H.B. No. 41 aims to regulate the acquisition and use of certain foreign unmanned aircraft and related equipment or services by governmental entities in Texas. The bill prohibits governmental entities from acquiring or using unmanned aircraft produced or provided by companies that are owned or controlled by the government of a designated country, or that are headquartered in such countries. This prohibition is effective for acquisitions made on or after the bill's effective date, with a grace period allowing entities that have already entered contracts before January 1, 2026, to continue using the equipment until January 1, 2031. Additionally, the bill establishes a grant program to assist law enforcement agencies in replacing prohibited equipment.

The bill also introduces a model security plan for governmental entities regarding the acquisition of telecommunications or video surveillance technologies that may pose risks to state security. This plan will identify companies that produce or provide such technologies and are considered a risk, including those described in the unmanned aircraft prohibition. The Department of Information Resources is tasked with creating this model security plan by December 1, 2025. The bill's provisions are set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

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