10 Tech Bills Still Sitting on the Governor's Desk

With less than 10 days remaining before the final deadline, major technology-related bills are still waiting for Gov. Greg Abbott’s signature — or veto.

As of this writing, there are 10 major tech-related bills sitting on the governor’s desk. Senate Bill 1, the General Appropriations Bill, was also sent to the governor on June 10 for signature.

Five of the bills awaiting signature are directly related to AI:

• HB 149, an overhaul of the Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (TRAIGA)
• HB 2818, which would establish an AI division within the Department of Information Resources
• HB 3512, requiring annual compliance with cybersecurity and AI training for government employees and officials “who use a computer to complete at least 25 percent of the employee’s required duties”
• SB 441, which would create a criminal offense for the creation or alteration of visual depictions of sexually explicit media, i.e., deepfakes
• SB 1964, which dictates how AI systems and data used by governmental entities is to be regulated

A bill prompted by Abbott’s March order for state agency employees to return to office — following President Donald Trump’s similar order for federal workers — received unanimous approval in both the House and Senate, protecting it from veto.

HB 5196 dictates state employees must “conduct agency business only at the employee’s regular or assigned temporary place of employment,” with limited exceptions being afforded to those who enter an agreement with their agency’s head. The bill also restricts agencies from offering telework as a condition of employment.

The following tech-related bills are also awaiting Abbott’s signature:

• HB 2963, which would make Texas the ninth state to enact a right to repair law
• HB 3112 would modify provisions in the Texas Government Code to exempt cybersecurity-related information from open meetings and public information requirements
• HB 5195 outlines efforts to assess and modernize state agency websites
• SB 765 relates to the confidentiality of fraud detection and deterrence measure information

Notable bills that have been signed or passed without signature include the creation of the Texas Cyber Command and a law that strengthens penalties for vendors that surveil public servants.

Any bill left unsigned by the governor by June 22 will automatically become law. Sept. 1 is the earliest day most bills can go into effect.