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Thursday, April 24, 2025

New bill introduced by Jon Rosenthal in Texas House — what does HB 489 say?

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Jon Eric Rosenthal, Texas State Representative of 135th District (D) | https://www.facebook.com/JonRosenthalTX/

Jon Eric Rosenthal, Texas State Representative of 135th District (D) | https://www.facebook.com/JonRosenthalTX/

Rep. Jon Rosenthal introduced HB 489, a bill on Corrections, to the Texas House on Friday, Feb. 28 during the 89(R) legislative session, according to the Texas Legislature website.

More specifically, the official text was summarized by the state legislature as ’’Relating to the temperature at which a facility operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is maintained’’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

This bill mandates that facilities operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice maintain indoor temperatures between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The requirement for temperature regulation will not be enforced until Sept. 1, 2026, giving the department time to implement necessary changes. The act itself takes effect a year earlier, on Sept. 1, 2025. This legislative measure seeks to ensure a more standardized and humane environment within the state's correctional institutions by setting a clear temperature range for facility management.

Jon Rosenthal, member of the House Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs and vice chair of the House Committee on Redistricting, proposed another 10 bills during the 89(R) legislative session.

Rosenthal graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1991 with a BS.

Jon Rosenthal is currently serving in the Texas State House, representing the state's 135th House district. He replaced previous state representative Gary Elkins in 2019.

Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Other Recent Bills Introduced by Rep. Jon Rosenthal in Texas House During 89(R) Legislative Session

Bill NumberDate IntroducedShort Description
HB 47102/28/2025Relating to the intake and disposition records of animal shelters and releasing agencies
HB 45902/28/2025Relating to the establishment by the Railroad Commission of Texas of a policy to eliminate the routine flaring of natural gas from wells or other facilities regulated by the commission
HB 43802/28/2025Relating to prohibiting an increase in the rent of a tenant residing in a development supported with a low income housing tax credit allocation
HB 43502/28/2025Relating to prohibiting carrying a firearm while intoxicated; creating a criminal offense
HB 41002/28/2025Relating to pet deposits or fees collected by landlords
HB 36202/28/2025Relating to the assignment of public school students enrolled in certain school districts to an uncertified teacher
HB 30202/28/2025Relating to a prohibition of employment discrimination on the basis of reproductive decisions and certain employment agreements limiting reproductive decisions
HB 27002/27/2025Relating to civil liability for discriminatory false reports to law enforcement agencies or emergency service providers
HB 23002/27/2025Relating to the establishment of the office of community violence intervention and prevention within the Department of State Health Services and a grant program for violence intervention and prevention services
HB 22402/27/2025Relating to contracting with companies that boycott or discriminate against certain entities

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