The Texas Legislature meets regularly every 2 years (on odd-numbered years). At the end of a regular legislative session, hundreds of passed bills are sent to the governor for approval. Due to the very large number of bills and the wide variety of topics they cover, it can be difficult to get an understanding of all the new laws that were passed.

To help the public become aware of new laws, many organizations provide summaries of new legislation. Below we highlight some of the legislative summaries published by news organizations, state agencies, professional organizations, and independent writers.

Some legislative summaries may be written before the governor's veto period ends. We recommended consulting the governor's veto statements to check that a bill was not vetoed.

Regular Session

• 2023 Session Recap by the Texas Tribune
• 88th Legislature (2023) - Effective Dates for Bills by the Legislative Reference Library of Texas
• 88th Regular Session Overview by the Legislative Reference Library of Texas
• Recap of the 88th Regular Legislative Session by the Texas Legislative Study Group
• These Texas laws go into effect in 2023 by KSAT

1st Called Session

• 88th First Special Session Recap by the Texas Legislative Study Group

2nd Called Session

• The Property Tax Deal Explained: A Recap of the 88th Second Special Session by the Texas Legislative Study Group

3rd Called Session

• A Recap of the Third and Fourth Special Sessions by the Texas Legislative Study Group
• Texas House adjourns third special session without passing school vouchers or border security by Houston Public Media

4th Called Session

• A Recap of the Third and Fourth Special Sessions by the Texas Legislative Study Group
• Texas House again blocks school choice as Legislature adjourns fourth special session by the Austin-American Statesman
• Texas Legislature adjourns its fourth special session, stalling on vouchers, teacher salaries by KUT News

New Laws Effective September 1st, 2023

• Here are the new Texas state laws that go into effect Friday [subscribers only] by the Dallas Morning News
• New Texas laws going into effect on Sept. 1 could affect you and your family by KVUE
• New Texas laws take effect Sept. 1 by Axios Dallas
• New Texas laws taking effect Sept. 1 [subscribers only] by the Houston Chronicle
• New Texas laws that take effect on Sept. 1, 2023 by KSAT

New Laws Effective January 1, 2024

• 88th Legislature (2023) - Effective January 1, 2024 by the Texas Legislative Reference Library

Agriculture

• Episode #159: J. Pete Laney (Texas Legislative Session Recap) [podcast] by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: Ag Law in the Field

Business & Consumer Law

• Digital Asset Customer Protections Signed into Texas Law by the National Law Review
• Texas Revolution: State Legislature Creates New Business Court System to Handle Significant Commercial Disputes by the National Law Review

Criminal Law

• 2023 Bills That Are Still Moving Or Have Become Law by Texas Center for Justice & Equity
• New Texas Criminal Laws | 2023 Legislative Update | 88th Legislature by Varghese Summersett
• Summaries of Selected Legislation Passed by the 88th Legislature, Regular Session by Texas Department of Criminal Justice

Disability Policy

• A Capitol Recap: Disability Policy in the 88th Legislature [YouTube video] by the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities

Education

• ATPE’s 88th Regular Legislative Session Wrap-up by the Association of Texas Professional Educators
• Education Bills Passed by the 88th Texas Legislature by Texas Association of School Administrators
• For higher education in Texas, this year’s session was a mixed bag of interference and investment by the Texas Tribune
• Special ed funding, book bans and more: How education issues fared in the Texas Legislature by KUT
• What parents need to know about new Texas laws that affect students starting Sept. 1 by KHOU

Elections

• Bills Passed During the 2023 Regular Session by the Texas Secretary of State

Employment

• Texas Employment and Labor Law Updates 2023 by the Employment Law Handbook
• Texas Governor Signs Preemption Bill, CROWN Act and Other Bills by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

Environmental Policy

• 88th Legislative Session Brings Changes to TCEQ Programs by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
• What Happened to Texas’ Anti-Renewable Agenda? Legislators Fail to Pass Energy-Related Bills that Would Have Adversely Impacted Renewable Projects by the National Law Review

