Legislative Blog

J.B. Williams, J.D.


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A Bit of Background

The following backgrounds help summarize the author's views on both the general topic: Texas and more specifically 88th Legislature Laws as it relates to that topic.

Brief Summary of Texas

Texas is truly a Republic. There are a multitude of items that to modify the state constitution must be modified. So there are times when Constitutional amendments are on the voting ballots. While I sometimes abhor the wording, the concept that all of those legally able to vote in Texas must vote on the change is a good one. And bills in Texas are generally short, making it easier for everyone to understand.

Summary of 88th Legislature Laws

The blogs here will discuss the laws passed by Congress and signed into law, as well as those, passed by Congress and approved by the voters to become law. There are a multitude of laws and each time I post blogs I will notate here the current effective date if it is different from prior blogs. I have worked my way through to the Transportation Code. The Utilities and Water Code will follow.

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Blog Summary

HB 2837 - No firearms code

HB 2900

HB 4034

HB 4041 - payment on contracts and judgements



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4 bills that modify several different Codes

Published: 2026-08-14

HB 2837 - 8 pages

This Act is meant to prevent surveilling, reporting, or tracking firearms, ammunition and accessories purchases. The International Organization for Standardization approved a new merchant category code for firearm and ammunition merchants. This was supposedly for assisting law enforcement in countering the financing of terrorism efforts. This sets the guide for unprecedented surveillance of Second Amendment activity. So this act is meant to prohibit the misuse of payment card processing systems to surveil, report, or otherwise discourage constitutionally protected firearm and ammunition purchases within Texas.

There are multiple definitions. Those facilitating electronic payment transactions cannot require use of firearms code. Sellers of firearms, ammunition, and firearms accessories may not use firearms code, they may use general merchandise retailer or sporting goods retailer codes. If the firearms code is used on any transaction, the payment card issuer must notify the payment card holder.

Notices must be made to entities violating by the attorney general. They do have time to cure the violations. The attorney general has the exclusive right to enforce the chapter. A person has the right to bring an action to obtain declaratory judgment or a judgment to enjoy the issuer from violating the code.

HB 2900 - 2 pages

The Act addresses the Trinity Bay Conservation District. The funds generated by ad valorem taxes may only be used for flood and drainage mitigation and to pay administrative costs.

HB 4034 - 7 pages

Disability and death benefits through the public retirement system for police and fire fighters. There use to be an applicable percentage list but it is now fixed at 2.5%. Later thee is a percentage hat started at 1.25% and reduced down based upon age, it is not set at 1.25 percent without reduction for age. The added rules for if the party in the retirement system dies.

HB 4041 - 13 pages

This is another claims to be paid out of state funds.

