The bill, S.B. No. 1516, amends Section 27.009(a) of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code to clarify the award of attorney's fees in cases involving the exercise of certain constitutional rights. Specifically, it stipulates that if a court dismisses a legal action under this chapter, the court is required to award the moving party court costs and reasonable attorney's fees for defending against the legal action. Additionally, the court may impose sanctions on the party who initiated the action to deter them from filing similar lawsuits in the future.

The changes made by this bill will only apply to actions filed on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025. Any actions filed before this date will continue to be governed by the previous law. This ensures a clear transition between the old and new legal standards regarding attorney's fees in these specific cases.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Civil Practice and Remedies Code 27.009 (Civil Practice and Remedies Code 27)