Rep. Jessica Gonzalez introduced HB 5400, a bill on Labor, to the Texas House on Friday, March 14 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 unlawful employment practices based on sexual harassment, including complaints and civil actions arising from those practices’’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
This bill amends the Texas Labor Code to expand protections against unlawful employment practices particularly related to sexual harassment. It clarifies that retaliation or discrimination by employers, labor unions, or employment agencies is unlawful if individuals oppose discriminatory practices or participate in related investigations, specifically emphasizing discrimination based on sexual harassment. The bill redefines “sexual harassment” and allows individuals to bring civil actions for sexual harassment without having filed a complaint with the commission. It stipulates that civil actions must be brought within two years from the date of the conduct, with compensatory and punitive damages for sexual harassment not limited by current caps applicable to other types of employment-related damages. The changes apply only to claims based on conduct occurring on or after Sept. 1, 2025.
Jessica Gonzalez, a member of the House Committee on Insurance, proposed another 15 bills during the 89(R) legislative session. She is also a member of the House Committee on S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships, a member of the House Committee on Local & Consent Calendars, and a member of the House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence.
Gonzales graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a BA and again from Western Michigan University-Cooley School of Law with a JD.
Jessica Gonzales is currently serving in the Texas State House, representing the state’s 104th House district. She replaced previous state representative Roberto Alonzo in 2019.
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 5280 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the consideration by a governmental entity of the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives of a business bidding on a contract with the governmental entity |
| 89(R) | HB 5073 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to a landlord’s duty to provide an accounting statement to a residential tenant |
| 89(R) | HB 5070 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the use of an electronic bulletin board to post public notice |
| 89(R) | HB 4829 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to a criminal offense committed against a person because of bias or prejudice on the basis of gender |
| 89(R) | HB 4828 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the prosecution and reporting of certain offenses committed because of bias or prejudice; creating a criminal offense |
| 89(R) | HB 4733 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the expunction of arrest records and files and the issuance of orders of nondisclosure of criminal history record information for certain persons |
| 89(R) | HB 3576 | 03/03/2025 | Relating to the installation by the Texas Department of Transportation of highway signs for certain cultural attractions |
| 89(R) | HB 3489 | 02/27/2025 | Relating to designating May 24 as Victims of the Uvalde Shooting Day |
| 89(R) | HB 2693 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to designating January 6 as Defenders of the United States Capitol Recognition Day |
| 89(R) | HB 1208 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the regulation of the cultivation, manufacture, processing, distribution, sale, testing, transportation, delivery, transfer, possession, use, and taxation of cannabis and cannabis products and local regulation of cannabis establishments; authorizing the imposition of fees; requiring an occupational license; creating a criminal offense; imposing a tax |
| 89(R) | HB 1207 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to conditions applicable to health benefit plan coverage of in vitro fertilization procedures |
| 89(R) | HB 1206 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the disclosure of certain fees by a landlord |
| 89(R) | HB 1204 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the consideration of ownership interests of certain persons in determining whether a business is a historically underutilized business for purposes of state contracting |
| 89(R) | HB 1203 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the establishment of the office of food system security and resiliency in the Department of Agriculture and the management of the Texas food system security and resiliency planning council |
| 89(R) | HB 1164 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the prohibition of certain discrimination; authorizing civil penalties |
| 88(R) | HB 4805 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the eligibility of certain cricket events for funding under the major events reimbursement program |
| 88(R) | HB 4063 | 03/08/2023 | Relating to the use of an electronic bulletin board to post public notice |
| 88(R) | HB 3510 | 03/03/2023 | Relating to penalties for the intimidation and harassment of election officials; creating criminal offenses |
| 88(R) | HB 3276 | 03/02/2023 | Relating to the disclosure of certain fees by a landlord |
| 88(R) | HB 3277 | 03/02/2023 | Relating to the prohibition of housing discrimination on the basis of a person’s source of income and to the enforcement of that prohibition |
| 88(R) | HB 2886 | 02/27/2023 | Relating to the establishment of the office of food system security and resiliency in the Department of Agriculture |
| 88(R) | HB 2182 | 02/10/2023 | Relating to the consideration of ownership interests of certain persons in determining whether a business is a historically underutilized business for purposes of state contracting |
| 88(R) | HB 2124 | 02/09/2023 | Relating to the Medicaid eligibility of certain individuals who are lawfully present in the United States |
| 88(R) | HB 2141 | 02/09/2023 | Relating to a hearing for an alleged violation of community supervision by a defendant and the manner in which that defendant is required to appear before the court |
| 88(R) | HB 1937 | 02/06/2023 | Relating to the regulation of the cultivation, manufacture, processing, distribution, sale, testing, transportation, delivery, transfer, possession, use, and taxation of cannabis and cannabis products and local regulation of cannabis establishments; authorizing the imposition of fees; requiring an occupational license; creating a criminal offense; imposing a tax |
| 88(R) | HB 1676 | 01/26/2023 | Relating to the sale of consumer geotracking data by telephone companies |
| 88(R) | HB 1230 | 01/09/2023 | Relating to the creation of a witness protection unit within the Department of Public Safety |
| 88(R) | HB 1231 | 01/09/2023 | Relating to the disposal of exhibits used in criminal proceedings |
| 88(R) | HB 1232 | 01/09/2023 | Relating to the powers and duties of certain prosecutors and authorized peace officers of the offices of those prosecutors with respect to certain laws governing the installation and use of tracking equipment and access to certain communications |
| 88(R) | HB 1233 | 01/09/2023 | Relating to the disclosure of crime stoppers tips |
| 88(R) | HB 1012 | 12/14/2022 | Relating to the prohibition of certain discrimination; authorizing civil penalties |
| 88(R) | HB 838 | 12/01/2022 | Relating to conditions applicable to health benefit plan coverage of in vitro fertilization procedures |
| 88(R) | HB 839 | 12/01/2022 | Relating to prior authorization for prescription drug benefits related to the treatment or prevention of infectious diseases |
| 88(R) | HB 738 | 11/16/2022 | Relating to a right of first refusal applicable to the sale of housing developments that have received certain financial assistance administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs |
| 88(R) | HB 739 | 11/16/2022 | Relating to provisions applicable to affordable housing located in a reinvestment zone in certain areas of the state; authorizing a fee |
| 88(R) | HB 740 | 11/16/2022 | Relating to the deferral or abatement of the collection of ad valorem taxes on an appreciating residence homestead |
| 88(R) | HB 701 | 11/15/2022 | Relating to electronic submission of an application for an early voting ballot by mail |
| 88(R) | HB 702 | 11/15/2022 | Relating to the conduct of primary elections |
| 88(R) | HB 703 | 11/15/2022 | Relating to the compensation of an election judge or clerk |
| 88(R) | HB 704 | 11/15/2022 | Relating to the eligibility of certain persons younger than 18 years of age to preregister to vote |
| 88(R) | HB 705 | 11/15/2022 | Relating to defense of certain actions brought against election judges and clerks |
| 88(R) | HB 352 | 11/14/2022 | Relating to the representation of certain indigent applicants for a writ of habeas corpus |
| 88(R) | HB 386 | 11/14/2022 | Relating to accommodating a voter unable to enter a polling place |
