Bill Text: TX HB128 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to certain sister-city agreements between governmental entities and foreign countries and communities.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 20)
Status: (Passed) 2025-06-20 - Effective on 9/1/25 [HB128 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB128-Enrolled.html
| H.B. No. 128 | ||
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| relating to certain sister-city agreements between governmental | ||
| entities and foreign countries and communities. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Title 7, Government Code, is amended by adding | ||
| Chapter 795 to read as follows: | ||
| CHAPTER 795. SISTER-CITY AGREEMENTS | ||
| Sec. 795.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: | ||
| (1) "Foreign adversary" means: | ||
| (A) China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia; or | ||
| (B) a country that is a designated country for | ||
| purposes of Chapter 2275. | ||
| (2) "Governmental entity" means a state agency or a | ||
| political subdivision of this state. | ||
| (3) "Sister-city agreement" means an agreement that: | ||
| (A) is between a governmental entity and a | ||
| country other than the United States or a community located in a | ||
| country other than the United States; | ||
| (B) is recognized by a nonprofit organization | ||
| exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(c)(3), | ||
| Internal Revenue Code of 1986, that serves as the national | ||
| membership organization for individual sister cities, counties, | ||
| and states across the United States; and | ||
| (C) reflects a commitment to foster and | ||
| strengthen opportunities for cultural and educational exchange | ||
| programs and tourism and to encourage other types of bilateral | ||
| cooperation between the parties to the agreement. | ||
| (4) "State agency" has the meaning assigned by Section | ||
| 751.001. | ||
| Sec. 795.002. STATE POLICY REGARDING AGREEMENTS. It is the | ||
| policy of this state to encourage sister-city agreements between | ||
| governmental entities and countries that are allies of the United | ||
| States, including countries designated as major non-NATO allies | ||
| under federal law and the Republic of China, commonly known as | ||
| Taiwan, and communities located in those countries. | ||
| Sec. 795.003. CERTAIN AGREEMENTS PROHIBITED. A | ||
| governmental entity may not establish, maintain, or renew a | ||
| sister-city agreement with: | ||
| (1) a country that is a foreign adversary; or | ||
| (2) a community located in a country described by | ||
| Subdivision (1). | ||
| Sec. 795.004. WITHDRAWAL FROM CERTAIN EXISTING AGREEMENTS. | ||
| (a) A governmental entity that on September 1, 2025, is a party to a | ||
| sister-city agreement described by Section 795.003 shall withdraw | ||
| from the agreement not later than October 1, 2025. | ||
| (b) This section expires January 1, 2027. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.B. No. 128 was passed by the House on April | ||
| 30, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 104, Nays 32, 2 present, not | ||
| voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.B. No. 128 was passed by the Senate on May | ||
| 25, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 2. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: _____________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| _____________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
