BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 2401 89R10574 BCH-D By: Parker Business & Commerce 4/11/2025 As Filed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT S.B. 2401, the Sunset safety net bill, continues until 2027 three agenciesTexas Lottery Commission, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and Department of Information Resourcesthat underwent review by the Sunset Advisory Commission during the 2024-2025 review cycle. If any of one these agencies' separate sunset bills do not pass, S.B. 2401 ensures the agency will not be abolished. Instead, the agency would be continued for two years and subject to a full Sunset review again during the 20262027 review cycle. In addition, Sunset reviewed the Texas Ethics Commission and four river authorities that are not subject to abolishment through the Sunset process. If any of these separate bills do not pass, S.B. 2401 provides for a full Sunset review of the Texas Ethics Commission or river authority during the 20262027 review cycle. S.B. 2401 amends the Government Code, Occupations Code, Special District Local Laws Code, and Session Law to continue three state governmental entities and related state law, as applicable, until 2027 and to provide for a Sunset review of five additional entities under the Texas Sunset Act during the 20262027 review cycle: Texas Lottery Commission Texas Department of Criminal Justice Texas Ethics Commission Department of Information Resources Angelina and Neches River Authority Lower Neches Valley Authority Sabine River Authority of Texas Trinity River Authority of Texas As proposed, S.B. 2401 amends current law relating to governmental entities subject to the sunset review process. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. TEXAS LOTTERY COMMISSION. Amends Section 467.002, Government Code, to provide that, unless continued in existence as provided by Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act), the Texas Lottery Commission is abolished and certain chapters of the Government Code and Occupations Code expire September 1, 2027, rather than September 1, 2025. SECTION 2. TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. Amends Section 492.012, Government Code, to provide that, unless continued in existence as provided by Chapter 325, the Texas Board of Criminal Justice and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice are abolished September 1, 2027, rather than September 1, 2025. SECTION 3. TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION. Amends Section 571.022, Government Code, to require the Texas Ethics Commission to be reviewed during the periods in which state agencies abolished in 2027, rather than 2013, and every 12th year after that year are reviewed. SECTION 4. DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION RESOURCES. Amends Section 2054.005, Government Code, to provide that, unless continued in existence as provided by Chapter 325, the Department of Information Resources is abolished and this chapter expires September 1, 2027, rather than September 1, 2025, and to make a nonsubstantive change. SECTION 5. ANGELINA AND NECHES RIVER AUTHORITY. Amends Section 8501.0015(a), Special District Local Laws Code, to require that Angelina and Neches River Authority is to be reviewed under Section 325.05 (River Authorities Subject to Review), Government Code, as if the authority were a state agency scheduled to be abolished September 1, 2027, rather than September 1, 2025, and every 12th year after that year. SECTION 6. LOWER NECHES VALLEY AUTHORITY. Amends Section 8504.0021(a), Special District Local Laws Code, to require that Lower Neches River Authority is to be reviewed under Section 325.05, Government Code, as if the authority were a state agency scheduled to be abolished September 1, 2027, rather than September 1, 2025, and every 12th year after that year. SECTION 7. SABINE RIVER AUTHORITY OF TEXAS. Amends Section 2A(a), Chapter 110, Acts of the 51st Legislature, Regular Session, 1949, to require that the Sabine River Authority of Texas is to be reviewed under Section 325.05, Government Code, as if the authority were a state agency scheduled to be abolished September 1, 2027, rather than September 1, 2025, and every 12th year after that year. SECTION 8. TRINITY RIVER AUTHORITY OF TEXAS. Amends Section 1A(a), Chapter 518, Acts of the 54th Legislature, Regular Session, 1955, to require that the Trinity River Authority is to be reviewed under Section 325.05, Government Code, as if the authority were a state agency scheduled to be abolished September 1, 2027, rather than September 1, 2025, and every 12th year after that year. SECTION 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 2401
89R10574 BCH-D By: Parker
Business & Commerce
4/11/2025
As Filed
Senate Research Center
S.B. 2401
89R10574 BCH-D
By: Parker
Business & Commerce
4/11/2025
As Filed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
S.B. 2401, the Sunset safety net bill, continues until 2027 three agenciesTexas Lottery Commission, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and Department of Information Resourcesthat underwent review by the Sunset Advisory Commission during the 2024-2025 review cycle. If any of one these agencies' separate sunset bills do not pass, S.B. 2401 ensures the agency will not be abolished. Instead, the agency would be continued for two years and subject to a full Sunset review again during the 20262027 review cycle. In addition, Sunset reviewed the Texas Ethics Commission and four river authorities that are not subject to abolishment through the Sunset process. If any of these separate bills do not pass, S.B. 2401 provides for a full Sunset review of the Texas Ethics Commission or river authority during the 20262027 review cycle.
