The Senate State Affairs committee on June 21 voted 8–0 to report House Bill 16 favorably to the full Senate; sponsors described HB 16 as the routine omnibus courts bill that updates court creation dates, corrects drafting errors and accommodates local judicial needs.

Sponsor remarks said the omnibus bill typically passes each session to add courts, adjust jurisdictions and address minor judicial‑administration matters. The sponsor told the committee HB 16 changes some court creation dates because the earlier bill assumed passage earlier in the year, and the revised dates set an effective date of Dec. 1, 2025, for certain provisions and in other places moved implementation to September 2026. “It's passed every session and you'll recall and those participating may recall that, as population changes and local needs arise, new courts are added, the jurisdiction of courts is adjusted,” the sponsor said.

The bill also contains local and technical provisions: creation of a county court for Maverick County, repeal of a misdrafted article related to youth diversion programs, removal of a civil preference for a particular district court in Guadalupe County, specification of the membership of a digital court recording study, a correction related to immunity for prosecutors in the special prosecution unit, and authorization for the Office of the Attorney General to represent special prosecution unit prosecutors.

A committee member asked specifically about immunity for the special prosecution unit; the sponsor said the change corrects a drafting error and was intended to preserve immunity. “The intent was for that immunity to be there and this is, this is being presented as a drafting error,” the sponsor said.

No public testimony was offered in committee on HB 16. The committee recorded an 8–0 vote in favor and sent the omnibus bill to the full Senate.

What’s next: HB 16 will be considered by the full Senate. Sponsors characterized the measure as largely technical and administrative changes to align implementation dates and correct drafting errors, with several localized court‑related adjustments.