Last updated: June 19, 2023
Texas’ 2023 Legislative Session is officially over, but our work isn’t done yet! Governor Abbott has until June 18 to sign bills, veto (reject) them, or let them pass into law without a signature. Now that the dust has settled, we’ve identified about 40 positive justice-related bills that still have a chance of becoming law (and a handful have already been approved by the Governor).
Although we’re happy to see some progress being made, we must be clear that not every bill on this list is as transformative and impactful as we would prefer. Many take positive steps but fall short of deeper progress. Most avoid investing entirely outside of the prison industrial complex.
For a long time—and particularly over the past three years—community members have been demanding real change. Alongside them, we’ve urged lawmakers to keep people out of prisons and jails, to make common-sense changes to parole and reentry, to protect the state’s most vulnerable kids, and to meaningfully address systemic racism. The end of this legislative session marks another milestone when Texas leaders have failed to deliver on the change that Texans deserve.
So while we spotlight the bills on this list and hope the Governor will take action to sign them into law, we know that we must go further. If you agree, we hope you’ll explore our supporter hub for ways to stay with us in the next part of our shared fight.
YOUTH JUSTICE BILLS
Court Proceedings and Juvenile Records
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HB 422 [VanDeaver; Burns; Cain; Leo-Wilson | Sponsor: Perry]
Relating to remotely conducting detention hearings in juvenile cases.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 6/13/23 | Bill analysis [HB 422] -
SB 1585 [Sparks; Perry | Sponsors: Ann Johnson; Wu]
Relating to certain proceedings in juvenile court for children with mental illness and intellectual disabilities.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [SB 1585] -
SB 1725 [Hughes | Sponsor: Leo-Wilson]
Relating to the expunction of certain convictions or arrests of a minor for certain alcohol-related offenses.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [SB 1725]
Diversion
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HB 3186 [Leach; Garcia; Morales Shaw | Sponsor: Zaffirini]
Relating to youth diversion strategies and procedures for children accused of certain fine-only offenses in municipal and justice courts and related criminal justice matters; authorizing fees.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 1/1/24 | Bill analysis [HB 3186]
Education Justice & School-Related Bills
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HB 473 [Hull | Sponsor: Sparks]
Relating to parental rights regarding a threat assessment of a student conducted by a public school’s threat assessment and safe and supportive school team.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 6/13/23 | Bill analysis [HB 473] -
HB 1211 [Guillen; Ramos; Plesa | Sponsor: Zaffirini]
Relating to financial assistance, including repayment of loans, for certain students attending postsecondary educational institutions.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [HB 1211] -
HB 3908 [Wilson | Sponsor: Creighton]
Relating to fentanyl abuse prevention and drug poisoning awareness education in public schools.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 6/17/23 | Bill analysis [HB 3908] -
SB 133 [West | Sponsors: Hull; Mary González; Cain; Moody; Lozano]
Relating to prohibiting the physical restraint of or use of chemical irritants or Tasers on certain public school students by peace officers and school security personnel under certain circumstances.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 6/18/23 | Bill analysis [SB 133] -
SB 629 [Menéndez | Sponsors: Talarico; Oliverson; Leo-Wilson; Howard; Zwiener]
Relating to the maintenance, administration, and disposal of opioid antagonists on public and private school campuses and to the permissible uses of money appropriated to a state agency from the opioid abatement account.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 6/18/23 | Bill analysis [SB 629] -
SB 798 [Middleton | Sponsor: Buckley]
Relating to the certification requirements for a public school counselor.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [SB 798]
Juvenile Curfews
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HB 1819 [Cook | Sponsor: Hughes]
Relating to the repeal of the authority of political subdivisions to adopt or enforce juvenile curfews.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [HB 1819]
Mental Health and Other Services for Kids
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HB 5195 [Senfronia Thompson | Sponsor: Johnson]
Relating to the services provided to certain children detained in a juvenile detention facility.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [HB 5195]
TJJD Sunset Bill
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SB 1727 [Schwertner; Johnson; Paxton; Perry; Springer | Sponsors: Canales; Dutton]
Relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, the functions of the office of independent ombudsman for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, and the powers and duties of the office of inspector general of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [SB 1727]
Note: This massive bill is meant to enhance compliance and regulation standards for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) while focusing on diversion. In our advocacy efforts throughout this legislative session, several harmful provisions that would have further criminalized children were removed. Unfortunately, the bill still includes a provision allowing for the retrofitting of adult prisons and jails to be utilized for children. This is a reversal of a change in code from SB 1630 in 2015.
