[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6219886,"mediaKeyId","3620371-15e3291a7f421dc07b41092e13f4f79e","parentId",3620371,"title","House concurs with Senate on school‑liability bill that raises liability standard, adds fee‑shifting","audioSeconds",57,"startMs",4079000,"endMs",4136000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3620371-15e3291a7f421dc07b41092e13f4f79e&start=4079&end=4136","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3620371-15e3291a7f421dc07b41092e13f4f79e/thumbnail_4079000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6219886/Texas/House-concurs-with-Senate-on-schoolliability-bill-that-raises-liability-standard-adds-feeshifting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6219886-7ca1826209427b8f2527975f28785d57/orig.mp4?Expires=1770452926&Signature=HlOZHFaV6L9h0cZaj-MxyMB-CqFIrjTaO-VKJujO78ryvBsRYcy5tOIy1~UZC9ABViwimBrTxQek5iC2h8SbPbKYCRG7E8JD5Ag8e7kO4PdvHZMpR2vP4NL~bUrnWDZhtbmHW~V~0AL7ISZIhAkKOmVKddnIEhajrQCx4b~MkDu0Iyoe899ZAdhUO2-l8qufoWzXWTzclo53su9JOeHrFhY0tLOWlfMTP2ZUCUOUKgyqSMm7rVBE~Wqtz11BU9BbcA4PgWxejVbqFljghGV-9y2WChygcQ~FVFXD7f91CYGIyrMeSdrUcnVUlIGbZi8LldVH0PmquZDHadPuGZp1sQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Texas Legislature","date","2025-05-30T00:00:00Z","article","The Texas House on a recorded vote concurred with Senate amendments to House Bill 46 23, a school‑liability measure whose Senate changes increased the plaintiff’s burden and adopted a ‘‘loser pays’’ attorney‑fees provision, sponsors said on the floor.

Representative Little, the sponsor, told members the Senate modified the bill to raise the standard of liability to gross negligence, recklessness or intentional misconduct for plaintiffs to prevail and changed prevailing‑party attorney‑fee language to a ‘‘loser pays’’ model. He warned supporters and critics that the fee change could result in some victims having to pay attorney fees if their suits are unsuccessful.

‘‘They changed the prevailing party attorney's fee language to, loser pays,’’ Little said on the floor. He thanked Senate partners but recommended concurrence despite expressing ‘‘concerns about some of the modifications.’’

The House recorded 106 ayes and 28 nays on concurrence with Senate amendments. Representative Little moved concurrence; the clerk called the recorded vote and the result was announced.

Supporters framed the bill as necessary to clarify liability standards for school districts and to address perceived litigation costs; critics raised concerns that raising the burden of proof and the loser‑pays fee provision could deter meritorious claims or shift costs to victims. Little specifically noted the potential for victims to face an adverse fee award if unsuccessful.

The measure will proceed per legislative process with the House concurrence recorded on the floor.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","89th Legislative Session ( II ) 5/30/25","oneSentenceSummary","The House concurred with Senate amendments to House Bill 46 23, a measure that changes liability standards in school litigation to gross negligence/recklessness/intentional misconduct and alters prevailing‑party attorney fee provisions to a loser‑pays model, according to the sponsor.","taxTitle","Legislative, Texas","taxId",16091,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6219891,"House concurs with Senate changes to research‑security bill removing overbroad language",193,9117000,9310000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3620371-15e3291a7f421dc07b41092e13f4f79e&start=9117&end=9310","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3620371-15e3291a7f421dc07b41092e13f4f79e/thumbnail_9117000.jpg","/articles/6219891/Texas/House-concurs-with-Senate-changes-to-researchsecurity-bill-removing-overbroad-language","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6219891-f1bb46695f15af07b9fe363bedcbadca/orig.mp4?Expires=1770452926&Signature=KHlMG~RbkqjVKUh3JkQ3cwlu~uIg7nf3cP2iPNtHfNK3oWzExjxlJYvCyLUR4YdcDsU1mV5cdD4SWKho1L1tn~C-oxHTWHDbKJ4NtdJ9~uwUiB8Hu8HBtIgHQ3VUsbHPCWwCCZdCQ45xsmD~HAaDxgQ-i9Uxg0~BqEt0u5rguHVH~EZDCJdURI8fnFPLbuunpEfbmssiJ1WCLxP67aFa6KX1~~HH3xWulGm48Sp3jV91y9d8KNbwFuNS8BEiwEIF7XSmkUJPztl6eKx9f6daxnNwouRJP7AJFmkU31grFqVGQCpHtYH8olVvVNjko~X9x3LHUKkBktPxO9upcm2hWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Texas House voted to concur with Senate amendments to House Bill 127, a bill intended to provide protections and procedures for research institutions receiving certain foreign‑sourced funding or collaboration and to strengthen safeguards for institutional research.

