Texas Law: Over 1,000 bills filed in first day of new era

More than 1,000 bills hit the legislative desk on Monday, marking the start of a filing period that signals a shift in Texas politics. The surge in paperwork coincides with Democrats preparing to take control of the governor's office and the Texas House of Representatives for the first time in decades. This activity began less than a week after Democrats won key statewide races, flipping the House while Republicans retained a majority in the Senate.

The timeline of this political transition is rapid. Republicans controlled the Legislature for years, allowing them to pass policies on border security and education that Democrats now seek to reverse. The last time Democrats held the governorship and the House simultaneously was in the late 20th century. With the 2026 elections concluded, the new leadership structure is set to test the ability of both parties to govern in a divided environment.

Immigration policy is a primary focus of the new Democratic leadership. House Bill 123 and Senate Bill 99 propose repealing requirements for county sheriffs to sign agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. House Bill 393 would require state licenses for immigrant detention facilities, mandating monthly inspections. House Bill 410 aims to restrict the use of masks by law enforcement officers, including federal agents.

Other immigration measures include House Bill 392, which would let local governments limit employee cooperation with ICE in cases involving domestic violence shelters. House Bill 257 calls for independent audits of Operation Lone Star, the multibillion-dollar border initiative launched under former Governor Greg Abbott. Republicans are counterproposing measures to strengthen enforcement, including expanded use of the federal E-Verify system for employers and local governments.

Recreational marijuana remains illegal in Texas, but lawmakers filed multiple bills to change that status. House Bill 362 and House Bill 369 would allow adults 21 and older to possess and purchase marijuana, setting rules for cultivation and taxation. House Bill 330 seeks to expand the medical cannabis program to cover certain conditions that cause menstrual cramps. Previous legalization attempts have stalled under Republican control.

Education and health care proposals target policies enacted during the previous administration. House Bill 164 and Senate Bill 106 would repeal the private school voucher program approved in 2025. Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa campaigned against this program, making its removal a likely priority. Other bills would remove the requirement to display the Ten Commandments in public classrooms and roll back restrictions on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at public universities. Several lawmakers also filed bills to expand Medicaid, a program Texas has not expanded under the Affordable Care Act.

The state's growing data center industry faces new scrutiny through proposed tax and resource regulations. House Bill 167 and House Bill 408 would end specific sales tax exemptions for new data centers, though existing facilities could keep their benefits until they expire. House Bill 529 would require large data centers to report water usage, develop conservation plans, and assess their impact on local supplies. Senate Bill 33 aims to change how electricity infrastructure costs are divided to prevent other customers from paying for large computing facilities.

Voting and labor laws are also up for revision. Proposals include allowing online voter registration and mail-in voting for all eligible voters. Other measures would mandate polling places on college campuses with at least 5,000 students and expand acceptable voter identification. House Bill 162 proposes an independent commission to draw congressional and state legislative districts, a move following the 2025 redistricting that gave Republicans an advantage in five additional U.S. House districts. Wage legislation includes House Bill 110 and House Bill 132, which would raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and House Bill 246, which would set it at $17. The current state minimum wage has remained at $7.25 since 2009.

The Texas Legislature convenes on Jan. 12, 2027. Lawmakers have until March 12 to file most bills. In the 2025 session, legislators filed more than 8,700 bills, but fewer than 1,200 became state law. Bills must pass both chambers to reach the governor's desk. With Democrats controlling the House and Republicans holding the Senate, the outcome of these proposals will depend on interparty negotiations in the months ahead.