HB 1951

AN ACT relating to certain agreements with collective bargaining

House Bill Hefner | Barry | Smithee | Dean | Gervin-Hawkins
Filed

Filed

Bill introduced by legislator

Committee

Hearing

Passed Cmte

Calendar

Passed

Sent

Enrolled

Governor

Signed

89th Regular Session

Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended

Awaiting Committee Assignment

Bill filed, pending referral to House committee

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Fiscal Note

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What This Bill Does

Prohibits Texas public institutions and government entities from discriminating against contractors or subcontractors based on their relationships with collective bargaining organizations when awarding public work contracts. Specifically, these entities cannot require, discourage, or penalize bidders for entering into or refusing to enter into agreements with labor unions when competing for publicly funded projects. The bill applies to contracts solicited on or after its effective date and aims to prevent bias in public work contract bidding processes.

Subject Areas

Bill Text

relating to certain agreements with collective bargaining
organizations related to certain publicly funded public work
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Section 51.7761(b), Education Code, is amended
(b)  An institution awarding a public work contract funded
wholly or partly with state or local governmental money or
governmentally administered financial assistance, including the
issuance of debt guaranteed by this state or a local governmental
entity, money from ratepayers, or money from user fees, may not:
(1)  prohibit, require, discourage, or encourage a
person bidding on the public work contract, including a contractor
or subcontractor, from entering into or adhering to an agreement
with a collective bargaining organization relating to the project;
(2)  discriminate against a person described by
Subdivision (1) based on the person's involvement in the agreement,
(A)  status or lack of status as a party to the
(B)  willingness or refusal to enter into the
SECTION 2.  Section 2269.0541(a), Government Code, is
(a)  A governmental entity awarding a public work contract
funded wholly or partly with state or local governmental money or
governmentally administered financial assistance, including the
issuance of debt guaranteed by this state or a local governmental
entity, money from ratepayers, or money from user fees, may not:
(1)  prohibit, require, discourage, or encourage a
person bidding on the public work contract, including a contractor
or subcontractor, from entering into or adhering to an agreement
with a collective bargaining organization relating to the project;
(2)  discriminate against a person described by
Subdivision (1) based on the person's involvement in the agreement,
(A)  status or lack of status as a party to the
(B)  willingness or refusal to enter into the
SECTION 3.  The changes made by this Act to Section 51.7761,
Education Code, and Section 2269.0541, Government Code, apply only
to a public work contract for which an invitation for offers,
request for proposals, request for qualifications, or other similar
solicitation is first published or distributed on or after the
effective date of this Act.  A public work contract for which an
invitation for offers, request for proposals, request for
qualifications, or other similar solicitation is first published or
distributed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the
law in effect at the time the invitation, request, or other
solicitation is published or distributed, and the former law is
continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Bill History

filed

Bill filed: AN ACT relating to certain agreements with collective bargaining