Sponsor Representative Wilson said the Senate removed contractual language that should not have been in the bill and clarified that the measure does not apply to community colleges or technical colleges. Wilson also said the final language narrows definitions related to ‘‘foreign source’’ or ‘‘foreign adversary’’ so the statute does not inadvertently affect lawful permanent residents and exempts people who already hold U.S. national security clearances from duplicative processes.

Representative Wu praised Wilson’s work and said the Senate amendments made the bill more narrowly tailored and less onerous than the version which left the House. ‘‘If somebody already has a United States military clearance, why subject them to this?’’ Wu said, noting the Senate changes retain that common‑sense provision. Wilson closed by urging concurrence, saying the bill provides tools for research institutions to protect intellectual property while avoiding unnecessary burdens.

The House concurred with Senate amendments on a recorded vote, 130 ayes to 4 nays. Representatives Wilson and Wu spoke on the floor to explain the purpose and changes. Supporters framed the bill as balancing national security protections with maintaining research capacity at Texas universities; questions on the floor focused on narrowing scope and avoiding duplicative vetting.","The House concurred with Senate amendments to House Bill 127, a measure governing protections for research institutions; sponsors said the final language narrows earlier provisions, exempts some institutions and avoids duplicative vetting for personnel already holding U.S. security clearances.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6219896,"House concurs on 'Summer Willis Act' to clarify consent in sexual‑assault law",157,3261000,3418000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3620371-15e3291a7f421dc07b41092e13f4f79e&start=3261&end=3418","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3620371-15e3291a7f421dc07b41092e13f4f79e/thumbnail_3261000.jpg","/articles/6219896/Texas/House-concurs-on-Summer-Willis-Act-to-clarify-consent-in-sexualassault-law","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6219896-d77d6b5b2407a3917d40aa4f6de5b2ac/orig.mp4?Expires=1770452926&Signature=fnTI7R2bnZCiP2ocM7fpk7Cm3SPKdeH9i57WJcE40ejzd0tygwQGSfm1VD2yqKVYeGbMSUzKlNn2Wr2NbOUe34GsST9yq2zCRvoasY41elzRRROR7YP4NzKRvhC~347mMjk3kR5nBpzqmW3zr2dcdbsJ2LdMK3kWRk6D5f0vHAMkWvQeGRkOk1SuZSwOG1C2~blBGECLqzlhZwkXL4Al1LcavOZuCv5U7vo~buZfC3QjaCpL-scCmLYjidl~Se5O43Sw9cBbz06ReCx7BWX-6O-NceVX6P0xj3X58geACWt5Psql0nwykc0GJ5CYZaiYKCrBru7RhIdWiVlDIIyYOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Texas House voted to concur with Senate amendments to House Bill 30 73, known as the Summer Willis Act, a criminal‑law change the sponsor described as clarifying when sexual assault is ‘‘without consent’’ and giving prosecutors additional statutory tools to pursue certain cases.

The act matters because it changes statutory definitions used in prosecutions, clarifying that an assault is without consent where the actor knew the other person was unconscious or physically unable to resist, where the actor knew the other person was unaware the assault was occurring, or where the person was intoxicated or impaired to the extent of being incapable of consenting, according to the sponsor’s floor explanation.

Representative Howard, the bill sponsor, said the bill is the final recommendation of the sexual‑assault survivors task force and argued the changes would improve prosecution rates. ‘‘After today, prosecutors will have the tools they need to put rapists behind bars,’’ Howard said on the floor. She described the amendments as cleaning up statutory language so prosecutions better reflect survivors’ experiences.

Representative Wu asked Howard how long the effort had been underway and whether other states had enacted similar reforms; Howard replied she had worked on the measure for ‘‘three or four sessions’’ and that some other states had adopted comparable language. Lawmakers on the floor cited low reporting and prosecution rates as background for the change; Howard referenced statistics showing a small fraction of assaults reach prosecution under prior law.

The House recorded 135 ayes and 2 nays on concurrence with Senate amendments. Representative Howard moved the concurrence and final passage as the sponsor.

