Rep. Venton Jones introduced HB 1738, a bill on Crimes, to the Texas House on Monday, Jan. 6 during the 89(R) legislative session, according to the Texas Legislature website.
More specifically, the official text was summarized by the state legislature as ’’relating to the repeal of the offense of homosexual conduct’’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
This bill seeks to repeal Section 21.06 of the Texas Penal Code, which criminalizes homosexual conduct. Additionally, it amends sections of the Health and Safety Code related to sexual education. It mandates that educational materials emphasize sexual abstinence before marriage and fidelity during marriage to prevent HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, and unwanted pregnancies. It specifies that homosexual conduct is not a lifestyle acceptable to the general public. The bill also outlines instructional elements for sexual education, emphasizing abstinence, self-control, and the legal and financial responsibilities of pregnancy and childbirth. The bill takes effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds vote in each house of the legislature, otherwise, it becomes effective Sept. 1, 2025.
Venton Jones, the vice chair of the House Committee on Corrections, proposed another 10 bills during the 89(R) legislative session. He is also a member of the House Committee on Appropriations and a member of the House Committee on Appropriations – S/C on Article II.
Jones graduated from Texas A&M University with a BS.
Venton Jones is currently serving in the Texas State House, representing the state’s 100th House district. He replaced previous state representative Jasmine Crockett in 2023.
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(R) | HB 1737 | 01/06/2025 | Relating to HIV and AIDS tests |
| 89(R) | HB 1680 | 12/19/2024 | Relating to prior authorization for prescription drug benefits related to the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus infections |
| 89(R) | HB 1679 | 12/19/2024 | Relating to a study by the Texas Education Agency regarding recommended standards for school district facility maintenance and custodial services |
| 89(R) | HB 1574 | 12/11/2024 | Relating to the medical use of low-THC cannabis by patients with certain medical conditions |
| 89(R) | HB 1573 | 12/11/2024 | Relating to a school district policy regarding custodian workloads |
| 89(R) | HB 1463 | 11/22/2024 | Relating to the manufacture, transportation, storage, and disposal of new and scrap tires; authorizing a fee |
| 89(R) | HB 1459 | 11/22/2024 | Relating to the conduct that constitutes the use of a deadly weapon for purposes of the prosecution of the offense of aggravated assault or aggravated sexual assault |
| 89(R) | HB 1369 | 11/18/2024 | Relating to the confidentiality of residential eviction case information |
| 89(R) | HB 1368 | 11/18/2024 | Relating to a notification requirement if a public school does not have a nurse, school counselor, or librarian assigned to the school during all instructional hours |
| 89(R) | HB 1367 | 11/18/2024 | Relating to the authority of the commissioners court of a county to adopt an exemption from ad valorem taxation by the county of a portion, expressed as a dollar amount, of the appraised value of an individual’s residence homestead |
| 88(R) | HB 4286 | 03/09/2023 | Relating to the qualifications and term of the presiding officer of the Texas Funeral Service Commission |
| 88(R) | HB 4019 | 03/08/2023 | Relating to inquiries into the criminal and disciplinary history of an applicant for undergraduate admission to a public institution of higher education |
| 88(R) | HB 3377 | 03/03/2023 | Relating to HIV and AIDS tests |
| 88(R) | HB 3282 | 03/02/2023 | Relating to the manufacture, transportation, storage, and disposal of new and scrap tires; authorizing a fee |
| 88(R) | HB 3067 | 03/01/2023 | Relating to the installation and use of tracking equipment and access to certain communications by certain peace officers |
| 88(R) | HB 3068 | 03/01/2023 | Relating to the medical use of low-THC cannabis by patients with certain medical conditions |
| 88(R) | HB 2985 | 02/28/2023 | Relating to prior authorization for prescription drug benefits related to the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus infections |
| 88(R) | HB 2986 | 02/28/2023 | Relating to the conduct that constitutes the use of a deadly weapon for purposes of the prosecution of the offense of aggravated assault or aggravated sexual assault |
| 88(R) | HB 2693 | 02/23/2023 | Relating to a study by the Texas Education Agency regarding recommended standards for school district facility maintenance and custodial services |
| 88(R) | HB 2694 | 02/23/2023 | Relating to a notification requirement if a public school does not have a nurse, school counselor, or librarian assigned to the school during all instructional hours |
| 88(R) | HB 2695 | 02/23/2023 | Relating to a school district policy regarding custodian workloads |
| 88(R) | HB 2235 | 02/13/2023 | Relating to HIV and AIDS tests |
| 88(R) | HB 2052 | 02/08/2023 | Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for assault of certain hospital personnel |
| 88(R) | HB 2053 | 02/08/2023 | Relating to the issuance of Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center specialty license plates; authorizing a fee |
| 88(R) | HB 2054 | 02/08/2023 | Relating to the authority of the commissioners court of a county to adopt an exemption from ad valorem taxation by the county of a portion, expressed as a dollar amount, of the appraised value of an individual’s residence homestead |
| 88(R) | HB 2055 | 02/08/2023 | Relating to the repeal of the offense of homosexual conduct |
