Library Spotlight
Governor Abbott Announces Special Session
News June 27, 2025
On June 23rd, Governor Greg Abbott announced a special session of the Texas Legislature on the heels of the 89th Regular Session.
The special session will focus on topics chosen by the Governor, including the regulation of consumable hemp products like gummies and other edibles containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — a hot topic in Texas politics!
Sine Die: 89th Regular Session Ends June 2nd, 2025
News May 27, 2025
The Texas Legislature will wrap up the 89th Regular Session on June 2nd, 2025. This day is often called "sine die," a Latin term that means "without day." It refers to the final adjournment of a session of a legislative body because they don’t set a date to meet next.
If you’re fuzzy on the details of what happens when a session ends, today’s post is a brief primer on what to expect going forward.
Reference Roundup: Child Custody & Support
Roundup April 26, 2025
Co-parenting can be difficult when conflicts arise. We often hear from frustrated parents who want to learn about their legal rights and how to enforce them.
Below we’ve rounded up Legal FAQs for common questions we receive. Be sure to read the entire FAQ for all the details.
REAL ID Requirements Begin May 7th, 2025
News March 26, 2025
Starting May 7th, 2025, federal law requires all state IDs to adhere to certain minimum standards.
Public Participation at Legislative Hearings
Feature February 25, 2025
The 89th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature is in full swing! Like other state agencies, the State Law Library is in the midst of our budget requests to the Legislature.
Read on for a quick look at the basic functions of the state budget process and some pointers on how to provide public testimony on a bill during the session.
89th Regular Legislative Session Kicks Off
News January 14, 2025
Today is the first day of the Texas Legislature's 89th Regular Session. If you’re looking for info on how to keep up with the new session, we’ve got you covered!
New Laws Effective January 1st, 2025
Feature December 18, 2024
National Adoption Month
Feature November 25, 2024
November is National Adoption Month! To help celebrate, we wanted to highlight some of the basics.
The adoption process creates a new legal parent/child relationship. Adoptive parents have the same rights and responsibilities that biological parents do. In Texas, laws governing the adoption process are in Chapter 162 of the Texas Family Code.
National Estate Planning Awareness Week
Feature October 23, 2024
October 21 – 27 is National Estate Planning Awareness Week! Estate planning may sound spooky and mysterious, but it doesn't have to be. We're here to help.
An estate plan is a set of formal instructions for when a person dies or can no longer make decisions. If there is no plan, matters are typically decided based on existing laws. The consequences can be frightful when your preferences aren’t taken into account.
National Voter Registration Day
Feature September 13, 2024
Tuesday, September 17th is National Voter Registration Day! This civic holiday is the largest single-day voter registration drive. It’s a great day to register to vote or update your registration status.
Bar Journals Now Available on HeinOnline
News August 31, 2024
We're happy to announce that the library now offers access to the Bar Journals collection on HeinOnline. Available titles include the Texas Bar Journal, the American Bar Association (ABA) Journal, and more.
You will need a current library account to access HeinOnline and other library databases. Texas residents can sign up or renew their account for free on our website.
Texas Data Privacy and Security Act
News July 25, 2024
Texas residents now have more rights over their personal data. The Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA) establishes new laws for collecting, storing, processing, and selling consumer information linked to a specific individual.
TDPSA was passed as House Bill 4 during the regular session of the 88th Texas Legislature. The law became effective July 1, 2024. Section 541.055(e), will go into effect January 1, 2025.
No Circulation Fees and Other Changes
News June 21, 2024
We're excited to announce several new changes at the library! These updates aim to enhance your experience and provide better access to our resources.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Feature May 15, 2024
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. Our library has many titles that explain the legal aspects of mental health issues. These books can be helpful whether you’re a lawyer representing a client or a family member caring for a loved one.
New & Improved Probate Law Guide
Feature April 25, 2024
For anyone dealing with a deceased relative's estate, the Texas probate process can seem daunting. We recently updated our Probate Law guide with information about many probate laws. It covers topics like formal administration, dealing with nonprobate property, and what happens when there is no will.
The guide also features materials in our library's collection that could be helpful to lawyers and nonlawyers alike. Read on for some highlights!
