2019 Bills That Are Still Moving or Have Become Law

May 27, 2019

Last updated: August 29, 2019

It’s Sine Die – the last day of legislative session – and TCJC is thrilled that so many positive bills have progressed to the Governor’s desk. A few have already become law!

The Governor now has a 20-day period to review the bills and either sign them into law, let them pass into law without his signature, or veto them.

Below we have provided a list of nearly 90 bills and resolutions that are awaiting the Governor’s signature, or have already become law. Bookmark this page – we’ll update it over these next 20 days!

And stay tuned: When all is said and done, we’ll have a full recap of what happened this session, with bill analyses for everything that becomes law.

NOTE: The bills with asterisks below were priority bills on TCJC’s legislative agenda.

YOUTH JUSTICE BILLS

School-Related Reforms

HB 18 [Price, Huberty, Senfronia Thompson, Coleman, Greg Bonnen | Sponsor: Watson]
Relating to consideration of the mental health of public school students in training requirements for certain school employees, curriculum requirements, counseling programs, educational programs, state and regional programs and services, and health care services for students and to mental health first aid program training and reporting regarding local mental health authority and school district personnel.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 12/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 19 [Price, Huberty, Senfronia Thompson, Coleman, Greg Bonnen | Sponsor: Watson]
Relating to mental health and substance use resources for certain school districts.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 65 [Eric Johnson | Sponsor: West]
Relating to reporting information regarding public school disciplinary actions.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/14/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 548 [Canales | Sponsor: Lucio]
Relating to reporting certain information through the Public Education Information Management System.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 906 [Senfronia Thompson, Phelan, Moody, Greg Bonnen, Coleman | Sponsor: Powell]
Relating to the establishment of a collaborative task force to study certain public school mental health services.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/14/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 2184 [Allen, White, Wu, Phelan, Morales | Sponsor: Huffman]
Relating to a public school student's transition from an alternative education program to a regular classroom.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/10/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 3630 [Meyer, Mary González, Shaheen | Sponsor: Lucio]
Relating to prohibiting the use of certain aversive techniques on students enrolled in public schools.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/14/2019 | Bill analysis
SB 435 [Nelson | Sponsors: Price, Sheffield, Minjarez, Rose, VanDeaver]
Relating to recommendations by local school health advisory councils regarding opioid addiction and abuse education in public schools.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 5/31/2019 | Bill analysis
SB 712 [Lucio | Sponsors: Meyer, Mary González, Shaheen]
Relating to prohibiting the use of certain aversive techniques on students enrolled in public schools.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/10/2019 | Bill analysis
SB 1746 [Miles | Sponsors: White, Reynolds, Rose]
Relating to the inclusion of certain students as students at risk of dropping out of school.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/2/2019 | Bill analysis

Supports for Young People in Foster Care or Who are Homeless

HB 53 [Minjarez, Miller, Klick, Clardy | Sponsor: Powell]
Relating to the transitional living services program for certain youth in foster care.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 123 [White, Klick, Miller, Minjarez, Rose | Sponsor: Watson]
Relating to personal identification documents for foster children or youth or homeless children or youth.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 475 [Howard, Wu | Sponsor: Watson]
Relating to information for foster children who are pregnant or minor parents.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 692 [White, Wu | Sponsor: Watson]
Relating to the suspension of a student who is homeless from public school.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/7/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 811 [White, Wu | Sponsor: West]
Relating to determining appropriate disciplinary action to be taken against a public school student who is in foster care or who is homeless.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 5/24/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 1702 [Howard, Stucky, Frank, Minjarez | Sponsor: Hancock]
Relating to services provided for students at public institutions of higher education who are or were in foster care.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 5/29/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 2229 [Jarvis Johnson | Sponsor: Whitmire]
Relating to a report of information concerning juvenile offenders committed to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department who have been in foster care.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/10/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 2564 [White, Button | Sponsor: Lucio]
Relating to addressing the needs of homeless youth.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
SB 355 [West | Sponsor: Klick]
Relating to developing a strategic plan regarding implementation of prevention and early intervention services and community-based care and conducting a study regarding the resources provided to foster parents.
Filed without the Governor’s signature; effective immediately, 6/14/2019 | Bill analysis

Improvements to Juvenile Court Processes & Expansion of Record Sealing

HB 1760 [White, Wu | Sponsor: Perry]
Relating to the confidentiality, sharing, sealing, and destruction of juvenile records and certain records of at-risk youth.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 1771 [Thierry, Dutton, Senfronia Thompson, Shaheen, Miller | Sponsor: Huffman]
Relating to a prohibition on prosecuting or referring to juvenile court certain persons for certain conduct constituting the offense of prostitution and to the provision of services to those persons.
VETOED
HB 2737 [Wu, Dutton, White, Leach, Frank | Sponsor: Johnson]
Relating to judicial guidance related to child protective services cases and juvenile cases.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 3648 [Guillen | Sponsor: Whitmire]
Relating to the powers and duties of the office of independent ombudsman for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.
VETOED

