H.B. No. 113 seeks to amend the Government Code to refine the approach courts take in interpreting statutes. The bill prohibits intentionalism, meaning courts cannot consider legislative intent when interpreting laws, and must adhere strictly to the statutory text. It also disallows the use of legislative history, individual legislators' statements, or committee reports in statutory interpretation. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that courts are not obligated to defer to state agency interpretations unless they are reasonable and consistent with the statute's plain language. Additional provisions address the severability of statutory provisions and the treatment of grammatical errors, ensuring that such errors do not invalidate laws.

The bill introduces new legal language regarding the interpretation of statutory provisions deemed invalid, preempted, or unconstitutional. Courts must consider whether discrete applications of an invalid provision can still be enforced without conflicting with federal law or constitutional mandates. In such cases, the statute will be interpreted as if the legislature intended to limit its application to those specific circumstances. The bill also repeals several sections of the Government Code and is 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)
House Committee Report: Government Code 311.016, Government Code 311.025, Government Code 311.026, Government Code 311.028, Government Code 311.032, Government Code 311.034, Government Code 312.012, Government Code 312.013, Government Code 311.023 (Government Code 312, Government Code 311)
Engrossed: 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 312, Government Code 311)