While woefully insufficient for the radical structural transformation required to stop the century of brutality to Texas’ most vulnerable children, the Sunset bill does include some positive changes. We support the additional considerations for the regionalization plans and the advisory committees, which include a requirement for TJJD to consider “processes for downsizing, closing, or repurposing large state secure facilities to shift toward a more regionally-based juvenile justice system.”
Other positive changes include increased flexibility in funding within TJJD to prioritize diversion, improvements in aggregate data collection and publishing, and expansion of independent oversight of the department.
Truancy & Parental Impact
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HB 3917 [Buckley | Sponsor: Middleton]
Relating to dismissal of a complaint alleging a parent contributing to nonattendance on the parent's fulfillment of certain terms.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [HB 3917]
INDIGENT DEFENSE AND COURT-RELATED BILLS
Hypnotically Induced Testimony
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SB 338 [Hinojosa | Sponsor: Leach]
Relating to the use of hypnotically induced statements in a criminal trial.
Filed without the Governor's signature; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [SB 338]
Indigent Defense
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HB 409 [Collier | Sponsor: Zaffirini]
Relating to the governance and administration of the Texas Indigent Defense Commission and to certain disclosures made in relation to the provision of funding for indigent defense services.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [HB 409] -
SB 2120 [Zaffirini; Sparks | Sponsor: Cook]
Relating to the establishment of a family protection representation program within the Texas Indigent Defense Commission.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [SB 2120]
Judicial Accountability
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HB 841 [Ordaz; Leach; Moody | Sponsor: Middleton]
Relating to certain judicial statistics and related information gathered by the Texas Judicial Council.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [HB 841] -
HB 1182 [Harless | Sponsor: Whitmire]
Relating to judicial statistics and other pertinent information gathered by the Texas Judicial Council and certain populous counties.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [HB 1182]
BILLS RELATED TO WOMEN’S INCARCERATION & FAMILY JUSTICE
Family Justice & Child Welfare
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SB 1930 [Kolkhorst | Sponsors: Dutton; Garcia; Campos; Oliverson; Sherman, Sr.]
Relating to policies and procedures regarding children placed by the Department of Family and Protective Services in a residential treatment center or qualified residential treatment program.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [SB 1930]
Women’s Incarceration & Transportation
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SB 1146 [West | Sponsors: Klick; Moody; Rose; Leach; Swanson]
Relating to the medical transportation and care for certain inmates in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [SB 1146]
BILLS RELATED TO DECARCERATION, SENTENCING REFORM & COMMUNITY-BASED SUPPORTS
Mental Health Services
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HB 400 [Klick | Sponsor: Kolkhorst]
Relating to innovation grant programs to support residency training programs in psychiatric specialty fields and recruitment, training, and retention programs in behavioral health fields.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [HB 400] -
HB 2100 [Price | Sponsor: Schwertner]
Relating to eligibility requirements for student loan repayment assistance for certain mental health professionals.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [HB 2100] -
SB 26 [Kolkhorst; Alvarado; Bettencourt; Blanco; Campbell; et al. | Sponsor: Jetton]
Relating to local mental health authority and local behavioral health authority audits and mental and behavioral health reporting, services, and programs.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [SB 26] -
SB 532 [West | Sponsors: Kuempel; Mary González; Anchía]
Relating to providing mental health services information to certain higher education students and to the repayment of certain higher education loans.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [SB 532] -
SB 1677 [Perry | Sponsor: Price]
Relating to the establishment and administration of Health and Human Services Commission programs providing mental health services to certain individuals in this state.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [SB 1677]
Supports For and Awareness About Substance Use
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HB 1357 [Holland | Sponsor: Huffman]
Relating to Medicaid reimbursement for certain medication-assisted treatments for opioid or substance use disorder.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 6/13/23 | Bill analysis [HB 1357] -
HB 3144 [Lujan; Talarico; Rogers; Thimesch; Cunningham | Sponsor: Campbell]
Relating to designating October as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [HB 3144] -
SB 867 [West | Sponsors: Rose; Plesa]
Relating to the recipients of opioid antagonists under the opioid antagonist program.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 6/17/23 | Bill analysis [SB 867] -
SB 998 [West | Sponsor: Geren]
Relating to an opioid-related drug overdose training program for certain alcoholic beverage permit holders.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [SB 998]
BILLS RELATED TO CONFINEMENT IN STATE CORRECTIONS FACILITIES
In-Prison Education
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SB 526 [West | Sponsors: Cook; Garcia; Walle]
Relating to requiring prior approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to offer a degree or certificate program to certain persons who are incarcerated or subject to involuntary civil commitment.
