A new bill authored by State Rep. González in the Texas House seeks to enhance statewide coordination and integration of the Texas Information and Referral Network with community and government agencies, according to the Texas Legislature website.
The bill on Labor category, introduced as HB 38 during the 89(1) legislative session on Monday, July 14, was formally listed with the short title: ’Relating to the prohibition of certain discrimination; authorizing civil penalties’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill aims to improve the Texas Information and Referral Network by enhancing its statewide coordination and integration with community-based structures and state and local agencies. Key features include supporting disaster response and emergency management through interstate agreements, enabling electronic text messaging for client communication, and providing a publicly accessible, real-time Internet-based system with demographic information. It mandates the use of a standardized screening tool and enhanced navigation services to address complex client needs. The bill also emphasizes data sharing with external partners, compliance with privacy laws, and participation in a national information repository. Additionally, it requires area information centers to gain accreditation and mandates regular reporting on network operations and improvements. An effective date of Sept. 1, 2025, is specified, and provisions allow for implementation delays if federal waivers or authorizations are necessary.
Jessica Gonzalez, a member of the House Committee on Insurance, proposed another 16 bills during the 89(1) legislative session. She is also a member of the House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence, a member of the House Committee on S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships, and a member of the House Committee on Local & Consent Calendars.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| HB 5400 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to unlawful employment practices based on sexual harassment, including complaints and civil actions arising from those practices |
| 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 |
| HB 5073 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to a landlord’s duty to provide an accounting statement to a residential tenant |
| HB 5070 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the use of an electronic bulletin board to post public notice |
| HB 4829 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to a criminal offense committed against a person because of bias or prejudice on the basis of gender |
| HB 4828 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the prosecution and reporting of certain offenses committed because of bias or prejudice; creating a criminal offense |
| 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 |
| HB 3576 | 03/03/2025 | Relating to the installation by the Texas Department of Transportation of highway signs for certain cultural attractions |
| HB 3489 | 02/27/2025 | Relating to designating May 24 as Victims of the Uvalde Shooting Day |
| HB 2693 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to designating January 6 as Defenders of the United States Capitol Recognition Day |
| 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 |
| HB 1207 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to conditions applicable to health benefit plan coverage of in vitro fertilization procedures |
| HB 1206 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the disclosure of certain fees by a landlord |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| HB 1164 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the prohibition of certain discrimination; authorizing civil penalties |