BILLS RELATED TO DECARCERATION, SENTENCING REFORM & COMMUNITY-BASED SUPPORTS

Safe Diversions from Incarceration & Support for Community-Based Substance Use and Mental Health Treatment

HB 374 [Allen, Bowers | Sponsor: Miles]
Relating to meetings or visits between a defendant on community supervision and a supervision officer.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 1070 [Price, Senfronia Thompson, Coleman, Greg Bonnen, Sheffield | Sponsor: Watson]
Relating to the mental health first aid training program reporting requirements.
Signed by the Governor | Bill analysis
HB 2813 [Price, Raymond | Sponsor: Nelson]
Relating to the statewide behavioral health coordinating council.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/10/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 2955 [Price, Murr, Moody, Minjarez | Sponsor: Zaffirini]
Relating to oversight of specialty court programs.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 3529 [Gutierrez | Sponsor: Menéndez]
Relating to the creation of a family violence pretrial diversion pilot program in Bexar County.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/10/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 3540 [Burns, Raymond, Collier | Sponsor: Hughes]
Relating to the authority of a peace officer to release in lieu of arrest certain persons with an intellectual or developmental disability.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 3980 [Hunter | Sponsor: Menéndez]
Relating to a requirement that the Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council prepare a report regarding suicide rates in this state and state efforts to prevent suicides.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/14/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 4429 [Blanco | Sponsor: Menéndez]
Relating to mental health first aid training for veterans and immediate family members of veterans.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 4468 [Coleman, Yvonne Davis, Collier | Sponsor: Whitmire]
Relating to county jails and community mental health programs in certain counties.
Filed without the Governor’s signature; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HCR 137 [Hunter | Sponsor: Menéndez]
Designating September as Suicide Prevention Month for a 10-year period beginning in 2019.
Signed by the Governor | Bill analysis
HCR 148 [Landgraf, Flynn, Miller, Tinderholt, Blanco | Sponsor: Campbell]
Designating June as Veteran Suicide and PTSD Awareness Month for a 10-year period beginning in 2019.
Signed by the Governor | Bill analysis
SB 306 [Watson | Sponsor: Israel]
Relating to the release by a peace officer of certain individuals suspected of the offense of public intoxication.
Filed without the Governor’s signature; effective immediately, 4/25/2019 | Bill analysis
SB 633 [Kolkhorst | Sponsors: Lambert, Guillen]
Relating to an initiative to increase the capacity of local mental health authorities to provide access to mental health services in certain counties.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/14/2019 | Bill analysis
SB 822 [Nelson | Sponsor: Flynn]
Relating to the administration of a grant program to support community mental health programs for veterans and their families.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 5/31/2019 | Bill analysis
SB 1180 [Menéndez | Sponsor: Lopez]
Relating to reporting regarding veterans treatment court programs.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
SB 1636 [Zaffirini | Sponsor: Price]
Relating to an annual report prepared by the Health Professions Council.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/10/2019 | Bill analysis

Opioid-Related Reforms

HB 405 [Minjarez, Howard, Hinojosa, Ortega, Cecil Bell | Sponsor: Kolkhorst]
Relating to designating June as Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Awareness Month.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 3285 [Sheffield, Zerwas, Price, Moody, Klick | Sponsor: Huffman]
Relating to programs and initiatives to prevent and respond to opioid addiction, misuse, abuse, and overdose and identify and treat co-occurring substance use disorders and mental illness.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
SB 340 [Huffman | Sponsors: Phil King, Guillen, Parker, Sheffield]
Relating to the creation of a grant program to assist law enforcement agencies with the purchase of opioid antagonists.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/10/2019 | Bill analysis
SB 436 [Nelson | Sponsors: Price, Rose, Minjarez, Sheffield, VanDeaver]
Relating to statewide initiatives to improve maternal and newborn health for women with opioid use disorder.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/7/2019 | Bill analysis

