H.B. No. 4501 proposes significant amendments to the Texas Government Code, focusing on the interpretation of statutory language. The bill clarifies the meanings of "shall" and "must," with "shall" indicating a duty without discretion and "must" establishing a requirement or recognizing a condition precedent. It introduces new sections that prohibit courts from considering legislative intent or history when interpreting statutes, mandating strict adherence to the statutory text. Furthermore, the bill specifies that courts are not obligated to defer to state agency interpretations, although they may consider reasonable constructions that align with the law's plain language.

The bill also addresses severability and the handling of grammatical errors in statutes, establishing that all provisions are severable unless stated otherwise, and that grammatical errors do not invalidate laws. It introduces new legal language regarding the interpretation of provisions deemed invalid by a court, allowing for limited enforcement in certain contexts until a ruling is vacated or overturned. Additionally, the bill repeals several sections of the Government Code, specifically Sections 311.021, 311.023, 311.032, 312.005, 312.006, 312.012, and 312.013, with the provisions set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 311.016, Government Code 311.025, Government Code 311.026, Government Code 311.028, Government Code 311.034, Government Code 311.021 (Government Code 311)