A new bill authored by State Rep. Ron Reynolds in the Texas House seeks to adjust unemployment benefits in Texas according to fluctuations in the state’s average unemployment rate, according to the Texas Legislature website.
The bill on Utilities category, introduced as HB 199 during the 89(1) legislative session on Thursday, July 24, was formally listed with the short title: ’Relating to the interconnection of the ERCOT power grid to grids outside the ERCOT power region’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill establishes a sliding scale for the maximum unemployment benefits an individual can receive during a benefit year in Texas, based on the state’s average unemployment rate. The scale ranges from 14 times the individual’s benefit amount when the unemployment rate does not exceed 6.5%, up to 27 times when the rate is above 10%. The bill also amends existing sections of the Labor Code to align with this new scale, repealing Section 207.005 and ensuring that these changes apply to claims filed on or after the effective date of Jan. 1, 2026. Claims filed prior to this date will adhere to the laws in effect at the time of filing.
Ron Reynolds, a member of the House Committee on Energy Resources, proposed another six bills during the 89(1) legislative session. He is also a member of the House Committee on Environmental Regulation and a member of the House Committee on House Administration.
Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
| Legislative Session | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89(1) | HB 203 | 07/24/2025 | Relating to requiring the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to study and report about water rights that may be subject to cancellation for nonuse |
| 89(1) | HB 202 | 07/24/2025 | Relating to creating a criminal offense for the unlawful transfer of a semiautomatic rifle |
| 89(1) | HB 201 | 07/24/2025 | Relating to the creation of certain criminal offenses concerning firearm sales at gun shows |
| 89(1) | HB 200 | 07/24/2025 | Relating to emergency warning systems operated by municipalities and counties |
| 89(1) | HB 146 | 07/21/2025 | Relating to the creation of the Climate Change Impact Assessment Council |
| 89(1) | HB 145 | 07/21/2025 | Relating to the temperature at which a facility operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is maintained |
| 89(R) | HB 5581 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the creation of an oversight advisory council on foster care placement |
| 89(R) | HB 5107 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to voter registration |
| 89(R) | HB 5071 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the applicability of limits on the authority of political subdivisions to regulate the issuance of permits |
| 89(R) | HB 5056 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to human sexuality education in public schools |
| 89(R) | HB 5046 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the collection, use, processing, and treatment of consumers’ personal data by certain business entities |
| 89(R) | HB 5044 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to requiring the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to study and report about water rights that may be subject to cancellation for nonuse |
| 89(R) | HB 5011 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to certain protections for owners in a property owners’ association |
| 89(R) | HB 5003 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to notice and hearing requirements for applications for permits for certain commercial oil and gas waste disposal facilities |
| 89(R) | HB 4998 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the inclusion of independent organizations established to manage power regions as governmental bodies for purposes of the public information law |
| 89(R) | HB 4997 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the tenure and employment of faculty members at certain public institutions of higher education |
| 89(R) | HB 4859 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the allocation of money in the Texas Energy Fund |
| 89(R) | HB 4843 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to a study conducted by the Texas Division of Emergency Management regarding the process for obtaining disaster-related financial assistance |
| 89(R) | HB 4612 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to the rights of certain parties in connection with the performance of certain tests on certain inactive wells subject to the jurisdiction of the Railroad Commission of Texas |
| 89(R) | HB 4258 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to the authority of the comptroller of public accounts and certain political subdivisions of this state to invest certain money in cryptocurrencies |
| 89(R) | HB 4251 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to protection for certain essential workers and health care practitioners in the private sector who report certain activities or violations of law |
| 89(R) | HB 4250 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to emergency generators or other power sources for nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and certain multiunit complexes; providing a civil penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 4249 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to the establishment of a grant program to provide training to public school educators and administrators related to teaching historically underserved students |
| 89(R) | HB 4248 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to the authority to impose municipal sales and use taxes; authorizing an increase in the rate of a tax |
| 89(R) | HB 4246 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to authorizing counties to conduct elections using countywide polling |
| 89(R) | HB 4245 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to compensatory and punitive damage limits in employment discrimination claims |
| 89(R) | HB 4244 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to required reporting and online posting of certain information by solid waste facilities |
| 89(R) | HB 4243 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to removal of certain eviction case information from credit reports |
| 89(R) | HB 4177 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to contracting with companies that boycott or discriminate against certain entities |
| 89(R) | HB 4162 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to the creation of an anonymous reporting program for employees of certain generation facilities |
| 89(R) | HB 4160 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to the release of certain video surveillance of special education settings |
| 89(R) | HB 4159 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to prohibiting the manufacture, assembly, or ownership of unmarked firearms and other conduct involving certain firearms and component parts of firearms; creating criminal offenses; authorizing a fee |
| 89(R) | HB 4151 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to fair housing practices in the State of Texas, including the consideration of criminal history in rental decisions |
| 89(R) | HB 4143 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to initiatives for first-generation students, low-income students, or underserved student populations at public institutions of higher education |
| 89(R) | HB 3927 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the consideration of certain local government actions before the renewal of air permits for certain concrete plants |
| 89(R) | HB 3926 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the consideration of the cumulative effects of air contaminant emissions in the emissions permitting process |
| 89(R) | HB 3925 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to contested case hearings on the issuance, renewal, or revocation of authorizations to use certain standard air quality permits |
| 89(R) | HB 3893 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the protection of whistleblowers, accountability in public and private sectors, and penalties for retaliatory actions |
| 89(R) | HB 3752 | 03/04/2025 | Relating to the creation of the Texas Southern University College of Medicine at Texas Southern University |
| 89(R) | HB 3730 | 03/04/2025 | Relating to the creation of the Texas Southern University College of Dentistry at Texas Southern University |
| 89(R) | HB 3729 | 03/04/2025 | Relating to the creation of a public information campaign to raise awareness of the Texas Compassionate Use Program |
| 89(R) | HB 3443 | 02/26/2025 | Relating to the temperature at which a facility operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is maintained |
| 89(R) | HB 3442 | 02/26/2025 | Relating to approved court-ordered alcohol awareness programs |
| 89(R) | HB 3346 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to distributed energy resources |
| 89(R) | HB 3301 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to establishing the permanent public school fund to reduce school district maintenance and operations ad valorem taxes and provide funding for public school prekindergarten programs |
| 89(R) | HB 3300 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to a study by the comptroller of public accounts on the modernization and efficient administration of state government |
| 89(R) | HB 3299 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to the regulation of building products by governmental entities |
| 89(R) | HB 3298 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to air quality permits for certain concrete batch plants |
| 89(R) | HB 3297 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to the establishment of the Texas prekindergarten fund to support public school prekindergarten education |
| 89(R) | HB 3296 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to the establishment of a higher education consortium for civic education and a grant program for that consortium |
