school libraries. Patterson also filed HB267, which would open librarians and teachers up for criminal prosecution if they distribute materials to children deemed “obscene” by the state.

The first Voucher bill, HB212, came from Briscoe Cain (R-HD132).

The Culture War On Immigrants.

Terri Leo-Wilson (R-HD23) was the first member to file a bill this morning. Her bill was HB160, which would remove the eligibility of in-state tuition rates for undocumented immigrants.

HB256 by Terri Leo-Wilson (R-HD23) mandates DNA tests of every refugee that shows up at our border. (Meanwhile, Texas still has a backlog of thousands of untested rape kits.)

Mano DeAyala (R-HD133) filed HB298, which mandates a person’s citizenship status be listed on a driver’s license or personal ID card.

HB354 by Briscoe Cain (R-HD128) creates Border Police, which would operate independently to address border-related concerns.

HB371 by Ben Bumgarner (R-HD63) would limit public school admission and educational funding eligibility for undocumented students.

The Culture War On People Of Color.

New Yorker Carl Tepper (R-HD84) may have dropped the most racist bill today. HB167 restricts Texas governmental entities from implementing or enforcing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. It also repeals specific sections of Texas codes that previously provided benefits for minority—or women-owned businesses.

HB170 by Ryan Guillen (R-HD31) states that those who use or threaten to use force or deadly force, if deemed justified under Chapter 9 of the Texas Penal Code, are immune from civil liability. In other words, if the state says a killing was justified (i.e., Stand Your Ground, Castle Doctrine, etc.), then you can’t be sued by the injured or estate of the deceased.

The Culture War On The LGBTQ+ Community.

HB229 by Ellen Troxclair (R-HD19) mandates that government entities in Texas collect and categorize sex data strictly based on biological sex.

Shelby Slawson (R-HD59) introduced HB239, which is designed to enforce strict regulations on the use of state- or county-owned private spaces (i.e., bathrooms, locker rooms, etc.) by biological sex.

HB344 by Carl Tepper (R-HD84) restricts school-based instruction or activities on sexual orientation and gender identity topics.

Nate Schatzline (R-HD93) filed HB1075, allowing minors to bring a civil lawsuit if they attend a drag performance for up to 10 years, even if their parent took them to the show.

Janie Lopex (R-HD37) filed HB1123, which requires genetic testing of child athletes for competition in K- 12 sports to ensure they aren’t transgender.

The Culture War On Local Control.

HB325 by Briscoe Cain (R-HD128) introduces a limit on municipalities’ and counties’ annual expenditures in Texas. It aims to control how much these local governments can spend each fiscal year.

The Culture War On Voting Rights.

Mike Schofield (R-HD132) introduced HB209, which would separate federal elections from state and local elections in Texas—the more elections, the less likely people are to vote regularly.

HB219 by Brooks Landgraf mandates that a person register to vote by providing a birth certificate or Real ID.

Briscoe Cain (R-HD128) introduced HB274, which would annex the City of Austin, turn it into a district (like Washington DC), and regulate its laws under the State Legislature, removing city representation.

HB342 by Richard Hayes (R-HD57) reduces polling locations.

The Culture War On Women.

Cody Vasut (R-HD25) filed HB732, banning the annulment of marriage on the grounds of impotence. Vasut also filed HB931 to establish a legal framework for “covenant marriages,” adding counseling requirements for both entry into marriage and divorce.

The Culture War With Christian Nationalism.

Steve Toth (R-HD15) filed HB194, which proposes allowing religious organizations to establish and operate faith-based child-care facilities for foster youth in Texas.

HB196 by Cody Vasut (R-HD25) adds to the Texas curriculum that life begins at conception.

The Culture War With Guns.

Briscoe Cain (R-HD128) filed HB162, which will ban red-flag laws in Texas 🤦🏻‍♀️.

HB259 by Richard Hayes (R-HD57) removes short-barrel firearms (such as sawed-off shotguns and short-barreled rifles) from being a prohibited weapon in Texas.

The good. 👍🏻

Amid the flurry of filings, there are bills aiming to address pressing issues for Texans, from education and healthcare to workers’ rights and environmental protections. These proposals reflect a commitment to improve the quality of life across the state, empower local communities, and expand civil liberties. Here’s a sample of the bills offering a positive vision for Texas in 2025.

Constitutional Rights.

HB224 by Jon Rosenthal (D-HD135) repeals the bans on free speech that prohibit government agencies from contracting with companies that boycott Israel, the firearms and ammunition industry, and fossil fuels. He’s calling it the “Freedom of Speech Act.”

