Texas Senate passes package of bills on CPA licensure, telemarketing, parental rights and more

The Texas Senate on March 11, 2025, passed a group of bills and a proposed constitutional amendment covering professional licensure, telemarketing rules, public-safety coordination and parental-rights language.

The measures adopted during the floor session included changes to certified public accountant eligibility, an expanded definition of “telephone call” for solicitation law enforcement, confidentiality protections for certain employees, creation of a statewide firefighting equipment database, clarified authority for local governments to enter water-planning interlocal agreements, housekeeping changes to dietitian licensure, and a proposed constitutional amendment on parental rights. Several bills were amended on the floor before final passage.

Why it matters: The bills affect professional licensing and administrative procedures across the state and propose a constitutional amendment that, if approved by voters, would place protections for parental authority into the Texas Constitution.

On CPA licensure, Senator Perry said the bill responds to a decline in CPA candidates by creating an alternate licensure path that requires a baccalaureate degree, specified accounting coursework and two years of relevant work experience. The Senate adopted a floor amendment that changed the measure’s effective-date language; the amendment was offered from the floor and adopted without objection. The committee substitute for what the Senate read as SB 262 then passed final passage by a roll call recorded as 31 ayes and no nays.

Senator Hall described Senate Bill 140 as a fix to two chapters of the Business & Commerce Code, explaining that one chapter defined a telephone call while the other did not and that courts had read the code narrowly. “Simply put, SB 140 simply extends the definition of a telephone call,” Hall said on the floor. The bill would make certain unregistered automated calls and text messages subject to existing telemarketing registration requirements and penalties. SB 140 passed final passage by a roll call recorded as 31 ayes and no nays.

Senate Bill 370, carried by Senator Perry, expands confidentiality protections that shield the home addresses and certain personal information of current and former Office of the Attorney General employees and their family members. Senator Miles offered a floor amendment to add employees of public defender offices to the list of covered employees; Perry said the amendment was acceptable and it was adopted. The bill passed final passage by a roll call recorded as 31 ayes and no nays.

Senator Sparks sponsored Senate Bill 767, which requires the Texas A&M Forest Service to maintain a searchable database of firefighting equipment and contact information that fire departments, emergency services districts and volunteer departments can use during wildfires and other emergencies. Sparks said the database must include equipment descriptions and allow searches by location and equipment type; a floor amendment required the Forest Service to annually remind departments to update the database. SB 767 passed final passage by a roll call recorded as 31 ayes and no nays.

Senate Bill 480 clarifies that local governments may enter interlocal contracts with other government entities to participate in water research and planning activities under the Texas Water Code. Senator Perry described the bill as resolving ambiguities in current law so counties, municipalities and certain special districts can participate in water planning. SB 480 passed final passage by a roll call recorded as 31 ayes and no nays.

Senator Hughes led Senate Joint Resolution 34, a proposed constitutional amendment described on the floor as a consolidation of parental-rights principles the sponsor said are already recognized in Texas case law. During floor colloquy, senators asked questions about the interaction between the proposed amendment and child-protection actions; Hughes said the resolution would adopt the existing constitutional test that a government action burdening parental rights must be essential to a compelling government interest and narrowly tailored. Hughes moved adoption; the joint resolution passed third reading and was returned from the Senate as a proposed constitutional amendment by a roll call recorded as 31 ayes and no nays.

Senator Zaffirini brought Senate Bill 627, a cleanup measure to remove obsolete language related to dietitian licensure in the Occupations Code and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation rules. The bill was passed to engrossment and then to final passage; the transcript indicates the final roll call recorded 30 ayes and 1 nay. The Senate also adopted Senate Bill 764, updating TDLR hearing procedures for electrician license denials and disciplinary hearings; it passed final passage by voice and a recorded floor vote noted as 31 ayes and no nays.

Votes at a glance - SB 262 (committee substitute) — Relating to eligibility requirements to practice public accountancy. Floor amendment changed the effective-date language; final passage recorded as 31 ayes, 0 nays. Outcome: approved. - SB 140 — Relating to the definition of telephone call for purposes of regulating telephone solicitations; sponsor: Senator Hall. Final passage recorded as 31 ayes, 0 nays. Outcome: approved. - SB 370 — Relating to availability of certain personal information for certain Office of the Attorney General employees; floor amendment by Senator Miles added public defender employees. Final passage recorded as 31 ayes, 0 nays. Outcome: approved. - SB 767 — Relating to creation of a searchable firefighting equipment database (Texas A&M Forest Service); floor amendment requires annual reminders to update. Final passage recorded as 31 ayes, 0 nays. Outcome: approved. - SB 480 — Relating to authority of local governments to enter interlocal contracts for water research/planning. Final passage recorded as 31 ayes, 0 nays. Outcome: approved. - SJR 34 — Proposing a constitutional amendment protecting parental rights; passed third reading in the Senate (31 ayes, 0 nays) and will be placed on the ballot only if later approved by the Legislature and voters. Outcome in Senate: approved (proposed amendment). - SB 627 — Relating to licensing and regulation of dietitians (TDLR / Occupations Code cleanup). Final passage recorded in transcript as 30 ayes, 1 nay. Outcome: approved. - SB 764 — Relating to TDLR hearing procedure on electrician license denials/discipline. Final passage recorded as 31 ayes, 0 nays. Outcome: approved.

What’s next: Bills that passed the Senate will go to the House for consideration, and the joint resolution would need later legislative steps and voter approval to become part of the state Constitution. Several other bills and resolutions were laid out for referral to committees at the end of the morning call but were not debated on the floor during this session.

Ending: The Senate concluded the morning call after adopting the measures and several ceremonial resolutions. The chamber adjourned until the next scheduled session business.