(Friday, August 15, 2025)

In obedience to the Proclamation of the Honorable Greg Abbott, Governor of the State of Texas, the Senate met in the Senate Chamber of the State Capitol at Austin, Texas, on the 15th day of August, 2025, 12:54 p.m. and was called to order by the Honorable Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor and President of the Senate.

The President directed the Secretary of the Senate to call the roll of the Senate.

The roll was called and the following Senators were present:  Alvarado, Bettencourt, Birdwell, Blanco, Campbell, Creighton, Eckhardt, Flores, Gutierrez, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, J. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Menéndez, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks, West, Zaffirini.

Absent-excused:  Cook, Johnson, Miles.

The President announced that a quorum of the Senate was present.

Senator Paxton offered the invocation as follows:

Father, we come in gratitude today for the opportunity to serve You, to serve our fellow Texans in this place, in the Texas Senate. We pray that You would send Your spirit of love and truth into this Chamber and that You would cause our spirits to resonate with Yours that we would operate in love and wisdom and encourage and do what is good and right. It is in the name of Jesus, who has saved us, who keeps us saved, and who's coming again, that I pray. Amen.

The following Proclamation by the Governor was read and was filed with the Secretary of the Senate:

PROCLAMATION
BY THE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF TEXAS

TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME:

I, GREG ABBOTT, Governor of the State of Texas, by the authority vested in me by Article III, Sections 5(a) and 40, and Article IV, Section 8(a) of the Texas Constitution, do hereby call Special Session #2 of the 89th Legislature, to convene in the City of Austin, commencing at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, August 15, 2025, for the following purposes:

To consider and act upon the following:

Legislation to ensure and enhance youth camp safety.

Legislation to improve early warning systems and other preparedness infrastructure in flood-prone areas throughout Texas.

Legislation to strengthen emergency communications and other response infrastructure in flood-prone areas throughout Texas.

Legislation to provide relief funding for response to and recovery from the storms which began in early July 2025, including local match funding for jurisdictions eligible for FEMA public assistance.

Legislation to evaluate and streamline rules and regulations to speed preparedness and recovery from natural disasters.

Legislation to eliminate the STAAR test and replace it with effective tools to assess student progress and ensure school district accountability.

Legislation reducing the property tax burden on Texans and legislation imposing spending limits on entities authorized to impose property taxes.

Legislation making it a crime to provide hemp-derived products to children under 21.

Legislation to comprehensively regulate hemp-derived products, including limiting potency, restricting synthetically modified compounds, and establishing enforcement mechanisms, all without banning lawful hemp- derived products.

Legislation further protecting unborn children and their mothers from the harm of abortion.

Legislation prohibiting taxpayer-funded lobbying, including the use of tax dollars to hire lobbyists and payment of tax dollars to associations that lobby the Legislature.

Legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 1278 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, that protects victims of human trafficking from criminal liability for non-violent acts closely tied to their own victimization.

Legislation that protects law enforcement officers from public disclosure of unsubstantiated complaints in personnel files.

Legislation protecting women's privacy in sex-segregated spaces.

Legislation that strengthens the Attorney General's authority to investigate and prosecute state election crimes.

Legislation that provides a congressional redistricting plan.

Legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 648 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, that provides strengthened protections against title theft and deed fraud.

Legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 1253 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, that authorizes political subdivisions to reduce impact fees for builders who include water conservation and efficiency measures.

Legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 2878 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, relating to the operation and administration of the Judicial Department of state government.

The Secretary of State will take notice of this action and will notify the members of the legislature of my action.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and have officially caused the Seal of State to be affixed at my office in the City of Austin, Texas, this the 15th day of August, 2025.

(Seal)

/s/Greg Abbott

Governor

Attested by:

/s/Jane Nelson

Secretary of State

On motion of Senator Zaffirini, Senator Cook was granted leave of absence for today on account of important business in the district.

On motion of Senator Zaffirini, Senator Johnson was granted leave of absence for today on account of important business in the district.

On motion of Senator Zaffirini, Senator Miles was granted leave of absence for today on account of important business in the district.

The following bills were introduced, read first time, and referred to the committees indicated:

SB 2 by Perry, Alvarado, Bettencourt, Birdwell, Blanco, Campbell, Creighton, Eckhardt, Flores, Gutierrez, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, J. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Menéndez, Middleton, Miles, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Schwertner, Sparks, West, Zaffirini

Relating to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery; requiring a license; authorizing fees.

To Committee on Finance.

SB 3 by Bettencourt, Alvarado, Birdwell, Blanco, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Gutierrez, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, J. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Menéndez, Middleton, Miles, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks, West, Zaffirini

Relating to outdoor warning sirens in flood-prone areas.

To Committee on Finance.

SB 4 by King, Creighton, Hughes, Middleton, Parker, Paxton, Sparks

Relating to the composition of the districts for the election of members of the United States House of Representatives from the State of Texas.

To Committee on Congressional Redistricting.

SB 5 by Huffman, Bettencourt, Blanco, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hall, J. Hinojosa, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Menéndez, Middleton, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, West, Zaffirini

Relating to making supplemental appropriations for disaster relief and giving direction and adjustment authority regarding those appropriations.

To Committee on Finance.

SB 6 by Perry, Bettencourt, Birdwell, Blanco, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, J. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Schwertner, Sparks

Relating to the regulation of certain products derived from hemp, including consumable hemp products and the hemp-derived cannabinoids contained in those products; requiring occupational licenses and registrations; imposing fees; creating criminal offenses; authorizing an administrative penalty.

To Committee on State Affairs.

