HOUSTON — With the start of the New Year, there are several new Texas laws and portions of others that go into effect on January 1, 2025.
Here is a breakdown of what you need to know about each one.
Texas House Bill 3297 was passed in the 2023 legislative session and goes into effect on January 1, 2025.
The new law eliminates the need for annual inspections for non-commercial drivers to get their vehicle registration. Under the new law, drivers in Texas’ more populated counties will still need to pass an emissions test to get their vehicles registered.
Drivers will also need to pay a $7.50 inspection program replacement fee. That’ll be paid when you get your registration.
RELATED: Texas law eliminating state vehicle inspections goes into effect on Jan. 1 | What DPS wants you to know
The emissions test will still be required for drivers of non-commercial vehicles in Harris, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, and Montgomery counties in the Houston area.
Drivers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, and Tarrant counties will also need emissions tests.
In the Austin area, drivers of non-commercial vehicles in Travis and Williamson counties will still need to pass the test. The same goes for drivers in El Paso County.
For drivers in San Antonio, the emissions test isn’t required when the new law goes into effect in 2025, but drivers in Bexar County will need them beginning in 2026.
Texas House Bill 4 introduced new consumer data privacy regulations, enhancing protections for Texans’ personal information. While most of the law took effect on July 1, 2024, a key provision, Section 541.055(e) of the Business & Commerce Code, will take effect on January 1, 2025.
RELATED: What you need to know about the Texas data privacy law that’s now in effect
This specific section requires businesses to honor unified opt-out mechanisms for online data processing.
Consumers will be able to use tools like browser settings, device preferences, or extensions to automatically opt out of targeted advertising, data sales, and profiling without needing to interact individually with each business.
Businesses that fail to comply with these rules may face civil penalties.
Texas Senate Bill 2, part of a broader property tax relief initiative, includes provisions that take effect January 1, 2025. Specifically, Sections 3.05, 3.08, and 3.15(b) focus on adjustments to the property tax system.
These changes aim to streamline appraisal limitations and tax administration, further reducing property tax burdens on homeowners and ensuring more predictable property tax rates.
Texas House Bill 1535 makes changes to the San Antonio River Authority’s governance, following recommendations from the Sunset Advisory Commission. While most of the law took effect immediately, Section 9, effective January 1, 2025, makes so that he district’s fiscal year ends on September 30 of each year.
Texas House Bill 3474 introduces several changes to the state’s judicial system. Notably, Section 1.009, effective January 1, 2025, establishes the 477th Judicial District, encompassing Denton County.
Texas House Bill 4504 implements a nonsubstantive revision of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. This update reorganizes and clarifies certain provisions without changing their legal meaning.
The revisions streamline the code’s structure, ensure consistency, and include conforming amendments to improve readability and accessibility for legal professionals and the public.
The changes are part of an ongoing effort to modernize and simplify Texas statutes.
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