Human and Sexual Trafficking-Related Reforms

HB 111 [Mary González, Meyer, Button | Sponsor: Fallon]
Relating to public school policy and training for public school employees addressing the prevention of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and other maltreatment of certain children.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 292 [Senfronia Thompson, Landgraf, Calanni, Julie Johnson | Sponsor: Huffman]
Relating to inclusion of instruction on the trafficking of persons in the basic training curriculum for peace officers.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 403 [Senfronia Thompson | Sponsor: Huffman]
Relating to training requirements for a member of the board of trustees and the superintendent of an independent school district regarding sexual abuse, human trafficking, and other maltreatment of children.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 2059 [Blanco | Sponsor: Taylor]
Relating to required human trafficking prevention training as a condition of registration permit or license renewal for certain health care practitioners.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 3078 [Senfronia Thompson, Moody, Parker, White, Allen | Sponsor: Zaffirini]
Relating to the review of clemency applications from certain persons who were victims of human trafficking or family violence.
VETOED
HB 3800 [Senfronia Thompson, Lopez, Collier | Sponsor: Huffman]
Relating to required reporting of human trafficking cases by certain law enforcement entities and by prosecutors.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HCR 35 [Miller, Shaheen, Charles "Doc" Anderson | Sponsor: Huffman]
Recognizing human trafficking as a public health issue.
Signed by the Governor | Bill analysis
SB 72 [Nelson | Sponsor: Guillen]
Relating to the establishment and duties of the human trafficking prevention coordinating council.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
SB 1219 [Alvarado | Sponsor: Senfronia Thompson]
Relating to human trafficking signs at certain transportation hubs.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis

Sentencing-Related Reforms & Penalty Reductions

*** HB 1279 [Allen | Sponsor: Menéndez]
Relating to jury instructions regarding parole eligibility.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 427 [Shaheen, Krause, Zedler, Cortez, Raymond | Sponsor: Hughes]
Relating to the punishment for the offense of fraudulent destruction, removal, or concealment of a writing that is attached to tangible property; enhancing a criminal penalty.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 446 [Moody, Stickland, Oliverson, Frullo | Sponsor: Perry]
Relating to the criminal consequences of engaging in certain conduct with respect to certain instruments designed, made, or adapted for use in striking a person.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 1325 [Tracy O. King, Larson, Gutierrez, Rodriguez, Burrows | Sponsor: Perry]
Relating to the production and regulation of hemp; requiring occupational licenses; authorizing fees; creating criminal offenses; providing civil and administrative penalties.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/10/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 2835 [Canales | Sponsor: Alvarado]
Relating to a defense to prosecution for the criminal offense of operating a vehicle with an expired license plate.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 3582 [Murr, Moody, White, Wray, Wu | Sponsor: Menéndez]
Relating to the punishment for certain intoxication offenses, the conditions of bond for defendants charged with certain intoxication offenses, and the eligibility for deferred adjudication community supervision of defendants who committed certain intoxication offenses.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis

WOMEN’S JUSTICE BILLS

State-Level Reforms

*** HB 650 [White, Klick, Howard, Neave, Meza | Sponsor: Whitmire]
Relating to inmates of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
*** HB 812 [White | Sponsor: Whitmire]
Relating to the amount of the health care services fee paid by certain inmates.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
*** HB 1374 [Hernandez, Neave, Guillen | Sponsor: Whitmire]
Relating to grants for the development and operation of pretrial intervention programs for pregnant defendants and defendants who are the primary caretaker of a child.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/14/2019 | Bill analysis
*** HB 3227 [Howard, Jarvis Johnson, Allen, White | Sponsor: Huffman]
Relating to the availability of and access to certain programs and services for persons in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
NOTE: This bill includes an amendment to increase access to peer support services for individuals incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 405 [Minjarez, Howard, Hinojosa, Ortega, Cecil Bell | Sponsor: Kolkhorst]
Relating to designating June as Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Awareness Month.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
SB 436 [Nelson | Sponsors: Price, Rose, Minjarez, Sheffield, VanDeaver]
Relating to statewide initiatives to improve maternal and newborn health for women with opioid use disorder.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/7/2019 | Bill analysis

County-Level Reforms

*** HB 1651 [Mary González, White, Charles "Doc" Anderson | Sponsor: Alvarado]
Relating to the care of pregnant women confined in county jail.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
*** HB 2169 [Allen, Rosenthal, Wu, Ramos, Neave | Sponsor: Whitmire]
Relating to reporting concerning female prisoners who are confined in county jails and to the provision of feminine hygiene products to female prisoners.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis

BILLS RELATED TO CONFINEMENT IN STATE OR LOCAL CORRECTIONS FACILITIES

State-Level Reform

*** HB 812 [White | Sponsor: Whitmire]
Relating to the amount of the health care services fee paid by certain inmates.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
*** HB 3227 [Howard, Jarvis Johnson, Allen, White | Sponsor: Huffman]
Relating to the availability of and access to certain programs and services for persons in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
NOTE: This bill includes an amendment to increase access to peer support services for individuals incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 1191 [Jarvis Johnson, Wu, Ramos, Morales | Sponsor: Whitmire]
Relating to an annual report concerning the number of inmates who have been in the conservatorship of a state agency responsible for providing child protective services.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis

