More than 800 new Texas laws went into effect Sept. 1

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(The Center Square) – More than 800 new laws were passed and signed into law this year that went into effect Sept. 1. 

Gov. Greg Abbott highlighted several key new laws, saying the regular legislative session “will be remembered as one of the most consequential in Texas history.”

The legislature is currently convened for a second special session to pass additional bills the governor added as priorities.

This year, the state legislature delivered on “bold promises” made to the people of Texas, Abbott said, including passing the state’s first school choice bill, a Parents’ Bill of Rights, a Teachers’ Bill of Rights, among other legislative priorities. “Texans will realize the results of many of these promises. The laws we passed reflect our values: safer communities, stronger schools, and a future built on freedom, faith, and hard work,” Abbott said.

New education laws that go into effect include SB 2, which created the state’s first Education Savings Account program and allocated $1 billion in funding for the 2026-2027 school year, The Center Square reported.

Another is HB 2, which allocated a record $8.5 billion in new funding for public education and a historic $4 billion for teacher and staff pay raises, The Center Square reported. Another is HB 120, which expands career training and programs in high schools and technical colleges for trades like welding, plumbing and electrical work.

Another is SB 12, the Parents’ Bill of Rights, which includes several provisions, including requiring sex education to be “opt in,” prohibiting gender ideology taught in K–12 schools, enforcing biological sex in sports (“No boys in girls’ sports”), expanding medical decisions and transparency for parents, among others, The Center Square reported.

Another antiabortion law is now in effect, SB 33, which prohibits local governments from financially or logistically supporting abortions. After signing it into law, Abbott said, “Texas has passed more pro-life legislation than any state in the United States,” The Center Square reported.

Multiple new laws are in effect related to public safety. One is another bail reform law, SB 9, which allows prosecutors to appeal bail decisions in violent crime cases involving repeat felons. It also ensures that only elected judges may reduce the amount or conditions for bail, The Center Square reported.

Another is SB 17, which prohibits countries of foreign concern, their citizens and organizations connected to them, and transnational criminal organization and foreign terrorist organization members from acquiring real property in Texas.

“Hostile foreign adversaries like China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, as well as foreign terrorist organizations like Tren de Aragua, must not be allowed to own land in Texas,” Abbott said, The Center Square reported.

Others include HB 128, which prohibits local governments from entering into agreements with foreign adversaries; SB 1349, which creates a criminal offense for transnational repression; HB 150, which creates a Texas Cyber Command to address ongoing cyber threats facing Texas; HB 2306, which eliminates parole for a defendant convicted of human trafficking when the victim is a child or disabled; and SB 1212, which enhances the ability to prosecute human traffickers and increases penalties.

New laws are in effect to support veterans, The Center Square reported. They include SB 1814, which creates an electronic database of contact information for service members leaving active duty who give consent in order to provide them with resources; SB 1818, to help veteran-owned businesses with licensing issues; and HB 114, which consolidates state agency responsibilities and resources to assist veterans.

A new election integrity law is also in effect, HB 5115, which makes counting invalid votes or refusing to count valid votes an election fraud offense; it also increases penalties.

“These reforms represent not just legislative victories, but long-term wins for Texas families, students, small business owners, and communities across the state,” the governor said.

A full list of new laws can be found here.