Legislative Blog

J.B. Williams, J.D.

6 bills that modify the Government Code

A Blog about 88th Legislature Laws

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 am currently posting bills that took effect immediately - those bills total 336. I am currently posting regarding larger bills, so each blog covers a single bill.

Blog Summary

Multiple small modifications to the Government code initiated in the Senate. One of which provides automatic inflation increases for low income housing credits.

6 bills that modify the Government Code

Published: 2025-09-04

Multiple short modifications

SB 222 - Creates paid leave for certain government employees that are members of the Employees Retirement System of Texas or employed by a board or commission or department in the executive branch. Creates 40 days of paid leave for the birth of a child. Creates 20 days of paid leave for a spouse's birth of a child, the birth of a child by a gestational surrogate, or the adoption of a child.

SB 271 - Adds local government to the requirements set out for notification of a security incident. A state agency was already held to these rules.

SB 281 - Previously a Committee designated a Texas poet laureate, a Texas state musician, a Texas state artist for 2-dimensional media; and a Texas state artist for 3-dimensional media. Now rather than a Texas state musician it becomes a Texas state musician for classical and a Texas state musician for nonclassical. By the way, they retain the designation for 1 year but are not paid in any way during that period.

HB 372 - Designates judicial work product as written, electronic, or oral material made in the course of adjudicating a proceeding before the court that determines legal rights, powers, duties or privileges. This includes all drafts of opinions and memoranda of law. Non-public judicial work product includes any work product other than documents filed with the clerk for release to the public or oral statements made in a closed session. This applies to courts other than commissioners courts.

Justices must comply with supreme court rules regarding confidentiality of non-public work product. Other court staff shall maintain confidentiality. A person, other than a justice, with access to non-public work product commits an office if they knowingly disclose, in whole or in part, the contents of any non-public judicial work product. It is a Class A misdemeanor. (So a justice that does so doesn't face a misdemeanor? I hope they face worse, like removal from the bench.)

SB 374 - The charge against a parole must be disposed of if it is only for an administrative violation of release. The disposal must be done before 41 days after the warrant is issued.

Before 91 days after a warrant, it must be disposed of if there is an alleged offense committed but no indictment, information, or complaint is filed.

SB 402 - Provides the order of preference for trial courts scheduling as follows:

1. temporary injunctions;
2. criminal actions - specifically as follows:
   • when defendants are held in jail;
   • involving a charge that an act of family violence was committed;
   • an offense involving murder, capital murder, continuous sexual abuse of a young child or disabled person, indecency with a child, assaultive offenses if the victim is under 17, prohibited sexual conduct if the victim is under 17, harboring a runaway child, sexual performance by a child, trafficking of a child or disabled person, or continuous trafficking
   • aggravated kidnapping and burglary
   • juvenile matters
3. election contests and suits under the Election code;
4. orders for protection of family
5. appeals of final rulings and decisions in workers' compensation matters
6. appeals of final orders of the commissioner of General Land Office
7. actions where claimant is diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, or other malignant asbestos-related cancer, silica-related cancer, or acute silicosis
8. appeals under the Tax code

 

J.B. Williams, J.D.

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