A new bill authored by State Rep. Stan Kitzman in the Texas House seeks to allow legal use and distribution of specific drug testing equipment, according to the Texas Legislature website.
The bill on Education category, introduced as HB 253 during the 89(2) legislative session on Tuesday, Aug. 19, was formally listed with the short title: ’Relating to the establishment of the Institute for Animal Health Research and Response at Texas A&M University’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill amends Section 481.125 of the Texas Health and Safety Code to exclude from its scope individuals who use, possess with intent to use, deliver, or manufacture testing equipment for substances in Penalty Group 1-B. This suggests that the bill aims to enable the legal use and distribution of testing equipment designed to detect certain controlled substances. The change in law applies only to offenses committed on or after the effective date, with prior offenses continuing to be governed by previous law. The bill takes effect on Sept. 1, 2025.
Stan Kitzman, the chair of the House Committee on Appropriations – S/C on Article III, proposed no other bills during the 89(2) legislative session. He is also a member of the House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock and a member of the House Committee on Appropriations.
Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
| Legislative Session | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89(1) | HB 273 | 08/04/2025 | Relating to the creation of the Institute for Animal Health Research and Response |
| 89(R) | HB 5685 | 04/22/2025 | Relating to the creation of the Waller County Improvement District No. 3; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes |
| 89(R) | HB 5665 | 04/02/2025 | Relating to the creation of the Waller County Municipal Utility District No. 70; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes |
| 89(R) | HB 1535 | 04/01/2025 | Relating to the Trinity River Authority of Texas, following recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission; specifying grounds for the removal of a member of the board of directors |
| 89(R) | HB 1530 | 04/01/2025 | Relating to the Sabine River Authority of Texas, following recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission; specifying grounds for the removal of a member of the board of directors |
| 89(R) | HB 1525 | 04/01/2025 | Relating to the Lower Neches Valley Authority, following recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission; specifying grounds for the removal of a member of the board of directors |
| 89(R) | HB 1520 | 04/01/2025 | Relating to the Angelina and Neches River Authority, following recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission; specifying grounds for the removal of a member of the board of directors |
| 89(R) | HB 5570 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the minimum continuing legal education requirements for an attorney serving as a state official appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate |
| 89(R) | HB 5563 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the overnight parking of a commercial motor vehicle in or near certain residential subdivisions |
| 89(R) | HB 5549 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the regulation and planning of on-site sewage disposal systems; authorizing and increasing an administrative penalty; increasing the amount of a fee |
| 89(R) | HB 5467 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to creating the criminal offense of continuous manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance |
| 89(R) | HB 5466 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the compensation of directors of the Aliana Management District |
| 89(R) | HB 5437 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the validation of the creation of and certain acts of the Austin County Municipal Utility District No. 1 |
| 89(R) | HB 5379 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to increasing the punishment for certain intoxication offenses and creating the criminal offense of continuous driving while intoxicated |
| 89(R) | HB 5348 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to acquiring real property interests for environmental mitigation required for water projects |
| 89(R) | HB 43 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority and certain programs administered by the authority |
| 89(R) | HB 1550 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the regulation of veterinary professionals and facilities by the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners and the temporary administration of the board by the Department of Licensing and Regulation |
| 89(R) | HB 4630 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to the regulation of artesian water wells by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality |
| 89(R) | HB 4625 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to the design-build method for certain government construction projects |
| 89(R) | HB 4566 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to a written request for access to or information from a property owners’ association’s books and records |
| 89(R) | HB 4266 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to the application of the professional prosecutors law to the county attorney of Fayette County |
| 89(R) | HB 3123 | 02/20/2025 | Relating to the powers and duties of a personal bond or personal bond and pretrial supervision office |
| 89(R) | HB 3120 | 02/20/2025 | Relating to certain duties of the owner or operator of a residential child detention facility |
| 89(R) | HB 2737 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to land development regulation of communities using manufactured homes and motor vehicles for long-term residences by certain counties |
| 89(R) | HB 2542 | 02/06/2025 | Relating to the establishment of a work group to study and make recommendations on certain services needed by individuals with an intellectual or developmental disability |
| 89(R) | HB 2365 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to grant amounts under the young farmer grant program |
