SAN ANTONIO – As the new year approaches, several new laws will take effect in Texas on Jan. 1, 2025.
Among the key changes are the end of safety inspections for non-commercial vehicles and new privacy protections that make it easier for consumers to opt out of data collection.
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Here’s a closer look at how these laws will affect Texans:
HB 3297: Inspections end for non-commercial vehicles
Vehicle safety inspections, as we know them, will be a thing of the past.
Starting Jan. 1, 2025, non-commercial vehicles will no longer need to be inspected before registration, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
>> New vehicle inspection rules in Texas: What drivers can expect in 2025
Instead, drivers of all non-commercial vehicles will pay a $7.50 inspection program replacement fee when registering their cars.
For newly purchased vehicles in Texas — either of the current or preceding model year and have not been registered previously in Texas or another state — an initial inspection program replacement fee of $16.75 will be required to cover two years.
“Please note the inspection program replacement fee is not an increase in the cost of your vehicle registration,” a news release from DPS states. “As its name suggests, this fee simply replaces the revenue source for state programs and operations—like the construction and expansion of state highways—once supported by vehicle safety inspections.”
Although safety inspections for all non-commercial vehicles will end, Texans with vehicles registered in certain counties must still undergo emissions tests. The cost of these tests varies depending on the vehicle and county.
Vehicles currently exempt from emissions inspections, such as electric-only vehicles, will remain exempt.
Emissions tests are required in major metropolitan areas, including Brazoria, Collin, Dallas, Denton, El Paso, Ellis, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Johnson, Kaufman, Montgomery, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant, Travis, and Williamson counties.
Bexar County will join the list in 2026. For more information, click here.
HB 4: Opt out of collection of personal data
The law, which relates to the collection and use of consumers’ personal data, went into effect on July 1, 2024, except for Section 541.055(e), Business & Commerce Code, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
That section states that a consumer can designate another person or technology — such as website links, browser settings, or device settings — to opt out of personal data processing on their behalf. This means consumers will not need to contact businesses directly to opt out of giving their personal data.
Companies must honor the requests if they can verify the consumer’s identity and the agent’s authority but can refuse if the request is unclear, the consumer’s residency cannot be verified, the company cannot process the request, or if similar requests are not handled under identical laws of another state.
Click here for more information.
SB 2 (88th Legislature, 2nd Called Session): Property tax relief
This sweeping property tax relief bill was passed in a second special legislative session in 2023.
The majority of the law is in effect except for Sections 3.05, 3.08, and 3.15(b), which take effect Jan. 1, 2025; and Sections 4.02, 4.05, 4.08, 4.10, and 4.12, which take effect Jan. 1, 2027.
Here’s a breakdown of those sections going into effect on New Year’s Day 2025:
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Section 3.05: Starting Jan. 1, 2025, Section 48.2542 of the Education Code will be amended to ensure that school districts receive extra state funding to offset property tax revenue lost due to reduced tax increase limits for elderly or disabled homeowners.
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Section 3.08: Starting Jan. 1, 2025, Section 48.2556(a) of the Education Code will be amended to require the Texas Education Agency to post each school district’s maximum compressed rate for the current and preceding tax year.
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Section 3.15(b): This repeals tax discounts that have already expired.
Click here for more information.
WATCH BELOW: How is the state reducing property taxes? KSAT Explains
HB 1535: New end for San Antonio River Authority fiscal year
This law relates to the San Antonio River Authority following recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission. The law revised the governance, operations, and functions of the San Antonio River Authority, including altering the terms of office of board members.
The law took effect in May 2023, except for a section about the dates of the fiscal year.
Starting Jan. 1, 2025, the district’s fiscal year ends on Sept. 30 of each year.
Click here for more information.
HB 3474: New judicial district in Texas
This law, which was passed in 2023, addressed various aspects of the judicial branch in Texas. Several portions of the law have already taken effect, except for Sections 1.009 and 1.016:
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Section 1.009 establishes the 477th Judicial District, which will serve Denton County. The district will be officially created and operational starting Jan. 1, 2025.
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Section 1.016 will go into effect on Oct. 1, 2025. That establishes the 498th Judicial District in Kendall County.
For more information, click here.
HB 4504: Streamlining criminal procedure
House Bill 4504 is part of an ongoing effort to simplify legal rules. It makes small, technical updates to the Code of Criminal Procedure without changing the meaning of the laws.
These updates involve the duties of police officers, how they interact with the public, where cases can be tried, moving cases to a different location, rules for certain local courts, and clearing criminal records.
Click here for more information.
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