Dozens of new Texas laws take effect beginning in December, including the end of the STAAR test, over-the-counter access to ivermectin, and a law allowing private citizens to sue manufacturers who ship abortion pills. January will bring additional rules affecting app stores and immigration enforcement.
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In December and January, Texas will implement a range of new laws covering education, health care access, redistricting, and law enforcement. This marks the latest wave of legislation enacted during the 2025 regular session and the following special session. Since September, over 800 laws have come into effect.
Starting December 4, several significant laws will take effect, including a redistricting measure advocated by Republican leaders to enhance the party's congressional representation. The legislation originates from a Republican initiative to redraw the district map during the decade, a strategy that came in response to President Donald Trump's request for Texas legislators to help secure “five more GOP seats in the House.” Despite House Democrats' quorum-breaking attempts, Republicans successfully approved the map.
Another December law, House Bill 7, permits private citizens to take legal action against companies or individuals that distribute abortion medication in Texas. Successful lawsuits may award plaintiffs with damages up to $100,000. The legislation broadens Texas's civil-enforcement strategy aimed at limiting access to abortion.
House Bill 8 will change education policy by replacing the STAAR test with three shorter exams administered in October, January, and the spring. We will implement the change on December 4, but students will begin taking the revamped assessments in the upcoming academic year.
Legislators aimed to address quorum-breaking with House Bill 18, which allows the House or Senate to vacate the seat of any member who departs the state for more than a week without authorization. In the past, lawmakers encountered merely daily fines. The agenda was updated to include the bill after Democrats left the state to obstruct the redistricting vote.
Health policy will make ivermectin available over the counter starting on December 4. The drug, often utilized for livestock, is also prescribed to humans for treating parasitic infections. The FDA has not authorized ivermectin for the treatment of viral infections; however, Texas lawmakers presented the alteration as a means of enhancing “medical freedom.”
New legislation being implemented includes Senate Bill 8, which mandates that individuals in schools and government buildings utilize restrooms that correspond with their biological sex. Institutions that breach the rule may incur fines of up to $125,000 for multiple infractions. Senate Bill 11 offers specific protections from prosecution for certain coerced trafficking victims, while serious offenses remain exempt.
In January, additional laws will come into effect, including regulations requiring app stores to verify the ages of minors and obligating county sheriffs to collaborate with federal immigration authorities on warrants.
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