HeinOnline's Voting Rights & Election Law Database Now Available
Feature March 25, 2024
We are happy to announce that library patrons can now access HeinOnline's Voting Rights & Election Law database remotely! This new addition to the library's roster of HeinOnline databases is a great starting point for anyone interested in current and historical resources on the electoral process, political campaigns, and voting rights.
National Consumer Protection Week is March 3rd–9th
Feature February 29, 2024
March 3rd – 9th is National Consumer Protection Week! Covering everything from debt collection to lemon laws, the library has many resources to help you learn about your rights as a consumer.
How to Hire a Lawyer
Feature January 31, 2024
If you find yourself facing a legal problem you can’t resolve, it may be time to call a professional. Lawyers can handle a variety of issues, including divorce, child custody, estate planning, starting a business, or providing a legal defense in a lawsuit.
Hiring a lawyer can be intimidating, but we have a few pointers for getting started. Head to our Hiring an Attorney guide for a full rundown.
New Laws Effective January 1st
News December 29, 2023
A total of 31 bills passed by the 88th Texas Legislature will go into effect on January 1, 2024.
Most new laws come from the regular legislative session that ended on May 29, 2023. Governor Greg Abbott also called four special sessions to consider additional legislation, some of which will become law on January 1. We may see more bills passed if the lawmakers gather again before the 89th Legislature convenes in 2025.
Over 700 bills passed by the current legislature already went into effect on September 1, 2023. A handful of bills are scheduled to become law at a later date.
New Law Will Prevent Private Employers From Requiring COVID-19 Vaccines
News December 1, 2023
Last month, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 7. The bill bans private employers from adopting or enforcing workplace COVID-19 vaccine mandates. State and local government employers are already prohibited from doing so in Chapter 81B of the Texas Health and Safety Code.
The new law will take effect on February 6, 2024. It covers employees, contractors, and job applicants in the private sector.
Texas Voters Approve 13 New Constitutional Amendments
News November 8, 2023
Texas voters approved 13 out of the 14 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution in the election yesterday, November 7, 2023. The legislature added the propositions to the ballot earlier this year.
The governor's proclamation is expected to follow shortly.
Reference Roundup: Small Claims Cases
Roundup October 16, 2023
People often turn to small claims courts to resolve disputes over smaller amounts of money. According to the Office of Court Administration's Annual Statistical Report for FY 2022, there were 246,850 small claims cases on the docket in Texas justice courts in 2022 alone.
Some examples of a small claims lawsuit include:
- A person damaged your property and won’t pay to fix it;
- You sold your car, but the person who bought it hasn’t paid you; or
- You paid a contractor for a job, but they never completed the work.
We've answered your frequently asked questions about small claims in a new series of Legal FAQs. Brief summaries are listed below, but make sure to read the full FAQs for additional information.
New Laws Effective September 1st
Feature August 31, 2023
Many new bills passed during the 88th Texas Legislative Sessions will go into effect on September 1st, 2023. A total of 774 bills and individual sections from 19 additional bills are scheduled to become law on this date.
A number of laws have already gone into effect or are scheduled to go into effect at a later date. We may see additional bills passed by this legislature if Governor Greg Abbott calls more legislative sessions before the 89th Legislature convenes in 2025.
Westlaw Access is Back!
News August 2, 2023
Exciting news! Patrons can now access Westlaw Classic in person at the library! Westlaw is one of the most prominent legal databases in the industry, and we are thrilled to offer this service to the public once again.
New Official Will Forms from the Texas Supreme Court
Feature June 13, 2023
If you’ve been thinking about writing a will, the Texas Supreme Court has made it easier to do so without an attorney. The court has approved several official forms for people who want to write their own will:
- Will Form for a Person Who is Single, Widowed, or Divorced and Who Has Children
- Will Form for a Married Person Who Has Children
- Will Form for a Person Who is Single, Widowed, or Divorced and Does Not Have Children
- Will Form for a Married Person Who Does Not Have Children
The forms are on the Forms page of the Texas Judicial Branch website. Bilingual versions with instructions in English and Spanish are also available.
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