Copyright The Austin Chronicle
Last month, this column covered new Texas laws affecting education. However, education is not the only area subject to new laws passed during the 2025 Texas legislative session. Listed below are a few other laws passed by the state’s 89th Legislature which may affect Austinites’ day-to-day lives. No HOA Penalties for a Crispy Lawn During Water Restrictions (House Bill 517). This bill prevents homeowners associations from fining residents for discolored grass or landscaping during mandated watering restrictions. Additionally, associations may not require residents to install new grass or turf during these restrictions. This protection extends for 60 days after a watering restriction has been lifted, giving residents a chance to repair their lawns. Delayed Upload of Test Results for Certain Medical Tests (Senate Bill 922). This law allows for a delay of up to three days in uploading test results related to cancer or genetic markers to a patient’s online records. This bill is intended to give doctors a chance to discuss certain life-altering diagnoses prior to a patient receiving their test results online. Other medical test results will still be made available to patients immediately. Move Over or Slow Down – Expanded List of Vehicles (Senate Bill 305). In addition to law enforcement and emergency services vehicles, Texans now must move over or slow down for vehicles operated by animal control officers or local authorities issuing parking citations. Drivers must move over to a lane farther from the vehicle, or, if changing lanes isn’t possible, slow down to 20 mph below the posted speed limit. Ban on Lab-Grown Meat Products (Senate Bill 261). This bill prohibits the sale of any “cell-cultured proteins” for human consumption. Cell-cultured proteins are meat products created by harvesting cells from livestock and replicating them in a laboratory setting. Sale or Advertisement of Certain E-Cigarette Products (Senate Bill 2024). This law bans and creates penalties for the sale of a variety of e-cigarette or vape products. It includes products made in China, products in a container that may appeal to minors, and products containing THC, alcohol, or kratom, among other substances. This bill is unrelated to lawmakers’ efforts to enact a broader THC ban. Expanded Access to Medical Marijuana (House Bill 46). While much of this session focused on prohibiting THC products, lawmakers also increased access to the Texas Compassionate Use Program, which allows the limited sale and use of marijuana products for certain medical conditions. The bill adds chronic pain, Crohn’s disease, traumatic brain injury, terminal illness, and being in hospice care to the list of qualifying medical conditions. It also expands the types of marijuana products that may be prescribed, increases patient privacy protections, and licenses several new dispensaries. Please submit column suggestions, questions, and comments to thecommonlaw@austinchronicle.com. Submission of potential topics does not create an attorney-client relationship, and any information submitted is subject to being included in future columns. Marrs, Ellis & Hodge LLP, www.mehlaw.com. The material in this column is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute, nor is it a substitute for, legal advice. For advice on your specific facts and circumstances, consult a licensed attorney. You may wish to contact the Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas, a non-profit public service of the Austin Bar Association, at 512-472-8303 or www.austinlrs.com. This article appears in October 31 • 2025.
