Sen. Royce West introduced SB 2566 to the Texas Senate on Thursday, March 13 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 request for public information for legislative purposes; providing an administrative penalty’’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
This bill amends Texas’ Government Code to enhance legislative access to public information, including confidential records, if requested explicitly for legislative purposes. It grants legislative members, agencies, and committees special access rights while prohibiting charges for information provision. Legislators can delegate access to legislative staff, and governmental bodies may require confidentiality agreements for sensitive information, provided such agreements adhere to specified conditions. The Texas Attorney General must develop a confidentiality template and can assess agreement compliance. If a legislative member suspects a governmental body is not complying, they can file a complaint; violations can lead to penalties up to $5,000 per day. The act becomes effective Sept. 1, 2025.
Royce West, the vice chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation, proposed another 144 bills during the 89(R) legislative session. He is also a member of the Senate Committee on Committee of the Whole Senate, a member of the Senate Committee on Education K-16, a member of the Senate Committee on Finance, and a member of the Senate Committee on Local Government.
West graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a BA and again from University of Houston with an MA.
Royce West is currently serving in the Texas State Senate, representing the state’s 23rd Senate district. He replaced previous state senator Eddie Bernice Johnson in 1993.
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.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| SB 2627 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to certain proceedings and penalties associated with racial discrimination against persons |
| SB 2612 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the revision of the essential knowledge and skills of the public school social studies curricula to include instruction relating to the history of persons with disabilities |
| SB 2611 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the status of certain documents or instruments concerning real or personal property; creating the criminal offenses of real property theft and real property fraud and establishing a statute of limitations for those offenses; harmonizing other statute of limitations provisions; increasing a criminal penalty |
| SB 2567 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the deceptive trade practice of failure to disclose information regarding the use of artificial intelligence system or algorithmic pricing systems for setting of price |
| SB 2565 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the authority of certain municipalities to receive certain tax revenue derived from a hotel and convention center project and to pledge certain tax revenue for the payment of obligations related to the project |
| SB 2564 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the provision of information regarding certain public assistance programs by public schools |
| SB 2563 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to records of violations against certain child-care facilities that provide child-care services |
| SB 2562 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the regulation of referral agencies for assisted living facilities; providing a civil penalty |
| SB 2561 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the establishment of the student success initiative program by the Texas Education Agency and the award of grants under that program |
| SB 2560 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the issuance of a warrant authorizing the use of a no-knock entry by a peace officer |
| SB 2559 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to automatic participation by certain county employees in deferred compensation plans provided by certain counties |
| SB 2558 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the disposal of exhibits used in criminal proceedings |
| SB 2557 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to preventing racial profiling and to video and audio equipment and recordings of certain law enforcement motor vehicle stops; authorizing a fee; creating a criminal offense |
| SB 2556 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to regulating the carrying of firearms on or within publicly owned fairgrounds and similar public facilities during certain events; creating a criminal offense |
| SB 2555 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to a first responder peer support network for certain firefighters and law enforcement personnel |
| SB 2554 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to collection of certain fines assessed for traffic offenses |
| SB 2553 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes of property that qualifies for an exemption as a historic or archaeological site |
| SB 2552 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the provision of information regarding certain public assistance programs by public schools |
| SB 2551 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the eligibility of an individual to pay the ad valorem taxes imposed on the individual’s residence homestead in installments |
| SB 2550 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to an exemption of the transfer of certain rights in water from certain disclosure requirements applicable to the transfer of certain interests in real property |
| SB 2549 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the allocation of housing tax credits to developments within proximate geographical areas |
| SB 2513 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to notice requirements on state highway projects |
| SB 2503 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to requiring certain disclosures as part of certain applications for employment or an internship at a state agency or the legislature |
| SB 2360 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to equalizing compensation for certain wrongfully imprisoned persons |
| SB 2359 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to notaries public; creating a criminal offense |
| SB 2248 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to automatic participation by certain county employees in deferred compensation plans provided by certain counties |
| SB 2247 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to applications for title for certain salvage vehicles |
| SB 2246 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to motor vehicle titles for salvage vehicles |
| SB 2245 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to procedures for the issuance of a bonded title for a motor vehicle |
| SB 2243 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to the authority of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to require that a vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer have a vehicle identification number inspection |
| SB 2242 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to school district policies on dating violence |
| SB 2241 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to policies and procedures for addressing dating violence in public schools |
| SB 2055 | 03/07/2025 | Relating to participation in the Texas Leadership Scholars Program |
| SB 2030 | 03/07/2025 | Relating to prohibited student athlete name, image, and likeness agreements; providing injunctive relief and a civil penalty |
| SB 1923 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to the modification of certain orders providing for the support of a child |
| SB 1922 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to appointments to the public transportation advisory committee |
| SB 1921 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to a common characteristic or use project in a public improvement district in certain municipalities |
| SB 1920 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to the requirement that a person submit an application for an exemption from ad valorem taxation for certain property used for human burial |
| SB 1919 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to the authority of the Texas Department of Transportation to settle certain claims |
| SB 1918 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to a relative and kinship care grant program administered by the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System |
| SB 1854 | 03/04/2025 | Relating to the use of municipal hotel occupancy tax revenue by certain municipalities |
| SB 1853 | 03/04/2025 | Relating to an action to determine the status of certain documents or instruments purporting to convey title to or an interest in real property |
| SB 1852 | 03/04/2025 | Relating to the accreditation of automotive technology courses offered by public schools |
| SB 1761 | 02/28/2025 | Relating to the collection of certain incident-based data reported to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement |
| SB 1739 | 02/27/2025 | Relating to use and operation of the childcare protection and enhancement fund |
| SB 1734 | 02/27/2025 | Relating to status of certain documents or instruments purporting to convey title to or an interest in real property |
| SB 1617 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to use and operation of the childcare protection and enhancement fund |
| SB 1529 | 02/21/2025 | Relating to participation in a deferred retirement option plan by members of the retirement systems for police and fire fighters in certain municipalities |
| SB 1528 | 02/21/2025 | Relating to reimbursing employees of the Department of Family and Protective Services for loss of or damage to personal property |
| SB 1527 | 02/21/2025 | Relating to the administration of, contributions to, and benefits under the public retirement systems for police and firefighters in certain municipalities |
