Bill Watch

Would prohibit people under 21 from purchasing or possessing firearms meeting the bill's defined 'assault weapon' criteria, and restrict transfers to that age group. Includes specified military/law-enforcement defenses and a prior-lawful-possession defense.

Practical impact: Would create misdemeanor and felony offenses for specified conduct if enacted; proposed effective date September 1, 2027.

Last action: Filed November 9, 2026

Source classification: Official introduced bill text

Would authorize adults 21 and older to possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis (including no more than 15 grams of concentrate), grow up to 12 secured plants for personal use, and establish state licensing of cannabis businesses, with county voter approval required for local operations.

Practical impact: Would create a regulated adult-use market and new licensing requirements if enacted. Public-use, school, vehicle and impaired-driving restrictions remain in the bill. Proposed effective date September 1, 2027.

Last action: Filed November 9, 2026

Source classification: Official introduced bill text

Would provide one $1,500 payment per qualifying household whose usual residence was in Texas on January 1, 2027, with an adult or emancipated-minor representative. No income test is proposed. Citizenship is not expressly listed as an eligibility condition in contemporary bill descriptions; final verification rules are unresolved. Full eligibility analysis: https://average-american.net/research/texas-sb297-1500-household-check-eligibility

Practical impact: Would appropriate up to $17 billion from the Rainy Day Fund for payments and administration. At $1,500 per household, the fund covers about 11.33 million households before expenses; potential funding shortfall and constitutional approval hurdles remain.

Last action: Filed for the 2027 legislative session; not enacted as of November 11, 2026

Source classification: Official bill history; reporting on filed proposal

Fox News and KTSA report Hinojosa intends to declare a high-cost emergency after taking office and attempt to freeze residential electricity rates. This is a proposed executive action, not a filed bill or enacted rate freeze.

Practical impact: If legally implemented, some residential rate increases could be restricted. Contract coverage, duration, authority, retailer costs, supply effects, and court challenges remain unresolved.

Last action: Reported November 9–10, 2026; executive-order plan discussed, no bill number identified

Source classification: Reported proposal; not filed

Reported idea only. No filed bill identified; not a change in law.

Fox News reports Hinojosa pledged emergency executive orders to halt state gasoline and diesel taxes. The legal mechanism and duration have not been established.

Practical impact: Could reduce taxes charged on covered fuel purchases if legally implemented, with possible consequences for transportation funding; no change is in force.

Last action: Reported November 8, 2026; no filed bill identified for this executive-action proposal

Source classification: Reported proposal; not filed

Reported idea only. No filed bill identified; not a change in law.

The Texas Tribune reports Democratic lawmakers are considering high-speed rail connecting Dallas and San Antonio. This tracker has not matched that concept to a specific filed measure.

Practical impact: Potential transportation and public-funding implications would depend on route, ownership, financing and any actual bill text.

Last action: Reported November 9, 2026 as an emerging legislative priority; specific measure not identified in this entry

Source classification: Reported proposal; not filed

Reported idea only. No filed bill identified; not a change in law.

Would expand Medicaid eligibility for certain low-income adults under the Affordable Care Act; subject to conditions in the bill.

Practical impact: Could expand health coverage if enacted; state and federal budget effects require fiscal-note review.

Last action: Filed November 9–10, 2026; verify latest action on official record

Source classification: Official Texas Legislature bill history

Proposes repealing the 2025 education savings account (private-school voucher) program.

Practical impact: Would change access to state-funded private-school education expenses; funding and transition details require bill-text review.

Last action: Filed November 9–10, 2026; verify latest action on official record

Source classification: Official Texas Legislature bill history

Proposes a $15 hourly minimum wage or the federal minimum, whichever is higher, and repeal of a restriction on local minimum-wage requirements.

Practical impact: Would increase the wage floor for covered workers if enacted; employer coverage, exceptions and enforcement require full statutory comparison.

Last action: Filed November 9–10, 2026; verify latest action on official record

Source classification: Official Texas Legislature bill history

Separate proposal to increase Texas minimum wage to $15 per hour.

Practical impact: Would affect covered low-wage employment if enacted; details must be checked against the filed text.

Last action: Filed November 9–10, 2026; verify latest action on official record

Source classification: Official Texas Legislature bill history

Separate proposal to increase Texas minimum wage to $17 per hour.

Practical impact: Would affect covered workers and employers if enacted; no wage change is in effect from filing alone.

Last action: Filed November 9–10, 2026; verify latest action on official record

Source classification: Official Texas Legislature bill history

Would direct state agencies to develop a plan for online voter registration.

Practical impact: Would initiate planning rather than immediately create a functioning online registration system.

Last action: Filed November 9–10, 2026; verify latest action on official record

Source classification: Official Texas Legislature bill history

Proposes repealing certain sheriff cooperation requirements and related grants for federal immigration enforcement.

Practical impact: Would alter some local law-enforcement obligations if enacted; exact provisions and funding effects need detailed review.

Last action: Filed November 9–10, 2026; verify latest action on official record

Source classification: Official Texas Legislature bill history

Would prohibit specified transfers of certain semiautomatic rifles to people younger than 21, with criminal penalties.

Practical impact: Would affect covered firearm transfers; precise definitions and exceptions require bill-text review.

Last action: Filed November 9–10, 2026; verify latest action on official record

Source classification: Official Texas Legislature bill history

Would require E-Verify use by additional employers and government contractors.

Practical impact: Would impose additional employment-verification requirements and potential licensing consequences if enacted.

Last action: Filed November 9–10, 2026; verify latest action on official record

Source classification: Official Texas Legislature bill history

Changes school funding and teacher compensation, among other public education provisions. Some provisions took effect in 2025 and others phase in later.

Last action: Signed into law in 2025; effective dates vary by provision

Source classification: Not specified

Establishes a state education savings account program for eligible students and approved education expenses.

Last action: Effective September 1, 2025

Source classification: Not specified

Adopts a revised map of Texas congressional districts for elections beginning in 2026. Litigation concerning the plan has been reported; this entry describes the legislative action only.

Last action: Passed by the Texas Legislature August 23, 2025

Source classification: Not specified