SB 7 by Hughes, Campbell, Creighton, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, King, Middleton, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner

Relating to abortion, including civil liability for the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs, exemptions from the Texas Citizens Participation Act and Religious Freedom Restoration Act, authorizing civil and qui tam actions, amendments to the fee-shifting statute governing abortion litigation, immunity defenses and limits on state-court jurisdiction and relief, the parens patriae standing of the attorney general, and the jurisdiction of the Fifteenth Court of Appeals; providing for severability.

To Committee on State Affairs.

SB 8 by Middleton, Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Paxton, Sparks

Relating to the designation and use of certain spaces and facilities according to sex; authorizing a civil penalty and a private civil right of action.

To Committee on State Affairs.

SB 9 by Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks

Relating to public school accountability and transparency, including the implementation of an instructionally supportive assessment program and the adoption and administration of assessment instruments in public schools, indicators of achievement, public school performance ratings, and interventions and sanctions under the public school accountability system, a grant program for school district local accountability plans, and actions challenging Texas Education Agency decisions related to public school accountability.

To Committee on Finance.

SB 10 by Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Schwertner, Sparks

Relating to the calculation of the voter-approval tax rate for certain taxing units.

To Committee on Finance.

SB 11 by Parker, Alvarado, Bettencourt, Blanco, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, J. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Menéndez, Middleton, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks, West, Zaffirini

Relating to an affirmative defense to prosecution for certain victims of trafficking of persons or compelling prostitution.

To Committee on State Affairs.

SB 12 by Hughes, Bettencourt, Campbell, Creighton, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, King, Middleton, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks

Relating to the duty of the attorney general to prosecute criminal offenses prescribed by the election laws of this state.

To Committee on State Affairs.

SB 13 by Middleton, Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, King, Kolkhorst, Parker, Paxton, Schwertner, Sparks

Relating to the use by a political subdivision of public funds for lobbying activities.

To Committee on State Affairs.

SB 14 by Perry, Alvarado, Bettencourt, Birdwell, Blanco, Campbell, Creighton, Eckhardt, Flores, Gutierrez, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, J. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Menéndez, Middleton, Miles, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Schwertner, Sparks, West, Zaffirini

Relating to the provision by a political subdivision of credits against impact fees to builders and developers for certain water conservation and reuse projects.

To Committee on Finance.

SB 15 by King, Bettencourt, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, A. Hinojosa, Kolkhorst, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner

Relating to certain files maintained by a law enforcement agency regarding certain employees of the agency.

To Committee on State Affairs.

SB 16 by West, Alvarado, Bettencourt, Blanco, Campbell, Creighton, Eckhardt, Flores, Gutierrez, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, J. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, Johnson, King, Menéndez, Middleton, Miles, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks

Relating to real property theft and real property fraud; establishing recording requirements for certain documents concerning real property; creating the criminal offenses of real property theft and real property fraud and establishing a statute of limitations, restitution, and certain procedures with respect to those offenses.

To Committee on Finance.

SB 17 by Hughes, Bettencourt, Campbell, Creighton, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, King, Middleton, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks, West, Zaffirini

Relating to the operation and administration of and practices and procedures related to proceedings in the judicial branch of state government, including court security, court documents and arrest warrants, document delivery, juvenile boards, constitutional amendment election challenges, record retention, youth diversion, court-ordered mental health services, the powers of the Texas Supreme Court, and jurors; increasing a criminal penalty; authorizing fees.

To Committee on State Affairs.

SB 18 by Zaffirini, Alvarado, Bettencourt, Birdwell, Blanco, Campbell, Eckhardt, Flores, A. Hinojosa, J. Hinojosa, King, Menéndez, Paxton, Perry

Relating to an exemption from the requirement to obtain a permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for certain dams or reservoirs operated and maintained for the purposes of erosion, floodwater, and sediment control.

To Committee on Finance.

SB 34 by Huffman

Relating to testimony or the production of evidence before a house of the legislature or legislative committee.

To Committee on Finance.

Senator Hall submitted the following Motion In Writing:

Mr. President:

I move to suspend Senate Rules 7.09, 11.10, 11.18 and 11.19 to permit the consideration of the following bills at public hearings held immediately upon adjournment today, notwithstanding any requests for advance notice pursuant to the rules:

By the Committee on Finance in Room E1.036 (Finance Room):

SB 2 by Perry

SB 3 by Bettencourt

SB 5 by Huffman

SB 9 by Bettencourt

SB 10 by Bettencourt

SB 14 by Perry

SB 16 by West

SB 18 by Zaffirini

SB 34 by Huffman

By the Committee on State Affairs in Room E1.028:

SB 6 by Perry

SB 7 by Hughes

SB 8 by Middleton

SB 11 by Parker

SB 12 by Hughes

SB 13 by Middleton

SB 15 by King

SB 17 by Hughes

HALL

The Motion In Writing was read and prevailed by the following vote:  Yeas 23, Nays 4.

Yeas:  Bettencourt, Birdwell, Blanco, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, J. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks, West, Zaffirini.

Nays:  Alvarado, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, Menéndez.

Absent-excused:  Cook, Johnson, Miles.

On motion of Senator Zaffirini and by unanimous consent, the Senate at 1:08 p.m. agreed to adjourn, pending the receipt of committee reports, until 5:00 p.m. Monday, August 18, 2025.

Pursuant to a previously adopted motion, the Senate at 7:55 p.m. Sunday, August 17, 2025, adjourned until 5:00 p.m. tomorrow.

The following committee reports were received by the Secretary of the Senate in the order listed:

FINANCE — SB 2, SB 3, SB 5, SB 9, SB 10, SB 14, SB 16, SB 18, SB 34

STATE AFFAIRS — SB 6, SB 7, SB 8, SB 11, SB 12, SB 13, SB 15, SB 17

CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING, SPECIAL — SB 4