S.B. 2401 amends the Government Code, Occupations Code, Special District Local Laws Code, and Session Law to continue three state governmental entities and related state law, as applicable, until 2027 and to provide for a Sunset review of five additional entities under the Texas Sunset Act during the 20262027 review cycle:
* Texas Lottery Commission
* Texas Department of Criminal Justice
* Texas Ethics Commission
* Department of Information Resources
* Angelina and Neches River Authority
* Lower Neches Valley Authority
* Sabine River Authority of Texas
* Trinity River Authority of Texas
As proposed, S.B. 2401 amends current law relating to governmental entities subject to the sunset review process.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. TEXAS LOTTERY COMMISSION. Amends Section 467.002, Government Code, to provide that, unless continued in existence as provided by Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act), the Texas Lottery Commission is abolished and certain chapters of the Government Code and Occupations Code expire September 1, 2027, rather than September 1, 2025.
SECTION 2. TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. Amends Section 492.012, Government Code, to provide that, unless continued in existence as provided by Chapter 325, the Texas Board of Criminal Justice and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice are abolished September 1, 2027, rather than September 1, 2025.
SECTION 3. TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION. Amends Section 571.022, Government Code, to require the Texas Ethics Commission to be reviewed during the periods in which state agencies abolished in 2027, rather than 2013, and every 12th year after that year are reviewed.
SECTION 4. DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION RESOURCES. Amends Section 2054.005, Government Code, to provide that, unless continued in existence as provided by Chapter 325, the Department of Information Resources is abolished and this chapter expires September 1, 2027, rather than September 1, 2025, and to make a nonsubstantive change.
SECTION 5. ANGELINA AND NECHES RIVER AUTHORITY. Amends Section 8501.0015(a), Special District Local Laws Code, to require that Angelina and Neches River Authority is to be reviewed under Section 325.05 (River Authorities Subject to Review), Government Code, as if the authority were a state agency scheduled to be abolished September 1, 2027, rather than September 1, 2025, and every 12th year after that year.
SECTION 6. LOWER NECHES VALLEY AUTHORITY. Amends Section 8504.0021(a), Special District Local Laws Code, to require that Lower Neches River Authority is to be reviewed under Section 325.05, Government Code, as if the authority were a state agency scheduled to be abolished September 1, 2027, rather than September 1, 2025, and every 12th year after that year.
SECTION 7. SABINE RIVER AUTHORITY OF TEXAS. Amends Section 2A(a), Chapter 110, Acts of the 51st Legislature, Regular Session, 1949, to require that the Sabine River Authority of Texas is to be reviewed under Section 325.05, Government Code, as if the authority were a state agency scheduled to be abolished September 1, 2027, rather than September 1, 2025, and every 12th year after that year.
SECTION 8. TRINITY RIVER AUTHORITY OF TEXAS. Amends Section 1A(a), Chapter 518, Acts of the 54th Legislature, Regular Session, 1955, to require that the Trinity River Authority is to be reviewed under Section 325.05, Government Code, as if the authority were a state agency scheduled to be abolished September 1, 2027, rather than September 1, 2025, and every 12th year after that year.
SECTION 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.