Senate Bill No. 2104 seeks to prohibit discrimination based on military status in employment and housing practices across Texas. The bill amends the Labor Code to define "military status" as encompassing individuals currently serving in the armed forces, those in reserve components, honorably discharged veterans, and their spouses or children. It establishes that discrimination based on military status will be treated similarly to discrimination based on other protected categories such as race, color, disability, religion, sex, national origin, or age. This includes unlawful employment practices by employers, employment agencies, and labor organizations, as well as prohibitions against discriminatory practices in training programs and job advertisements.

In addition to employment protections, the bill amends the Property Code to include military status as a protected category in housing-related transactions, prohibiting discrimination in the sale or rental of dwellings and related real estate activities. It allows religious organizations to limit the sale or rental of dwellings to individuals of the same religion, provided such limitations do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, or military status. The bill also enhances consumer protections in the Utilities Code by prohibiting discrimination based on military status in telecommunications and retail electric services. The effective date for these changes is set for September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Labor Code 21.002, Labor Code 21.005, Labor Code 302.154, Labor Code 21.052, Labor Code 21.053, Labor Code 21.054, Labor Code 21.059, Labor Code 21.102, Labor Code 21.112, Labor Code 21.113, Labor Code 21.120, Labor Code 21.122, Labor Code 21.124, Labor Code 21.125, Labor Code 21.126, Labor Code 21.152, Labor Code 21.155, Property Code 301.003, Property Code 301.021, Property Code 301.022, Property Code 301.023, Property Code 301.024, Property Code 301.026, Property Code 301.027, Property Code 301.042, Property Code 301.068, Property Code 301.171, Utilities Code 17.002, Utilities Code 17.004 (Labor Code 302, Labor Code 21, Property Code 301, Utilities Code 17)