Pre-filed bills for the 2025 session, most active sponsors edition

Of the top Houston-area sponsors of pre-filed Texas House bills for 2025, we have Suleman Lalani (D), who represents District 76, basically Sugar Land and southwest Houston, and Cody Vasut (R), representing District 25 in Brazoria County.

In the Senate, Mayes Middleton (R), representing southern parts of the Houston area, has pre-filed 72 bills. I know I’ve seen his name before, but gasped when I saw the face of the man somehow representing some very poor, sad areas of our city, which I only know because I grew up in that area.

Here’s a taste of some of what these three are up to as a reflection of what we’ll be looking at as a whole this session. Note that this is all pie-in-the-sky stuff right now, it all depends on leaders to make any of these a priority, and you can be sure that the Republicans will bury most if not all Democratic bills.

HB 1541 (Lalani): An advisory committee to study and make recommendations on services provided to individuals with an intellectual or developmental disability.

Seems straightforward. Lalani is a doctor specializing in geriatrics. Watch it never get taken up by the lege.

HB 1538 (Lalani): Relating to the authority of a peace officer to apprehend a person for emergency detention and of certain facilities and physicians to temporarily detain a person with mental illness.

I need to know A LOT more about this, because I’m unsure what this would change and what it would allow.

HB 1467 (Lalani): Relating to emergency preparedness of assisted living facilities and the health and safety of residents of those facilities; providing civil and administrative penalties.

This is a good one, because we’ve seen time after time in Houston that these facilities are terrible at responding to emergencies, leaving vulnerable people in freezing or sweltering conditions.

HB 514 (Lalani): Relating to a maternal health care workforce campaign.

From the Texas Tribune: “By 2030, Texas is expected to have 15% fewer OB-GYNs than is needed to keep up with demand. Many rural areas are already beginning to feel the effects of these shortages. More than 45% of Texas counties are considered maternity care deserts, meaning there’s no doctor to see during your pregnancy and nowhere to give birth.”

With doctors leaving Texas or considering early retirement because of Texas’ oppressive, punishing abortion ban, I’m not sure a PR campaign is going to do much, but it’s worth a shot.

Moving on to the two Republicans. I shudder to even look

HJR90 (Vasut): Applying to the Congress of the United States to call a convention under Article V of the United States Constitution for the limited purpose of proposing one or more amendments to the constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and to limit the terms of office of federal officials and members of Congress.

HB931 (Vasut): Relating to the creation and dissolution of a covenant marriage.

Covenant marriages are legally binding contracts between two people who have the intent to live together for the rest of their lives. This is basically a type of marriage that makes divorce much more difficult, and it’s only available in three states right now. It’s a great way to trap a woman in an unfulfilling or abusive marriage!

HB196 (Vasut): Requiring instruction in public schools that human life begins at conception and has inherent dignity and immeasurable worth from the moment of conception.

Ok, buddy. Imagine the awkward coach who has to teach health class trying to get a class full of horny kids to think of the “inherent dignity and immeasurable worth” of that particular moment.

HJR52 (Vasut): Proposing a constitutional amendment protecting private schools from state and local regulation.

No rules, just right.

HB732 (Vasut): Would repeal Section 6.106, Family Code, which allows for an annulment in the case of impotency.

Sorry ladies, can no longer get an annulment just because dick don’t work.

Moving on to Middleton, who has a flurry of Big Lie bills increasing penalties for voter fraud that doesn’t happen, plus all the usual culture war stuff around vaccines and religious freedom, nativity scene at the Capitol, prayer in public schools. It’s almost boring at this point. Here are some others:

SB 420 (Middleton): In a county with a population of 2.7 million or more, the secretary of state shall order a new election if the secretary has good cause to believe that at least two percent of the total number of polling places in the county ran out of ballot paper.

There’s only one county with a population of 2.7 million or more: Harris. This would allow the secretary of state to overrule election results if Republicans pitch a fit, which they do. All the time.

SB 406 (Middleton): Relating to the required inclusion of a person's sex on a birth certificate and prohibited change of sex on the birth certificate of certain persons.

This is of course an attack on trans Texans.

SB 395 (Middleton): Relating to the authority of a political subdivision to establish and operate a guaranteed income program.

Another attack on Harris County, which has battled with the state for a while to implement a UBI program. As a reminder, guaranteed income programs WORK, lifting vulnerable people out of poverty just enough to get their lives on track and become more productive members of society and our economy.

SB 382 (Middleton): Relating to a prohibition on the use of artificial intelligence technology for classroom instruction.

Wait. Something I can get behind? This feels like a prank.

That’s enough for now. As of this minute there are nearly 2,500 pieces of legislation already filed, with thousands more to come. Get ready for the onslaught of sludge!