H.B. No. 149, known as the Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act, aims to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) systems in Texas and establish civil penalties for violations. The bill amends the Business & Commerce Code to include definitions and provisions regarding biometric identifiers, clarifying that individuals are not considered informed or consenting if their biometric data is captured from publicly available images unless shared by the individuals themselves. It introduces a new subtitle that mandates governmental agencies to disclose interactions with AI systems to consumers, prohibits AI for social scoring, and restricts the use of biometric data without consent, thereby protecting individual rights under the U.S. and Texas Constitutions.

The legislation also establishes a regulatory sandbox program for testing AI systems without licensing, promotes the ethical development of AI through the Texas Artificial Intelligence Council, and enhances the review criteria for state agencies regarding their use of AI. The bill grants the attorney general exclusive enforcement authority, outlines civil penalties for non-compliance, and requires agencies to report on their AI usage in technology infrastructure reports. Additionally, it specifies that agencies are not mandated to implement provisions without appropriated funding, with a requirement to certify any lack of implementation in their budget requests. The bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Commerce Code 503.001, Government Code 325.011, Government Code 2054.068, Government Code 2054.0965 (Commerce Code 503, Government Code 325, Government Code 2054)
House Committee Report: Commerce Code 503.001, Commerce Code 541.104, Government Code 325.011, Government Code 2054.068, Government Code 2054.0965 (Commerce Code 503, Government Code 325, Commerce Code 541, Government Code 2054)
Engrossed: Commerce Code 503.001, Commerce Code 541.104, Government Code 325.011, Government Code 2054.068, Government Code 2054.0965 (Commerce Code 503, Government Code 325, Commerce Code 541, Government Code 2054)
Senate Committee Report: Commerce Code 503.001, Commerce Code 541.104, Government Code 325.011, Government Code 2054.068, Government Code 2054.0965 (Commerce Code 503, Government Code 325, Commerce Code 541, Government Code 2054)
Enrolled: Commerce Code 503.001, Commerce Code 541.104, Government Code 325.011, Government Code 2054.068, Government Code 2054.0965 (Commerce Code 503, Government Code 325, Commerce Code 541, Government Code 2054)