Family Law

• Texas Legislative Update by McClure Law Group

Firearms

• Texas lawmakers closed a background check loophole, but many gun measures failed to pass by the Texas Tribune
• Three NRA-Backed Bills Take Effect on September 1 in Texas by National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action

Healthcare

• 2023 Legislative Wrap-Up by Texas Medical Association
• 8 health care bills signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott by Community Impact
• 88th Texas Legislature 2023 Healthcare legislative update by Norton Rose Fulbright 
• Texas House passes ban on COVID vaccine mandates by private employers, raises fine to $50K by KERA News
• This year, Texas lawmakers zeroed in on existing health care programs, leaving bolder measures by the wayside by the Texas Tribune

Immigration

• Texas' illegal entry law will test states' powers on immigration, border enforcement by Texas Public Radio
• Texas lawmakers approve $1.5 billion for construction of walls, other barriers on southern border by KUT News
• Texas Legislature sends $1.54 billion bill for border barriers to Gov. Abbott by the Texas Tribune

Insurance

• 2023 Legislative Update by Independent Insurance Agents of Texas

LGBTQ+ Law

• Texas Approves Bill Prohibiting Gender-Affirming Care for Minors by the National Law Review
• Texas lawmakers pursued dozens of bills affecting LGBTQ people this year. Here’s what passed and what failed by the Texas Tribune

Licensing and Regulation

• 88th Texas Legislature: TDLR Related Bills by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation

Local Government

• Legislative Update by the Texas Municipal League
• ​Legislative Bills by Office by the Texas Association of Counties

Probate, Guardianship, and Trust Law

• 2023 Legislative Update by Karisch Jonas Law
• New laws for Texas: 2023 brought changes for seniors by the Dallas Morning News

Property Owners’ Associations (HOAs)

• 2023 Texas Legislative Update: Issues Affecting Texas Homeowners’ Associations and Condominium Owners' Associations by the National Law Review
• 3 Major Laws Changing Texas HOAs and COAs in 2023 by FirstService Residential
• 88th Texas Legislative Session Action Items by RMWBH

Property Taxes

• Governor Abbott Signs Largest Property Tax Cut In Texas History by the Office of the Texas Governor
• Texas homeowners and businesses will get a tax cut after voters approve Proposition 4 by the Texas Tribune

Public Information

• 2023 Texas Legislative Session Update by the Attorney General of Texas

Real Estate

• 2023 Texas Legislative Update – Issues Affecting Real Estate Entitlement and Development by the National Law Review
• 2023 Texas Legislative Update: Residential Construction by the National Law Review
• 88th Texas Legislative Session update and the impact on license holders by the Texas Real Estate Commission
• License Holders’ Contact Information Becomes Private September 1 by the Texas Real Estate Commission
• Potential contract forms changes—post-legislative session by the Texas Real Estate Commission
• Two Updated Forms to Use Starting September 1 by the Texas Real Estate Commission

Retirement

• 2023 TRS Retiree Benefit Enhancements by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas
• Legislative Activity Related to ERS by the Employee Retirement System of Texas

Sports Betting

• Game On: Mid-Year Update on U.S. Gaming Industry's Expanding Regulations, Legislation, and Launches by Blank Rome

Tax Policy

• 2023 Legislative Update, 88th Legislature by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Technology

• Enhancing Data Privacy: A Glance at Texas’s New Consumer Privacy Law by the National Law Review
• Technology Legislation by the Texas Department of Information Resources
• Texas Legislates New Requirements for Online Interactions with Minors by the National Law Review

Utilities

• Revised Texas PUC Registration Requirements and Texas Legislative Update by the National Law Review

Disclaimer: The sites listed above are hosted by third-party organizations and are intended as informational sources for the public. The library does not endorse any political messages these sources may contain. Please see our third-party linking policy for more information.