Ten new laws took effect in Texas on September 1, reshaping public education testing, digital device repairs and where manufactured homes can be built.
The measures alter the rules for residents, public agencies and businesses across the state. They include broad reforms to how schools are funded and evaluated, as well as new consumer protections for fixing electronics.
Education and testing reforms
Under House Bill 8, Texas is reforming its public school evaluation and accountability system. The state will replace the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exam, known as STAAR, with a new evaluation model called the Student Success Tool starting in the 2027 to 2028 school year.
The law moves away from a single high stakes annual test to provide information throughout the course to guide teaching and measure progress. The model includes beginning, middle and end of year evaluations in reading and language, mathematics, science and social studies for students in the third through eighth grades. Eligible students in the third through fifth grades will have access to Spanish versions of the tests.
For high school students, the beginning and middle of year tests will be optional in Algebra I, Biology, English I and United States History.
House Bill 2 brings broad changes to public education and school funding in Texas. While portions of the law were already active, provisions relating to teacher incentives, preparation, special education and administrative components took effect on September 1. The law provides resources and changes rules to improve teacher compensation and retention, alter teacher certification, update special education funding and services, and reinforce programs for literacy, math, preschool and technical careers. It also creates or adjusts accountability and support mechanisms for school districts and charter schools.
Senate Bill 568 reforms how special education is funded in Texas public schools. The state will gradually shift from allocating money primarily based on the type of classroom or educational environment to a model based on the intensity of services and support each student requires. The law introduces two main components: intensity levels and service groups. The purpose is to modify how funds are distributed so that schools have resources more aligned with the individual support each student needs.
Right to repair and energy rules
House Bill 2963 creates a limited right to repair consumer digital electronics in Texas. Manufacturers of covered products are now required to provide owners and independent repair shops with the parts, tools and documentation needed to diagnose, maintain or repair devices on fair and reasonable terms.
The legislation aims to give consumers more options for fixing items like mobile phones, tablets and laptop computers, ensuring access to repairs does not depend exclusively on stores authorized by the manufacturer. It allows independent shops to secure resources equivalent to those offered to authorized repairers. Manufacturers must offer diagnostic, maintenance and repair manuals, technical information, replacement parts, and tools. This includes access to necessary software, equipment or passwords, or equivalent alternatives if the original parts or tools are no longer available. These resources must be offered no later than one year after the equipment is first sold in the state.
House Bill 912 regulates how owners of distributed renewable generation systems, such as residential solar panels, are compensated for the electricity they supply to the grid. The law applies to areas of Texas outside the Electric Reliability Council of Texas power grid.
Utility companies must now present a comprehensive cost benefit analysis before the Public Utility Commission of Texas approves an alternative compensation method for these users. This study must justify the proposed rate for excess energy injected into the grid, any associated fees, and the value the distributed generation brings to the electrical grid. The commission must consider the analysis before approving changes to compensation rates, the continuation or modification of a net metering system, or charges applied exclusively to renewable generation owners.
Property and legal tender
House Bill 1056 recognizes specific physical gold and silver specie as legal tender in Texas, provided it meets exact requirements. To be accepted under this rule, the pieces must be marked with their weight and purity. They can carry the identification of the mint or refinery that produced them, but they cannot display symbols, names, designs or information suggesting they were issued by a government, apart from technical exceptions.
The law does not automatically turn jewelry, bullion or collectible coins into state currency. It does not replace the United States dollar or change an individual's tax obligations. Businesses, residents and public agencies are not forced to accept gold or silver as payment, and stores retain the right to refuse them and demand dollars or other permitted payment methods.
Senate Bill 785 regulates where new manufactured or prefabricated homes that meet federal Department of Housing and Urban Development codes can be installed in Texas. Cities with zoning regulations must now allow these homes by right, without a special discretionary authorization, in at least one residential category or district.
Cities are not forced to allow the homes in all neighborhoods and retain the authority to determine the location and size of the zones where they will be permitted. However, they can no longer completely exclude new manufactured homes from their territory when subject to the law. The regulation does not eliminate private restrictions in deeds from before January 2, 2025, or protections for local historic districts and landmarks. There are limited exceptions for certain small cities without commercial or industrial zoning.
State agencies and border region
House Bill 1240 establishes a single legal definition of the Texas Mexico border region to be used by state programs and agencies. The move aims to improve coordination and resource distribution while reducing administrative confusion caused by differing geographical definitions previously used by state departments.
The law amends the Education, Government, Health and Safety, Transportation and Water codes to adopt the uniform boundary. The region now consists of 54 counties: Atascosa, Bandera, Bee, Bexar, Brewster, Brooks, Cameron, Crockett, Culberson, Dimmit, Duval, Edwards, El Paso, Frio, Hidalgo, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kenedy, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Kleberg, La Salle, Live Oak, Loving, Mason, Maverick, McCulloch, McMullen, Medina, Menard, Nueces, Pecos, Presidio, Reagan, Real, Reeves, San Patricio, Starr, Sutton, Terrell, Upton, Uvalde, Val Verde, Ward, Webb, Willacy, Wilson, Zapata and Zavala.
The unified definition will help state health, security, transportation, water, education and research programs determine which areas are eligible or prioritized for resources directed to the border.
House Bill 140 reorganizes oversight of child protection investigations by creating the 13 member Child Protective Investigations Advisory Committee. The panel reviews and recommends improvements to investigations of child abuse, neglect or exploitation handled by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
While the law took effect on September 1, 2025, the legislation abolished the previous Texas Family and Protective Services Council on September 1, 2026, as part of an institutional transition. The new committee, which must meet at least quarterly, can recommend changes to investigation policies and procedures, the training of investigators and supervisors, communication with families, and coordination with other agencies. It will also advise on regulatory compliance, data collection, evidence based practices, and due process for parents, guardians and caregivers.
House Bill 5424 updates the compensation limits for volunteer or auxiliary firefighters in Texas. Fire departments are permitted to provide payments, reimbursements and benefits to these workers, but the law sets an annual cap for them to retain their volunteer status. The rule does not require all departments to pay their volunteers. It only defines the maximum amount they can deliver without crossing the legal threshold. The change could be particularly relevant in rural areas and departments that rely heavily on volunteer personnel.