Joe Moody (D-HD78) filed HD903, which would decriminalize homosexual conduct in Texas. (Yes, it’s still illegal, but unenforced based on the legalization through the Supreme Court.)

Education.

HB172 by James Talarico (D-HD50) introduces targeted funding for fine arts programs in Texas middle and high schools to enhance student access to arts education.

Christina Morales (D-HD145) filed HB178, which would add ethnic studies to the TEK’s social studies curriculum.

HB237 by John Bucy (D-HD136) would give teachers a $10,000 pay raise.

Environmental.

Richard Peña Raymond (D-HD142) jumped out of the gate with two bills focused on Texas’ water, which is currently in poor shape. HB156 directs the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to study how to protect public drinking water systems and wastewater treatment facilities. HB157 requires the TCEQ to produce an annual report on the state’s public drinking water systems.

Fighting Back Against Christian Nationalism.

HB168 by Jon Rosenthal (D-HD135) makes the legal age of marriage in Texas 18 and voids the marriage of a Texas minor who was legally married under the age of 18 in another state.

Housing.

HB158 by Richard Peña Raymond (D-HD142) mandates the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) to study surplus government property for housing veterans and low-income families.

Diago Bernal (D-HD123) filed HB164 to strengthen the regulation of migrant labor housing facilities in Texas, establishing new standards, penalties, and protections for occupants.

Public Safety.

HB226 by Terry Meza (D-HD105) creates a criminal penalty for manufacturing a firearm without a federal license.

Ann Johnson (D-HD134) filed HB234, which creates a red flag law. Johnson also filed HB313, which will limit access to semiautomatic rifles for individuals under 21, with specific exemptions for law enforcement, military members, and specific recreational activities.

HB253 by James Talarico (D-HD50) decriminalized fentanyl testing strips.

Women’s Rights.

Donna Howard (D-HD48) filed HB161, which will give excused absences from public school for students with a menstrual disorder.

HB257 by Donna Howard (D-HD48) bill broadens the circumstances under which abortions can legally occur in Texas, including ensuring that medically indicated abortions for physical and mental health, fetal anomalies, and life-threatening conditions.

HB302 by Jon Rosenthal (D-HD135) aims to protect employees’ reproductive autonomy by ensuring their reproductive decisions cannot legally impact their employment.

James Talarico (D-HD50) filed HB308, which will allow women in Texas to get a divorce while they are pregnant (which they currently cannot do). It also would ensure that issues surrounding custody, support, and other parent-child matters are adequately addressed in divorce cases involving a pregnancy.

Worker’s Rights.

HB182 by Terry Meza (D-HD105) requires rest breaks for construction employees on government contracts.

Armando Walle (D-HD140) filed HB193, raising the minimum wage to $15.

HB1077 by Lauren Simmons (D-HD146) would extend collective bargaining rights to all Texas employees.

Voting Rights.

HB311 by John Bucy (D-HD136) would allow Texans to register to vote electronically. Bucy also filed HB332, expanding voter ID to include student and official Native American IDs.

The bizarre. 😬

HB186 by Jared Patterson (R-HD106) bans the use of social media by anyone under 18. It’s probably safe to say Patterson has never been the parent of a teenager.

Ryan Guillen (R-HD31) filed HB187, which mandates that fathers must pay child support beginning at conception.

Ryan Guillen (R-HD31) won the award for weirdness on day one because HB207 prohibits the manufacturing of sex robots that look like children.

The bills filed on the first day of the Texas 89th Legislative Session set the tone for what promises to be a divisive, high-stakes legislative session.

Consider this “Part One. “In the coming weeks and months, we’ll dive deeper into more of the bills and priorities driving Texas politics in this session. (We haven’t even gotten into the Senate Bills yet—or the tax bills.)

From targeted attacks on education, clean energy, and voting rights to meaningful efforts to protect reproductive autonomy, environmental safety, and workers’ rights, we see a clear delineation of priorities among Texas lawmakers. Some are focused on advancing culture war agendas and cementing power, while others advocate for policies that address the pressing needs of Texans. As this session unfolds, Texans must stay informed, engaged, and ready to hold their representatives accountable—because what happens in Austin will shape the future of our state for years to come.

• December 9: House Administration Committee meets to debate rules.

• January 14: The 89th Legislative Session begins.

• March 14: The last day Legislators can file bills.

• June 2: The 89th Legislative Session ends.

LoneStarLeft’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Follow me on Facebook, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, and Instagram.