New Texas Laws for 2025: The AI Regulations That Change Everything

The 89th Texas Legislature didn't just pass one AI law — it passed four. Together, they create the most comprehensive state-level AI governance framework in the American South. Every one of them is enforceable right now. Here's what changed, who's affected, and what you need to do.

The Four Texas AI Laws at a Glance

HB 149: TRAIGA — The Anchor Law

The Texas Responsible AI Governance Act is the centerpiece. It applies to every organization deploying AI systems that affect people in Texas — regardless of where the company is headquartered.

What It Prohibits

TRAIGA defines 7 categories of prohibited AI practices:

• Subliminal manipulation — AI designed to alter behavior through means the person cannot perceive
• Vulnerability exploitation — targeting age, disability, or economic status
• Social scoring — classifying people based on social behavior for unrelated purposes
• Real-time biometric surveillance — unconsented facial recognition in public spaces
• Discrimination by design — intent to discriminate based on protected class
• Constitutional rights infringement — suppressing or chilling constitutional rights
• CSAM generation — any AI-generated child sexual abuse material

What It Gives You

TRAIGA isn't just penalties. It provides two critical protections:

• NIST AI RMF Affirmative Defense — documented compliance with the NIST AI Risk Management Framework is a codified legal safe harbor. This is not aspirational — it's statutory.
• 60-Day Cure Period — after AG notification, you have 60 days to fix the violation before penalties are assessed. Organizations with pre-existing compliance documentation cure faster and more successfully.

SB 1964: Government AI Ethics

If you're a Texas state agency or government entity, SB 1964 adds mandatory obligations on top of TRAIGA:

• Adopt an AI ethics code — a formal organizational policy governing how AI is used in government operations
• Publish a public AI inventory — every AI system used by the agency must be transparently listed
• Conduct heightened scrutiny assessments — AI systems affecting rights, benefits, or services undergo enhanced review
• Prohibit social scoring absolutely — government use of social scoring AI is banned outright, stricter than the private sector standard
• Restrict biometric surveillance — tighter constraints than HB 149's private sector rules

SB 1188: Healthcare AI Disclosure

Healthcare providers using AI in patient care face the most prescriptive requirements:

• Written disclosure to patients — must inform patients when AI is involved in their diagnosis, treatment, or service
• Timing requirement — disclosure must be provided before or at the time of service, not after
• Plain language mandate — no medical jargon, no legalese, no technical obfuscation
• Dark pattern prohibition — the disclosure cannot be designed to minimize, hide, or distract from the AI involvement
• Human oversight requirement — a qualified healthcare professional must be able to review AI-driven recommendations

For hospitals, clinics, and telehealth providers using AI-assisted diagnostics, treatment planning, or patient triage — this is mandatory compliance, not optional best practice.

HB 3512: AI Training for State Employees

The most operationally intensive of the four laws for government:

• Who — every state employee who uses computers for 25% or more of their job duties
• What — annual AI training certified by the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR)
• When — each fiscal year, with expiration tracking
• Tracking — agencies must document completion rates and report to DIR

The Compound Effect: Deployer-Type Stack

What makes Texas unique is the stacking effect. A single organization can face obligations under multiple laws simultaneously:

• A private AI company faces HB 149 (TRAIGA) only — prohibited practices + NIST safe harbor
• A state agency faces HB 149 + SB 1964 + HB 3512 — triple compliance
• A government hospital faces all four — HB 149 + SB 1964 + SB 1188 + HB 3512
• A private healthcare provider faces HB 149 + SB 1188 — dual compliance

Understanding which laws apply to your specific deployer type is the first step in building an efficient compliance program. Over-compliance wastes resources. Under-compliance creates liability.

What to Do This Quarter

The enforcement window is open. The AG's office is building capacity. The organizations that act now have two strategic advantages:

1. You build your affirmative defense before it's needed — NIST alignment documentation created proactively is far more credible than evidence assembled after an investigation notice
2. You meet procurement requirements — enterprise customers and government RFPs are beginning to require TRAIGA compliance evidence from vendors

TXAIMS automates compliance across all four Texas AI laws. The platform classifies your deployer type, identifies which statutes apply, screens your AI systems, scores your NIST alignment, and generates evidence bundles — all in one place. Start your 14-day free trial and get your Texas AI compliance documented before the next enforcement cycle.

For deeper dives into each law, see our guides on HB 149 (TRAIGA), SB 1964, SB 1188, and HB 3512.