Texans for Fiscal Responsibility has issued the following vote notice for March 18th, 2025 

Texas House of Representatives

None

Texas Senate

Subject:  Senate Bill 3 (SB 3) – Hemp Regulation and THC Ban

• Author: State Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock)
• Caption: Relating to the regulation of consumable hemp products and the hemp-derived cannabinoids contained in those products; requiring a registration; imposing fees; creating criminal offenses; providing an administrative penalty.
• TFR Position:  SUPPORT / AMEND
• Background: 
  • SB 3 strengthens public safety and consumer protection by strictly regulating consumable hemp products, allowing only CBD and CBG products while prohibiting THC-containing items. The bill introduces inspection and manufacturing standards to detect contaminants like heavy metals and pesticides. New labeling standards that ensure product quality and consumer transparency. Moreover, preventing THC sales and restricting youth access reduces potential health risks and associated public expenses. However, the high licensing and registration fees on businesses is a heavy and unreasonable burden on businesses, and should be substantially lowered or eliminated through an amendment.

Subject:  Senate Bill 6 (SB 6) – Government overreach in Energy

• Author: State Sen. Phil King (R-Weatherford)
• Caption: Relating to electricity planning and infrastructure costs for large loads.
• TFR Position:  OPPOSE
• Background: 
  • SB 6 imposes new regulations and costs on large electricity consumers, requiring them to fund transmission infrastructure and comply with curtailment mandates during grid emergencies. Instead of addressing the root cause of Texas’ energy instability — government subsidies for intermittent energy — the bill further distorts the market by shifting costs onto businesses rather than holding unreliable generators accountable. This government intervention expands bureaucracy, increases regulatory burdens, and forces ratepayers to subsidize grid management failures. The bill represents yet another attempt to “fix” ERCOT through top-down controls rather than allowing free-market principles to drive investment in reliable generation. A fiscally responsible approach would eliminate subsidies for all energy sources and let supply, demand, and competition dictate Texas’ energy future. For these reasons, TFR opposes SB 6.

Subject:  Senate Bill 12 (SB 12) – Parental Rights and DEI Ban

• Author: State Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe)
• Caption: Relating to parental rights in public education, to certain public school requirements and prohibitions regarding instruction and diversity, equity, and inclusion duties, and to student clubs at public schools.
• TFR Position:  SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 12 reinforces parental rights in public education, eliminates taxpayer-funded DEI programs, and enhances school transparency and accountability. The bill promotes parent’s control of their child’s education. SB 12 reduces unnecessary administrative expenses by eliminating DEI offices, enhances financial efficiency by preventing wasteful spending on politically motivated programs, and promotes competition through open enrollment policies that empower parents to choose the best schools for their children. By minimizing bureaucratic interference and ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent on core educational priorities, the bill strengthens accountability and parental rights in Texas schools. For these reasons, TFR supports SB 12.

Subject:  Senate Bill 13 (SB 13) – Prohibit Inappropriate Materials in Libraries

• Author: State Sen. Angela Paxton (R-McKinney)
• Caption: Relating to a school district’s library materials and catalog, the creation of local school library advisory councils, and parental rights regarding public school library catalogs and access by the parent’s child to library materials.
• TFR Position:  SUPPORT / AMEND
• Background: 
  • SB 13 is a good step in there right direction and strengthens parental oversight over school library materials by ensuring transparency, protecting children from inappropriate content, and preventing taxpayer funds from being used on materials that are inappropriate for children. The bill mandates greater parental access to school library catalogs and checkout records, establishes local school library advisory councils to review materials, and prohibits explicit content based on FCC standards. By ensuring taxpayer dollars are not used to purchase obscene or unsuitable materials, SB 13 promotes fiscal responsibility and accountability in education. Additionally, by restricting access to books under review and allowing parents to set restrictions for their children, the bill reinforces parental rights. However, the bill should be amended to include stricter penalties for non compliance, clearly define terms such as “pervasively vulgar,” or “indecent content,” require public disclosure of violations, reduce the review period from 90 to 30 days, and require random state-level audits to ensure compliance.

