Image by Steve Siegwalt from Pixabay
AUSTIN, Texas — Governor Greg Abbott has officially signed 1,155 bills into law following the close of the 89th Texas Legislature’s sign-or-veto period on Sunday, June 22.
The legislation spans a wide range of issues, including school safety, criminal justice reform, occupational licensing, water infrastructure, and election security. Abbott said the volume and scope of the new laws reflect his continued commitment to advancing conservative governance in Texas.
“Texas is the blueprint for America’s future,” Abbott said in a statement. “In my State of the State Address, I declared that our task this session is to be the guardians of freedom. The laws I signed today fulfill that task and ensure that Texans continue to benefit from the liberties that define our state.”
The governor received more than 1,200 bills from lawmakers this session. While a number were vetoed, the vast majority were either signed into law or allowed to take effect without his signature by the June 22 deadline.
Among the 306 priority bills Abbott signed earlier this month are the following key measures:
Key Bills Signed by Governor Abbott
- Senate Bill 1035: Protects agricultural operations by enabling legal action against local government restrictions that violate “right to farm” laws.
- Senate Bill 2231: Establishes Free College Application Week to waive fees at state universities during the second week of October.
- Senate Bill 2570: Shields peace officers and correctional officers from frivolous lawsuits when using less-lethal force.
- House Bill 11: Eases employment for skilled workers by recognizing out-of-state occupational licenses.
- House Bill 12: Requires performance audits of state agencies to increase government efficiency.
- House Bill 29: Implements water audit and mitigation mandates for large cities with 150,000+ connections.
- House Bill 33: Enhances school emergency preparedness and staff safety training.
- House Bill 229: Codifies recognition of only two legal sexes—male and female—under Texas law.
- House Bill 1393: Moves Texas toward observing daylight saving time year-round, pending federal approval.
- House Bill 1481: Restricts student use of personal phones during the school day in public schools.
- House Bill 2294: Fully reimburses top-rated Texas Rising Star childcare providers without reducing child access.
- House Bill 2306: Eliminates parole eligibility for human traffickers if the victim is a child or disabled person.
- House Bill 2674: Prevents excessive regulation of homeschool programs in Texas.
- House Bill 5115: Elevates all election fraud offenses to second-degree felonies; criminalizes miscounting of votes.
- House Bill 5629: Waives licensing fees and removes employment barriers for veterans and their spouses.
What Comes Next
Now that the 2025 sign-or-veto window has closed, any bills neither signed nor vetoed will still become law by default.
Several controversial and high-profile measures, such as the regulation of hemp-derived THC products, are set to be discussed in a special legislative session.
With 1,155 signed bills, this legislative session ranks as one of the most active in Texas history. The new laws will bring major changes across public education, law enforcement, small business regulation, election integrity, and more.
More than 3,500 bills were passed by the Texas House and Senate combined during the 89th Regular Legislative Session.
A complete list of bills signed by Gov. Abbott is available on the state legislature’s website.
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