Soon, hundreds of bills passed earlier this year by Texas’ 89th Legislature will go into effect. As of Monday, Sept. 1, Texas will have a whopping 835 new laws on the books.
These measures touch nearly every aspect of life, from education and healthcare to public safety, property rules and support for first responders. With so many changes coming at once, Texans can expect a variety of noticeable impacts on their daily lives, plus shifts in how some state agencies operate.
To catch you up ahead of the big day, The Texas Newsroom and partner stations across the state have broken down some of the most significant measures below — plus other noteworthy new laws you may not have heard about yet.
Restrictions on Texas land purchases for certain foreign-linked people
Senate Bill 17 bars individuals, companies and government-affiliated entities with ties to China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia from buying most Texas real estate, including homes, commercial property and farmland.
Visa holders from those nations may purchase one residence to live in, but no additional properties. Violations carry criminal penalties for individuals and steep civil fines for companies. A lawsuit challenging the law is pending at the Fifth Circuit.
Read more: Starting Sept. 1, new Texas law will ban certain foreign nationals from buying land
Texas bans THC vapes and foreign-made e-cigarettes
Senate Bill 2024 makes it illegal to sell or advertise certain e-cigarettes, including those containing THC, kratom, kava, alcohol or mushrooms.
The law also bans e-cigarettes made in China and other designated foreign countries and expands the definition of e-cigarettes to include non-nicotine vapes. Additionally, SB 2024 restricts products that appeal to minors, such as those resembling food, school supplies, or cartoons.
Smoke shop owners across the state are already adjusting their inventories to comply. Of note: The law is separate from the ongoing debate in Texas over broader THC regulation.
Read more: Texas to ban sales of THC vapes
‘Make Texas healthy again’
Senate Bill 25, known as the “Make Texas Healthy Again” law, requires medical schools to teach nutrition and adds new continuing education requirements for physicians. It also bars schools from taking away recess as punishment for younger students.
Starting in 2027, many processed foods with additives must carry a warning label stating the ingredient is not recommended for human consumption by a number of regulators. Supporters say the change will give Texans clearer information about food safety, while critics warn it could confuse shoppers or face legal challenges.
Texas to ban student DEI and LGBTQ+ clubs
Senate Bill 12 prohibits K-12 student organizations based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The law also expands parental oversight, granting access to students' curriculum, mental and physical health records and requiring schools to notify parents when students request a nickname or different pronouns. Non-compliance by teachers may result in disciplinary action.
Critics warn the law strips much-needed support from LGBTQ+ youth, while supporters say it preserves parental rights and ends “woke DEI indoctrination.”
Read more: LGBTQ+ students say new Texas anti-DEI law leaves them without support
$1.5 Billion in funds for Texas’ film incentive program
Senate Bill 22 invests $1.5 billion in the Texas Moving Image Industry Program to attract film, TV shows, commercials, animation and video game production to the state.
The program has operated for nearly 20 years, but its budget was previously debated each session. Now, $300 million will be guaranteed every two years through 2035. Projects starting after Sept. 1 can apply for rebates of up to 31% of qualified in-state spending.
A coordinated campaign by Texas filmmakers and actors, like Matthew McConaughey and Taylor Sheridan, helped secure this legislative win by testifying at the Texas Capitol.
Read more: Sept. 1 unlocks first installment of $1.5 billion film incentive package in Texas
Patients to receive some test results on a delayed schedule
Senate Bill 922 delays the electronic release of certain medical test results for up to three days, giving doctors time to explain results to patients.
Previously, results for serious conditions — such as cancer or genetic diseases — were released immediately, sometimes leaving patients to receive life-changing information without guidance. Supporters say the change helps patients understand results in context.
Read more: New Texas law aims to curb anxieties around medical results delivered electronically
Peer support network for first responders
House Bill 35 establishes a statewide peer support network for firefighters and EMS personnel. Modeled after a law enforcement program credited with reducing Texas police suicides, the network will connect first responders with confidential, peer-to-peer mental health support.