  1. Payment to confidential payee for overtime is - $23,058.11 & $23,267.52 & $18,157.51
  2. Payment to Concepcion Flores for replacement of void Aid to Families with Dependent Children warrant: $158
  3. Payment to confidential payee for replacement of void workers' compensation benefits warrant $70.08 & $52.56 & $122.64
  4. Payment to Patricia Young for replacement of void foster care aid warrants - $52,391.11
  5. Payment to confidential payee for replacement of void franchise tax refund warrant $21,346.79 & $26,901.71 & $131,524.46 & $4,160.85 & $32,182.80 & $90,496.21 & $49,059.50
  6. Payment to confidential payee for replacement of a void payroll warrant - $5,255.83
  7. Payment to Dallas County Southwestern Institute of Forensics Science for expert consult/biological analysis - $3,802.00
  8. Payment to Centre for Neuro Skills for physical therapy services - $8,880.00
  9. Payment to Yolanda Patricia Aquilar for replacement of a void unclaimed property warrant - $56,549.11
  10. Payment for confidential payee for replacement of void sales and use tax refund warrant - $11,208.22
  11. Payment to Management & Training Corporation for replacement of cancelled off-site medial healthcare warrant - $152,214.45
  12. Payment to confidential payee for void sales tax refund warrant $84,209.37 & $157.75 & $155.35 &
  13. Payment to confidential payee for replacement of void insurance premium refund warrant - $181,834.12
  14. Payment to University of Houston Treasurer's Office for Title IV-E training - $112,013.08
  15. Payment to Trulight127 for foster care services - $60,499.34
  16. Payment to Zoom Counseling and Rehab, Inc for replacement of canceled psychological services warrants - $294,965.15
  17. Payment to Hidalgo County for foster care Title IV-E contract - $7,026.22
  18. Payment to Hidalgo County for foster care Title IV-E legal services - $23,370.30
  19. Payment to Veterans Land Board DBA Frank M. Tejeda Texas State Veterans Home for nursing home services $134,358.75 - DBA Frank M. Tejeda Texas State Veterans Home & $80,941.14 and $96,143.76 - DBA William R. Courtney Texas State Veterans Home & $321,707.76 - DBA Lamun-Lusk-Sanchez Texas State Veterans Home & $118,449.47 - DBA Clyde W. Cosper Texas State Veterans Home & $202,449.31 - DBA Ambrosio Guillen Texas State Veterans Home & $111,563.04 - DBA Ussery-Roan Texas State Veterans Home & $331,574.04 - DBA Alfredo Gonzalez Texas State Veterans Home & $374,248.56 - DBA Watkins-Logan Texas State Veterans Home
  20. Payment to North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council for Emergency Medical Task Force - $392,640.00
  21. Payment to Stability Staffing and Consulting, LLC for reimbursement of medical staffing invoices and supplements - $86,880.51
  22. Payment to Angel Staffing, Inc for reimbursement for supplemental medical staffing invoices $3,666,785.98
  23. Payment to Angels of God Home Health LLC for community care $473.53
  24. Payment to NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Funds Inc for attorney fees and expenses $445,927.90
  25. Payment to Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, LLP for attorney fees and expenses $368,975.63
  26. Payment to Rolando L. Rios & Associates for attorney fees and expenses $166,444.37
  27. Payment to Texas RioGrande Legal Aid for attorney fees, appellate attorney fees, and expenses $658,084.35
  28. Payment to Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School for attorney fees, appellate attorney fees, and expenses $310,549.21
  29. Payment to Dechert LLP for attorney fees, appellate attorney fees, and expenses $1,517,193.59
  30. Payment to Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights under Law for attorney fees, appellate attorney fees, and expenses $665,994.59
  31. Payment to Mexican American Legislative Caucus of the Texas House of Representatives for attorney fees and expenses $41,366.04
  32. Payment to Texas State Conference of NAACP Branches for attorney fees and expenses $68,336.97
  33. Payment to Neil G. Baron for attorney fees and expenses $130,658.33
  34. Payment to Brazil & Dunn for attorney fees and expenses $1,096,842.19
  35. Payment to Campaign Legal Center for attorney fees, appellate attorney fees, and expenses $805,172.36
  36. Payment to Derfner & Altman for attorney fees $649,759.50
  37. Payment to Isela Cruncleton, Receiver Estate of Ignacia Rios Dominguez $100.14
  38. Payment to Remarkable Healthcare of Fort Worth, LP $3,484.77
  39. Payment to Allstate Insurance Company $402,094.94
  40. Payment to Chevron USA Inc $187,708.74

From the State Technology and Instructional Materials

  1. Payment to Scholastic Inc for replacement of void state technology & instruction material warrants $86,270.75

From the State Highway Fund

  1. Payment to University of Texas Rio Grande Valley for ocelot and juguarundi monitoring project $94,446.53
  2. Payment to City of Lewisville for signal equipment and installation in City of Lewisville $71,250
  3. Payment to Montgomery County, Texas for land acquisition reimbursement parcel 64 FM 1097 $723,783.40 and $180,257.40
  4. Payment to WSP USA, Inc for labor charges incurred for contract 12-51DP5108 $82,880.70
  5. Payment to City of Frisco for land acquisition sponsor reimbursement $21,146.40
  6. Payment to AECOM Technical Services, Inc for construction phase services/managing contracted advance services $117,976.83
  7. Payment to AT&T for engineering and construction charges $24,104.32

From Veterans Financial Assistance Program Fund 0374 - payment to Luis Gonzales for replacement of void refund $835.88

 


J.B. Williams, J.D.

4,312 federal laws were passed from 1995 through December 2016.
Along with 88,819 federal rules and regulations.


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