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On September 1, more than 800 new laws officially took effect in Texas. Passed during the 89th Regular Legislative Session, these measures impact nearly every area of public life, from education and public safety to property rights and government transparency. While lawmakers are still working through the second special session, Texans are now living under one of the largest single-day waves of legislative change in state history.

Below is an overview of some of the key Texas laws taking effect September 1, 2025, highlighting their significance, scope, and impact.

School Choice in Texas: Education Savings Accounts Now Law

One of the most highly anticipated changes is the creation of a school choice program through Education Savings Accounts (ESAs).

• Senate Bill 2 (SB 2) establishes ESAs administered by the Texas Comptroller, funded initially with $1 billion. Roughly 100,000 students will be eligible during the 2026–27 biennium.
• Parents can use ESA funds for private school tuition, homeschooling resources, or other approved educational expenses.
• Students with disabilities may qualify for additional funding.

The passage of school choice in Texas marks a turning point in a battle that stretched across multiple sessions. While supporters argue this empowers parents with more control over their children’s education, critics, including many rural Republicans and Democrats, warn it could siphon resources from public schools.

Public School Funding: Raises, Safety, and Special Education

Alongside ESAs, lawmakers also approved major new investments in public schools.

• House Bill 2 (HB 2) allocates about $8.5 billion in new funding for public education.
• More than $4 billion of that will go directly toward raising teacher salaries.
• Additional dollars support special education programs, school safety requirements, early childhood initiatives, and teacher preparation.

This combination of public school investment and ESAs reflects the Legislature’s attempt to balance competing pressures: expanding parental choice while still shoring up public education.

Ten Commandments and Prayer in Texas Classrooms

Education wasn’t just about funding and education savings accounts; Texas lawmakers also made cultural and religious priorities central to their agenda.

• Senate Bill 10 (SB 10) requires a visible display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. Although currently blocked for several school districts by a federal judge, the law is expected to face ongoing legal challenges that could ultimately reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Senate Bill 11 (SB 11) protects the right of students and teachers to engage in voluntary prayer during the school day.

These measures highlight a broader conservative push to reassert faith and traditional values within Texas schools.

Parental Rights, DEI Ban, and Book Oversight in Schools

Parents also gained new authority in Texas classrooms.

• Senate Bill 12 (SB 12) bans diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in K–12 schools.
• Senate Bill 13 (SB 13) strengthens parental oversight over library materials, empowering parents to petition for local advisory councils to review school books.
• House Bill 229 (HB 229) codifies definitions of “male” and “female” into Texas law based on biological reproductive systems, with state agencies required to adopt the same definitions in official records.

Supporters see these laws as bolstering parental control and protecting children from “inappropriate” materials, while critics warn of censorship and erasure of certain groups of Texans.

Bail Reform: New Rules for Public Safety

Texans will also see major changes in the state’s bail system.

• Judges must now use a risk assessment tool before granting bail in felony cases.
• Personal bonds are restricted for violent or repeat offenders.
• Prosecutors gain authority to appeal when judges set bail deemed too low.
• Charitable bail organizations face increased oversight and reporting requirements.

Proponents argue these changes will improve public safety and reduce repeat offenses, while critics worry the reforms may disproportionately impact low-income defendants.

Property Rights and Protecting Texas Land

Another set of laws centers on protecting Texas land from foreign ownership.

• Senate Bill 17 (SB 17) prohibits governments, companies, and individuals from China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran from purchasing Texas land or property.
• The governor can expand this list of prohibited countries.

Advocates argue that SB 17 strengthens national security and safeguards Texas’s natural resources, while opponents raise concerns about racial profiling and potential harm to immigrant communities.

Healthcare and “Making Texas Healthy Again”

The Legislature also passed a broad health initiative under Senate Bill 25 (SB 25).

• Medical schools must now include nutrition education in their curricula, aiming to improve preventive care and chronic disease management.
• SNAP benefits can no longer be used to purchase sugary drinks or candy.

These provisions signal an effort to tackle chronic health issues and long-term costs in Texas’s healthcare system.

Water, Energy, and Infrastructure Funding

Texas continues to face major infrastructure challenges, and lawmakers responded with a series of bills.

• Senate Bill 7 (SB 7) creates a new Texas Water Fund, contingent upon voter approval of a November constitutional amendment, to dedicate $1 billion annually to water projects between 2027 and 2047.
• Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), the state budget, dedicates billions toward infrastructure investments, including water, broadband, and grid reliability.

These measures reflect long-term priorities, as Texas balances rapid population growth with limited resources.

Housing Affordability: Smaller Lot Sizes

Affordable housing also made its way into law.

• Senate Bill 15 (SB 15) lowers the minimum lot size requirement for single-family homes in large cities, cutting it from 5,000–7,500 square feet down to 3,000 square feet in new subdivisions.

Supporters argue this will boost supply and help address rising housing costs, while some lawmakers expressed concern over undermining local control.

Abortion Policy: Travel and Medical Marijuana

Two other notable laws also take effect:

• Senate Bill 33 (SB 33) bans cities and counties from using taxpayer dollars to support residents seeking abortions out of state.
• House Bill 46 (HB 46) expands Texas’ medical marijuana program to include chronic pain, Crohn’s disease, and traumatic brain injuries, and authorizes inhalation products such as vapes.

These measures reflect the ongoing divide in Texas policy: restrictions on abortion paired with cautious expansion of medical cannabis.

Protecting Children: Trey’s Law and AI Exploitation Ban

Several new laws focus on protecting children and vulnerable populations.

• Senate Bill 835 (Trey’s Law) bans non-disclosure agreements in cases of child sexual abuse and human trafficking.
• Senate Bill 20 (SB 20) criminalizes AI-generated child pornography, requiring strict age verification for platforms and aiming to address digital child exploitation.

These laws mark a bipartisan effort to strengthen protections for victims and to adapt state law to modern technological threats.

Overhauling Higher Education

Changes also extend into higher education governance.

• Senate Bill 37 (SB 37) reduces the influence of faculty senates and expands the power of politically appointed boards of regents in hiring and administrative decisions.
• Critics warn this undermines academic freedom, while supporters say it ensures alignment with workforce and state priorities.

Conclusion: A Pivotal Moment in Texas Law

With over 800 new laws taking effect, September 1 marks one of the most consequential policy shifts in Texas history. From school choice and bail reform to property rights, healthcare, and education culture wars, these changes reflect the Legislature’s conservative priorities and a broader reshaping of the state’s political and cultural landscape.

Texans should expect legal challenges to some measures, but the overall thrust is clear: lawmakers used the 89th Legislative Session to advance sweeping changes across virtually every aspect of public life.

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