Advocates say the program could provide a vital lifeline for those coping with the stress and trauma of emergency work.
While the new law creating the support network goes into effect on Sept. 1, it’ll take a few months to ramp up: The program’s official launch isn’t expected until March 2026.
In the meantime, the state has filled in the gap by opening up its law enforcement peer support network to first responders — especially those involved in rescue and recovery efforts around July’s historic flooding.
Read more: New Texas law creates peer support network to address mental health for first responders
New penalties for assaulting utility workers
Senate Bill 482 will increase penalties for assaulting utility workers, making it a third-degree felony and raising harassment to a Class A misdemeanor if the incident occurs while the worker is on duty.
Sponsored by Houston Sen. Carol Alvarado, the bipartisan measure was prompted by threats faced by utility crews restoring power after Hurricane Beryl.
"Despite these risks, utility workers remained on the front lines ensuring access to electricity, gas and telecommunications,” Alvarado said. “These changes ensure that utility workers receive the same level protection as other emergency personnel during times of crisis.”
The law covers workers in electricity, gas, telecommunications and pipeline industries and aims to give them the same protections as other emergency personnel.
Statewide alert system for agricultural and wildlife threats
House Bill 1592 will create a new statewide system that’ll centralize alerts about pests and diseases that threaten Texas plants and wildlife.
Right now, updates come from several state agencies, but under HB 1592 they’ll be compiled and managed online by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agency. Texans will also be able to sign up for electronic notifications.
Supporters say the change will help farmers and ranchers respond faster to invasive species — like the emerald ash borer, citrus psyllid and New World screwworms — which pose growing risks due to climate change and global trade.
Higher stakes for educators over ‘harmful materials’
Senate Bill 412 limits legal protections for teachers, librarians, medical professionals, and parents providing material deemed harmful to minors.
For decades, an “affirmative defense” protected those using such material for educational, scientific, medical, government or legislative purposes — but starting Sept. 1, that protection will no longer apply to educators or other non-officials, leaving it only for judges and law enforcement.
Supporters say the change closes a decades-old loophole, while critics warn it could drive self-censorship and limit access to legitimate educational content, including LGBTQ+, racial and sexual health materials.
Read more: New Texas law makes it easier to bring charges against teachers, librarians
Cities banned from using funds to assist with abortion access
Senate Bill 33 restricts local governments from using public funds to support women seeking abortions. It specifies that taxpayer money may not be given to either abortion providers or funds that assist with out-of-state abortion access. It also bans public funds from being used to offer help with child care, travel, lodging or other types of “logistical support” for abortion seekers.
Texas cities including Austin and San Antonio had previously set aside money to support organizations or individuals seeking out-of-state abortion care. Both cities attracted lawsuits from Attorney General Ken Paxton, who argued that the funds violated the Texas Constitution, as well as the state’s abortion bans.
Read more: New Texas law cracks down on city assistance for abortion seekers
Texas boosts resources for volunteer firefighters
Senate Bill 34 is designed to help rural and volunteer firefighters respond more effectively to wildfires. The law, prompted by the 2024 Panhandle fires that burned over a million acres, creates a statewide database of firefighting equipment to improve coordination and air support.
It also increases state funding for volunteer firefighters in areas the forest service identifies as high risk. Sen. Kevin Sparks, a Midland Republican who authored the law, said it addresses gaps that hindered response times during last year’s disasters.
“Despite the heroic efforts of the volunteer firefighters, response times were hindered by a lack of timely air support, poor communication between agencies and responders, largely due to incompatible equipment,” Sparks said earlier this year.
Reporting for this story provided by Kyle McClenagan of Houston Public Media; KTTZ Lubbock’s Brad Burt; Camila Gonzales with Denton Record-Chronicle; Andy Lusk, Marcheta Fornoff and Bill Zeeble of KERA News; KUT Austin’s Nathan Bernier and Olivia Aldridge; Sarah Asch and Michael Marks with Texas Standard, and The Texas Newsroom’s Lucio Vasquez, Blaise Gainey and Rachel Osier Lindley.