Texas conservationists welcomed the end of the 89th Legislature on Monday, celebrating a handful of wins and dodging a long list of bad bills that would have undermined the state’s ability to manage wildlife and protect deer herds from Chronic Wasting Disease.

Perhaps the most visible victory for wildlife advocates came from the quick and passionate rejection of a bill that would have abolished the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Many other bills, including several supported by deer breeders that would have reduced regulations on the industry and given them ownership over public wildlife, also failed to gain traction.

Certain lawmakers continued a trend this session to minimize the threat of Chronic Wasting Disease. Several bills were introduced that made attempts to weaken TPWD and Texas Animal Health Commission’s authority to regulate the deer breeding industry, which acts as a vector for CWD disease transmission. Texas BHA will continue to stand behind TPWD as they fight to protect this resource for future use and enjoyment.

Another big win of the session came from the passing of HB 3333, which prohibits wastewater discharge into the Devils River and protects the beauty and sanctity of one of the state’s last pristine natural areas. The bill was sent to Governor Greg Abbott on Monday, where it waits for his final signature to become law.

The final day for the governor to sign or veto bills is June 22. Highlights of notable legislation listed below.

Signed into Law, Effective 9/1/25

SB 1245 - Relating to the taking of aoudad sheep by using a helicopter.

• Adds aoudad sheep to the list of non-game animals huntable by helicopter. Aoudad, or Barbary Sheep, are a non-native species brought into the western part of the state for its potential as a game animal, but quickly began out-competing native bighorn sheep and deer in the region. Helicopter hunting, which has proven to be an effective means of population control for hogs, will provide land managers with another tool to mitigate the aoudad’s impact on native wildlife (BHA is simultaneously working on expanding traditional public hunting opportunities for aoudad as a primary method of species management).

SB 1215 - Relating to the placement of a cultivated oyster in a natural oyster bed, a private oyster bed, or coastal waters.

• The bill that created the oyster mariculture industry in Texas in 2019 also made it illegal to introduce cultivated oysters into natural oyster beds. SB 1215 allows the practice and charges TPWD with the responsibility to authorize the placement, establish best practice measures, and generally make sure it’s done correctly. Supplementing wild oyster populations with cultivated oysters is a restorative practice used in coastal areas elsewhere in the United States to help rebuild wild oyster reefs. When done correctly, it’s proven to be a safe and effective tool for oyster reef rehabilitation.

Passed by both Chambers, Awaiting Governor Signature

HB 3333 - Relating to a restriction on permits authorizing direct discharges of waste or pollutants into water in certain river segments and drainage areas.

• Prohibits the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality from issuing any new permits authorizing the direct discharge of wastewater into the Devils River, thereby protecting the watershed from certain developments. The bill was drafted with input from the Devils River Conservancy and had support from Val Verde County Commissioners and the City of Del Rio, according to DRC Director Romey Swanson. This bill is a huge step in favor of clean water in the region and sets a precedent for the protection of pristine areas and natural beauty.

HB 654 – “Asp-Morgan Act” - Relating to the dismissal of a criminal charge related to the illegal hunting of certain deer; authorizing fees.

• If a hunter illegally kills a deer with an inside or outside spread measurement of less than one inch higher than the maximum legal spread allowed by state and local provisions, self-reports the kill to Game Wardens, is a first-time offender, and agrees to take a Hunters Education course, that criminal charge can be dismissed by a court. Bill was designed to offer some grace to hunters who mis-identify legal bucks in the field.

Failed Legislation/Did Not Become Law

HB 676/HB 646 - Relating to the use of an unmanned aircraft to locate and retrieve wounded or killed wildlife.

• Bill would have amended current TPWD code to allow the use of drones to locate wounded or killed wildlife. Under current law, it’s illegal to hunt, drive, capture, take, count or photograph any wildlife with unmanned aircraft. Allowing the use of drones to locate wildlife, while continuing to prohibit other uses of drones, would have opened the door to potential abuses and made it extremely difficult for game wardens to enforce existing laws.

HB 1379 - Relating to the authority of a game warden or other peace officer commissioned by the Parks and Wildlife Department to enter private property.

• Wildlife in Texas is constitutionally designated as public trust resources and TPWD Game Wardens are charged with enforcement of regulations related to those resources. Because Texas is a private lands state, Game Wardens must have access to the lands on which those resources reside. HB 1379 would have restricted their access and made the enforcement of wildlife laws and regulations related to hunting and wildlife virtually impossible.

SB 2845 - Relating to the voluntary removal of either a breeder deer's identification tag or button tag on liberation of the breeder deer onto a release site.

• Would have allowed the removal of either an RFID button tag or dangle tag, but not both, upon the release of breeder deer. If button tags were left as the sole identifier, the button would be very difficult to see – especially the small white tag inside the deer’s ear. Bill would have hindered the ability to identify breeder deer at a distance.

SB 2844 - Relating to the regulation of deer breeding; creating criminal offenses.

• The better of the two bills introduced to increase regulations on deer breeding, including limiting enclosure sizes and creating an explicit penalty framework to provide a greater incentive for bad actors in the deer breeding industry to follow the law.

SB 2188 - Relating to the regulation of certain space flight activities, including the closure of certain areas for those activities.

• SB 2188 sought to amend current law to extend the authority to temporarily close a beach or beach access point for spaceflight activities to cities containing a spaceport located within certain counties, which directly affected Boca Chica Beach State Park. Current law only allows the county commissioners court to temporarily close a beach or beach access point for spaceflight activities. This legislation would have allowed the newly incorporated Spaceport city to restrict beach access on weekdays, bypassing the currently required vote by the commissioners court. Lawmakers said the bill would not have increased the number of closures, but the bill was met with strong opposition from local groups.

SB 2147 - Relating to the ownership of breeder deer in this state.

• Would have made deer bred in captivity the legal property of deer breeders if certain other criteria were met. BHA has always and will continue to stand against legislation promoting the privatization of wildlife. Wildlife are held in the public trust for the use and enjoyment of the public, and it is up to state and federal game agencies and wildlife scientists to manage those populations for the benefit of all people.

Have a question about a specific bill not mentioned? Send us an email at [email protected].