Subject:  Senate Bill 15 (SB 15) – Housing Deregulation 

• Author: State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston)
• Caption: Relating to size and density requirements for residential lots in certain municipalities; authorizing a fee.
• TFR Position:  SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 15 promotes free-market principles by reducing government overreach in local zoning laws that artificially constrain housing supply and inflate costs. By allowing for smaller lots and higher-density developments, the bill encourages private investment in housing, leading to increased affordability. It also enhances property rights by limiting unnecessary municipal interference in land use decisions. Furthermore, reducing lot-size mandates and excessive building regulations helps cut red tape and fosters economic growth by streamlining residential development, ultimately increasing the housing stock and driving down prices through market competition. For these reasons, TFR supports SB 15.

Subject:  Senate Bill 17 (SB 17) – Hostile Foreign Property Ownership

• Author: State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham)
• Caption: Relating to the purchase or acquisition of real property by certain aliens or foreign entities.
• TFR Position:  SUPPORT / AMEND
• Background: 
  • SB 17 is a prudent measure that seeks to protect Texas’ economic and national security interests by preventing hostile foreign entities from acquiring key real property and natural resources. This safeguards long-term economic stability, prevents foreign exploitation or reliance, and protects against hostile entities with deep pockets and financial backing from buying up land or homes, taking away opportunities for citizens or future citizens. Ultimately, SB 17 reinforces economic sovereignty, national security. However, SB 17 should be amended, including closing a potential loophole where individuals from hostile nations could still purchase real property if they are not “domiciled” in the hostile country. Additionally, the bill should be amended with stricter financial or criminal penalties, so that foreign entities do not view the risk of getting caught violating the provisions of the bill as simply the “cost of doing business.” Nonetheless, TFR supports SB 17, with amendments.

Subject:  Senate Bill 35 (SB 35) – TxDOT Highway Contracts

• Author: State Sen. Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville)
• Caption: Relating to design-build contracts.
• TFR Position:  OPPOSE
• Background: 
  • SB 35 aims to reduce the number of design-build highway contracts TxDOT can approve from six to two per biennium, prioritizing larger, design-intensive projects over multiple smaller ones. While this could streamline administrative oversight, it limits competition and potentially slows infrastructure development by decreasing project opportunities. This reduction could increase costs per project due to reduced market competition and more complex undertakings. TFR opposes SB 35.

Subject:  Senate Bill 388 (SB 388) – Government Interference in Energy Market

• Author: State Sen. Phil King (R-Weatherford)
• Caption: Relating to the legislature’s goals for electric generation capacity in this state.
• TFR Position:  OPPOSE
• Background: 
  • SB 388 mandates that 50% of new power generation capacity added in Texas after 2026 come from dispatchable sources like natural gas, coal, and nuclear, replacing a previous natural gas-specific goal. It creates a government-run credit trading system, forcing utilities to either own dispatchable generation or purchase credits, with nuclear power receiving additional subsidies. While intended to enhance grid reliability, a laudable goal, the bill interferes with free-market energy competition, effectively mandating government-favored energy sources. This market distortion could increase electricity costs for consumers as utilities pass on compliance expenses. A better approach would remove bureaucratic mandates and instead incentivize private investment through deregulation, streamlined permitting, and allowing the free-market to work. For these reasons, TFR opposes SB 388.

Subject:  Senate Bill 666 (SB 666) – Regulates Nitrous Oxide Distribution

• Author: State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola)
• Caption: Relating to the age at which a person may purchase or possess nitrous oxide.
• TFR Position: OPPOSE 
• Background: 
  • SB 666 expands government regulation by imposing additional restrictions on the sale of nitrous oxide, increasing the burden on businesses to enforce compliance. Additionally, the bill criminalizes behavior that could be better addressed through personal responsibility and parental oversight rather than expanding the role of government. Restricting the sale of a legal product that has legitimate commercial and culinary use to legal adults sets a concerning precedent and is the wrong approach. TFR opposes SB 666.

Reminder: Vote Notices are provided to both Texas state lawmakers and the general public, sharing Texans for Fiscal Responsibility’s position on issues to be rated as a part of the Fiscal Responsibility Index. Notices are provided prior to votes being taken in each legislative chamber.

Disclaimer: We reserve the right to consider amendments to legislation that may be introduced without notice as a part of issues to be rated on the Fiscal Responsibility Index. We will make every effort to provide notice on amendments that are pre-filed.