County-Level Reforms

HB 3116 [White | Sponsor: West]
Relating to the establishment of a task force to conduct a comprehensive study on best practice standards for the detention of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 4468 [Coleman, Yvonne Davis, Collier | Sponsor: Whitmire]
Relating to county jails and community mental health programs in certain counties.
Filed without the Governor’s signature; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
SB 1700 [Whitmire | Sponsor: Miller]
Relating to the discharge of a prisoner from a county jail.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis

REENTRY & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BILLS

Improved Access to Employment and Economic Opportunity

*** HB 1342 [Leach, Allen, Toth, Jarvis Johnson, Rose | Sponsor: Hinojosa]
Relating to a person's eligibility for an occupational license; providing an administrative penalty.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 700 [Guillen | Sponsor: Powell]
Relating to the use of the skills development fund by certain entities and a study and report regarding the effectiveness of that fund.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 714 [Lucio III, Lopez | Sponsor: Rodríguez]
Relating to a reemployment program available to certain veterans placed on community supervision for a misdemeanor offense.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/2/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 918 [White; Yvonne Davis; Sherman, Sr. | Sponsor: Johnson]
Relating to providing discharged or released inmates with certain documents, including documents to assist the inmate in obtaining employment.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 1/1/2020 | Bill analysis
HB 1483 [Frank, Goldman, Deshotel, Miller, Rose | Sponsor: Perry]
Relating to a pilot program for assisting certain recipients of public benefits to gain permanent self-sufficiency.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 5/27/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 2784 [Phelan; Romero, Jr.; Blanco; Burrows; Israel | Sponsor: Alvarado]
Relating to the creation of the Texas Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs Grant Program.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 3511 [VanDeaver, Anchia, Senfronia Thompson, Murphy, Lozano | Sponsor: Alvarado]
Relating to the creation of the Commission on Texas Workforce of the Future.
VETOED
SB 37 [Zaffirini | Sponsors: Krause, Hernandez, Blanco, Oliverson, Shaheen]
Relating to a prohibition on the use of student loan default or breach of a student loan repayment or scholarship contract as a ground for refusal to grant or renew an occupational license or other disciplinary action in relation to an occupational license.
Signed by the Governor; effective immediately, 6/7/2019 | Bill analysis
SB 1531 [Hancock | Sponsor: White]
Relating to the eligibility for certain occupational licenses and the use of a person's criminal history as grounds for certain actions related to the license.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis

Reduction in Long-Term Impact of a Conviction

HB 162 [White | Sponsor: Zaffirini]
Relating to the period of certain driver's license suspensions.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
SB 550 [West | Sponsor: Senfronia Thompson]
Relating to the eligibility of certain criminal defendants for an order of nondisclosure of criminal history record information.
VETOED

Recognition for TCJC Staff & Other Formerly Incarcerated Individuals

HR 1268 [Allen]
Recognizing April 2019 as Second Chance Month.
Enrolled

BILLS RELATED TO OTHER JUSTICE ISSUES

Policing-Related Reforms

HB 1386 [Senfronia Thompson | Sponsor: Zaffirini]
Relating to training and development activities for persons who may interact with an individual with autism or other pervasive developmental disorder.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 4236 [Charles "Doc" Anderson | Sponsor: Birdwell]
Relating to permitting the viewing of certain body worn camera recordings.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis

Fee & Surcharge-Related Reforms

HB 435 [Shaheen, Thierry, Smith | Sponsor: Zaffirini]
Relating to the maintenance of information entered into a fee record.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 1631 [Stickland, Collier, Burrows, Senfronia Thompson | Sponsor: Hall]
Relating to prohibiting the use of photographic traffic signal enforcement systems.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 2048 [Zerwas, Darby, Krause, Sarah Davis, Howard | Sponsor: Huffman]
Relating to the repeal of the driver responsibility program and the amount and allocation of state traffic fine funds; eliminating program surcharges; authorizing and increasing criminal fines; increasing a fee.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis
HB 2475 [Guillen | Sponsor: Zaffirini]
Relating to the indigent status of a person for purposes of the driver responsibility program.
VETOED

Defense-Related Reform

SB 583 [Hinojosa | Sponsor: Rose]
Relating to the appointment of a local public defender's office to represent indigent defendants in criminal cases.
Signed by the Governor; effective on 9/1/2019 | Bill analysis