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Texas lawmakers waste no time filing bills for upcoming session

By
FOX Local
Texas Politics
Published November 10, 2026 5:15 PM CST
Published November 10, 2026 5:15 PM CST
article

The Brief

    • Texas lawmakers wasted no time filing legislation for the upcoming session, with more than 1,200 bills being filed on Monday.
    • Some bills include repealing the state's education savings program, repealing parts of the state's abortion ban and strengthening the state's gun laws.
    • Other measures would legalize cannabis in the state and establish a redistricting committee, while limiting how often the state's congressional lines can be redrawn.

Monday marked the first day Texas lawmakers could file bills for the upcoming session, and they wasted no time, filing more than 1,000 bills and resolutions across the House and Senate in preparation for January.

The state legislature finds itself in a position it hasn't been in for decades with Democratic control in the House and a Republican majority in the Senate, but the lieutenant governor will be a Democrat in January.

Lawmakers filed 1,262 bills and resolutions Monday. Some proposals include repealing the state's school voucher program, adding restrictions and reporting requirements for data centers and limiting immigration enforcement by sheriff's offices. Other proposals would expand Medicaid eligibility, establish a redistricting committee and add restrictions on firearms.

Just because a bill is filed does not mean it will be heard on the legislative floor or even in a committee.

Bills concerning healthcare, reproductive rights

  • Rep. John Bucy (D-Austin) filed HB 101 and HB 102, which would expand Medicaid access in the state.
  • Rep. Donna Howard (D-Austin) filed a bill to repeal the state's abortion ban and its ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
  • Bucy also introduced HJR 24, which would propose a constitutional amendment that would establish a right to person reproductive autonomy.
  • HJR 68, filed by incoming Democratic Rep. Samantha Lopez-Resendez, would propose a constitutional amendment prohibiting the legislature from restricting abortion rights.

Data Centers

  • Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) introduced legislation that would ban data centers from being eligible for certain state and local tax breaks.
  • HB 734 by Vince Perez would require all agreements between municipalities and data centers to be publicly available.
  • Several bills were filed that look to remove the data center sales tax exemptions.

Immigration

  • Perez also filed HB 818 which would stop state and local governments from entering into or renewing agreements to hold people in civil immigration detention and from using public resources to support those facilities.
  • Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio) filed HB 257 which would require an audit of Operation Lone Star.
  • HB 424 by Rep. Claudia Ordaz (D-El Paso) would stop sheriff's offices that enter agreements with ICE from targeting children for immigration enforcement at schools, hospitals, churches and other designated locations.

Redistricting

  • Rep. Ron Reynolds (D-Missouri City) proposed two constitutional amendments that would limit when the state could perform redistricting, HJR 53 and HJR 55.
  • Several bills were filed to establish an independent redistricting committee.

Education

  • HB 164 from Bucy and SB 106 filed by Sen. Jose Mendez would repeal the state's education savings accounts
  • HB 172 by Rep. Maria "Lulu" Flores (D-Austin) would put menstrual products in public schools.
  • HB 212 by Rep. Jared Patterson (R-Frisco) would prohibit minors from using certain social media platforms.
  • Menendez also filed SB 115 which would end the requirement to display the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms.

Cannabis

  • Several legislators filed bills that would allow adults over 21 years of age to possess, use and transport cannabis. Bucy and Rep. Joe Moody each filed bills that would allow for up to two ounces of cannabis, including no more than 15 grams of concentrate. Up to 12 plants could also be grown for personal use. 
  • HB 667 from Moody would reduce penalties for marijuana concentrates
  • HB 330 by Rep. Mihaela Plesa would put conditions that cause menstrual cramps, such s premenstrual dysphoric disorder or dysmenorrhea, under Texas' compassionate use program.
  • HB 507 by Bucy would prevent state agencies and local governments from drug testing most employees and independent contractors for cannabinoids or penalizing them for legally using low-THC medical cannabis or consumable hemp products.

Gun control

  • HB 218 introduced by Rep. Ann Johnson (D-Houston) would create "extreme risk protective orders," or red flag laws that allow a petitioner to request a judge's order that firearms be temporarily removed from a person's possession if the judge beleives that person is dangerous.
  • Zaffirini's SB 80 would make it a state jail felony for anyone under 21 to purchase an "assault weapon." The bill defines an assault weapon as any centerfire rifle that has a pistol grip, folding stock, threaded barrel, or detachable magazine holding more than 10 rounds.
  • Moody introduced HB 173, which would make it a crime to transfer most semi-automatic rifles to those under 21.
  • HB 606 by Rep. Suleman Lalani (D-Sugar Land) would ban anyone under 21 from purchasing any firearm.
  • Other bills introduced would expand mandatory background checks for firearm transfers and prohibit sex offenders from purchasing or possessing firearms.

The Source: Information in this article comes from the Texas legislature.

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