VETOED – see the Governor's veto proclamation for SB 526 here -
SB 2158 [King | Sponsors: Murr; Talarico]
Relating to the establishment of an adult education pilot program by the Windham School District.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 5/23/23 | Bill analysis [SB 2158]
Visitation
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HB 2708 [Swanson; Venton Jones | Sponsor: Flores]
Relating to visitation policies for inmates and state jail felony defendants.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [HB 2708]
BILLS RELATED TO RELEASE FROM INCARCERATION & THE CONSEQUENCES OF A CONVICTION
Driving-Related Offenses
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SB 347 [Zaffirini | Sponsor: Harless]
Relating to the extension of a driver’s license suspension or disqualification following certain convictions.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [SB 347]
Post-Release Supports
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HB 299 [Murr; Wilson | Sponsor: Johnson]
Relating to the creation of a voluntary accreditation for recovery housing; authorizing fees.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [HB 299]
Note: Health and Safety Code Section 469.009 takes effect 9/1/25 -
HB 1743 [Leach; Noble; Venton Jones; Collier; Senfronia Thompson | Sponsor: West]
Relating to a memorandum of understanding between the Health and Human Services Commission and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to assess the eligibility of certain inmates for supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits on discharge or release from confinement.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 6/12/23 | Bill analysis [HB 1743]
State Jail Release
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HB 1710 [Canales | Sponsor: Hinojosa]
Relating to notice provided to a court regarding a defendant confined in a state jail felony facility.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/24 | Bill analysis [HB 1710]
BILLS RELATED TO OTHER JUSTICE ISSUES
Anti-Racism
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HB 567 [Bowers; Rose; Reynolds; Sherman, Sr.; Buckley | Sponsor: Miles]
Relating to discrimination on the basis of hair texture or protective hairstyle associated with race.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [HB 567]
Health Insurance for the Wrongfully Convicted
- HB 1455 [Anchía; Lambert; Bhojani; Rose; Garcia | Sponsor: Johnson]
Relating to health care benefits of persons wrongfully imprisoned.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [HB 1455]
Police Public Records
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HB 30 [Moody; Burrows; Slawson; Metcalf; Turner | Sponsor: King]
Relating to access to certain law enforcement, corrections, and prosecutorial records under the public information law.
Filed without the Governor's signature; effective on 9/1/23 | Bill analysis [HB 30]
TCJE Staff and Partner Resolutions!
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HR 1176 [Jarvis Johnson]
Recognizing April 2023 as Second Chance Month and honoring Cynthia Simons and Justin Martinez for their contributions as activists for criminal justice reform and rehabilitation.
Watch the video! -
HR 1177 [Jarvis Johnson]
Recognizing April 2023 as Second Chance Month and honoring Maggie Luna and Jennifer Toon for their contributions as activists for criminal justice reform and rehabilitation.
Watch the video!