The bill sponsor and others emphasized the legislative intent to give law enforcement and prosecutors clearer statutory definitions; members supporting the measure framed it as aligning Texas law with survivor‑centered practices. During floor debate House members thanked senators and the governor’s office for collaboration on the final language.","The House concurred with Senate amendments to House Bill 30 73, the Summer Willis Act, which clarifies definitions of consent and circumstances that qualify as assault; sponsor said the measure gives prosecutors better tools to pursue cases where a victim was unconscious or otherwise unable to consent.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6219901,"House approves supplemental appropriations bill to close current biennium",611,10199000,10810000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3620371-15e3291a7f421dc07b41092e13f4f79e&start=10199&end=10810","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3620371-15e3291a7f421dc07b41092e13f4f79e/thumbnail_10199000.jpg","/articles/6219901/Texas/House-approves-supplemental-appropriations-bill-to-close-current-biennium","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6219901-6591f3a263535b7fbc6b73f3b860180f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770452926&Signature=QjNbDajV1-mVGYZYFM3i2e2WIWZy~fvTfyso3ZXSPaBsHPrXZdiwWaroHzCjtnKbG4V4JL9AT2y0zaAlfyG9OWQt3DEvqkQ-nqzLA26LwpukYet4VlxRdJUKWNc2UjmJ~ztpAUH6m8YVRNqYgt-gQZuYTgrQutnd95RxFm~msBWtk3U0r41R~~Kkv5yComkI1sueC6G1dE5iwVQFIDJmgk6nC8wG95s5Nc5HHS0mJ~DZWatOQ9wbHu7736nIDLdL2pO~op0eBNEdfXGGN4wYOgn~urTNaIK8zLZ7~kqXSAkuvl-eO6G6hk-v3PMADSlzg6oEdEaporp~ktSGqDWL2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Texas House on a recorded vote concurred with Senate amendments to House Bill 500, the supplemental appropriations act that closes out the 2024–25 biennium, advancing a package of funding that House authors and supporters said ties up the current budget and directs money to water projects, corrections, teachers and emergency response.

The measure matters because it finalizes actual spending for the current two‑year budget period and directs one‑time and near‑term funding for infrastructure, public safety and agency needs that lawmakers said could not wait for the next biennial budget.

Doctor Bonin, the House sponsor, told members the supplemental closes out the current biennium with Texas remaining ‘‘well under all of our required spending limits.’’ He described major line items that went into the final package: $2.5 billion for the Texas Water Development Board to fund water infrastructure projects and implement provisions of Senate Bill 7; roughly $1.3 billion for the Department of Criminal Justice, including about $410 million to increase facility capacity; about $369 million for teacher retirement system premium support; $100 million for Railroad Commission work to plug orphan wells; and funds for the Division of Emergency Management, the Texas Forest Service and deferred maintenance at state armories. Bonin also said the package includes approximately $41 billion in property tax relief over the biennium as presented in the overall budget picture.

Representative Hinojosa and others questioned differences between the House and Senate packages for school funding and said some districts would feel the loss of federal Medicaid‑related reimbursements (sharps/SHARS). Bonin replied that some items were adjusted between the supplemental and the forthcoming main budget (House Bill 2) and framed the changes as part of a broader funding strategy for the next biennium.

On the floor the House recorded 112 ayes and 24 nays on concurrence with Senate amendments. Doctor Bonin moved the motion to concur; the measure was adopted ‘‘subject to Article III, Section 49(a) of the Texas Constitution’’ as read into the record.

Less central details in the bill include funding for Alamo renovations, additional operational support for state responders and a set of legacy pension payments intended to reduce actuarial liabilities. Supporters said the supplemental allowed agencies to address immediate shortfalls and discrete capital needs before the next budget cycle; critics on the floor said some decisions in the final package removed or altered items the House originally approved and urged those differences be addressed in the upcoming budget process.

The House took the vote on concurrence after the sponsor’s floor explanation and several members’ questions; the motion passed and the supplemental will proceed according to constitutional and legislative processes for enacted appropriations.","The Texas House concurred with Senate amendments to House Bill 500, a supplemental appropriations measure that finalizes spending for the current biennium and includes multi‑hundred‑million dollar allocations for water infrastructure, corrections, teacher insurance support and other items.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

House concurs with Senate on school‑liability bill that raises liability standard, adds fee‑shifting

House concurs with Senate changes to research‑security bill removing overbroad language

House concurs on 'Summer Willis Act' to clarify consent in sexual‑assault law

House approves supplemental appropriations bill to close current biennium