Texas Senate passes package of bills on third reading, including eviction, immunization and voting measures

The Texas Senate on Thursday, April 10, 2025, voted on and finally passed a group of bills on third reading, including measures on eviction of unauthorized occupants, the administration of immunizations to children, notice requirements for mail‑in ballot applications by long‑term care residents, common‑law public nuisance claims, access to prescription drugs for off‑label COVID‑19 use, municipal charter amendments, court jurisdiction, and sharing driver data to maintain the voter registration roll.

Why it matters: Several of the measures affect election administration and voting access, public‑health procedures for minors and long‑term‑care residents, and civil‑litigation standards; most passed on largely party‑line or substantial majorities with limited floor debate recorded in the transcript.

Senate bill 38 — eviction/unauthorized occupants: Committee substitute for Senate Bill 38, “relating to the eviction from real property of certain persons not entitled to enter, occupy, or remain in possession of the premises,” was laid out on third reading and finally passed after a roll call that the clerk reported as 21 ayes, 8 nays. Senator Bettencourt moved final passage.

Senate bill 95 — immunizations to children: Committee substitute for Senate Bill 95, “relating to the administration of immunizations to children,” was laid out on third reading and finally passed; the clerk reported 21 ayes, 9 nays. Senator Hall moved final passage.

Senate bill 760 — mail‑in ballot applications for long‑term‑care residents: Committee substitute for Senate Bill 760, described on the floor as requiring that legal guardians and powers of attorney of long‑term‑care facility residents be notified when residents submit a mail‑in ballot application, was laid out on third reading and finally passed with a roll call reported as 19 ayes, 11 nays. Senator Kolkhorst moved final passage.

Senate bill 779 — common‑law public nuisance claims: Committee substitute for Senate Bill 779, “relating to common law public nuisance claims,” was laid out on third reading and finally passed with the clerk reporting 17 ayes, 12 nays. Senator Middleton moved final passage.

Senate bill 883 — access to prescription drugs for off‑label COVID‑19 use: Senate Bill 883, “relating to patient access to prescription drugs for off‑label use for COVID‑19,” was laid out on third reading and finally passed; the clerk reported 23 ayes, 7 nays. Senator Paxton moved final passage.

Senate bill 1059 — municipal charter amendments: Senate Bill 1059, “relating to the authority of the governing body of a home‑rule municipality to submit a proposed charter amendment to the voters,” was laid out on third reading and finally passed with a tally reported as 21 ayes, 9 nays. Senator Parker moved final passage.

Senate bill 1210 — jurisdiction of high courts: Senate Bill 1210, “relating to the jurisdiction of the Texas Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals,” was laid out on third reading and finally passed; the clerk reported 21 ayes, 9 nays. Senator Hughes moved final passage.

Senate bill 1470 — sharing DPS data to maintain voter list: Senate Bill 1470, “relating to requiring the Department of Public Safety to share data for the purpose of maintaining the statewide voter registration list,” was laid out on third reading and finally passed with a roll call reported as 20 ayes, 10 nays. Senator Hughes moved final passage.

Other procedural actions and committee notices: The Senate adopted several resolutions by voice vote (listed on the record as SR 383 by Parker, SR 390 by Kolkhorst, SR 391 by Nichols, and SR 392 by Zaffirini). Senators moved and the chamber adopted motions to suspend rules to permit committees to meet the same day (motions citing Senate Rules 11.1, 11.13 and 11.18), and the Senate recorded written motions reassigning bills between committees (for example, a motion to withdraw a bill relating to the Hays‑Trinity Groundwater Conservation District from the Committee on Local Government and re‑refer it to the Committee on Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs). The record also includes announcements of committee reconvenings and the Senate’s recess schedule.

Votes at a glance (final passage tallies as announced on the floor): Senate Bill 38 — 21 ayes, 8 nays; Senate Bill 95 — 21 ayes, 9 nays; Senate Bill 760 — 19 ayes, 11 nays; Senate Bill 779 — 17 ayes, 12 nays; Senate Bill 883 — 23 ayes, 7 nays; Senate Bill 1059 — 21 ayes, 9 nays; Senate Bill 1210 — 21 ayes, 9 nays; Senate Bill 1470 — 20 ayes, 10 nays.

The chamber recorded little extended floor debate on the merits of the bills in the provided transcript; most items were taken up after successful motions to suspend the regular order of business and proceeded directly to third‑reading consideration and roll‑call votes. Senate committee meetings and further calendar business were announced for later the same day and for Monday, April 14.