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Signed Into Law
Signed June 20, 2025Effective 2025-06-20
HB1922

Regular Session

Relating to the accrual of a cause of action for purposes of certain laws governing certain construction liability claims.

Government Affairs & Regulatory Compliance Analysis

HB1922: Government Affairs Overview

HB1922 establishes a strict "mailbox rule" for public works construction defect claims: the cause of action now accrues specifically on the date the defect report is postmarked by the USPS, not the date of receipt. This legislation impacts all general contractors, subcontractors, and design professionals contracting with Texas governmental entities, necessitating immediate changes to mailroom intake and evidence preservation procedures.

Rep. Jay Dean·House Bill·Regular Session

Moderate
Low Cost
Effective:2025-06-20
Enforcing Agencies

Texas Civil Courts

Business Impact

Who HB1922 Affects

This legislation has regulatory implications for the following Texas businesses and organizations:

Regulatory Priority: moderate

Notable regulatory updates (effective 2025-06-20). Consider how these changes may affect your operations.

🏗️

Construction

Affected business types:

  • General contractors
  • Specialty contractors
  • Construction firms
  • Building developers
View all construction legislation

Key Operational Considerations

  • 1Mailroom & Intake Training: Train administrative staff and mailroom personnel immediately. They must stop the common practice of discarding envelopes after opening legal notices.
  • 2Docketing Staff: Retrain legal assistants to log the postmark date as the accrual trigger in case management software, rather than the date stamped "Received."
  • 3Evidence Preservation: You must retain the physical envelope for any Chapter 2272 defect report.

Estimated Cost Impact

lowMinimal cost impact anticipated.

Enforcing Agencies

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HB1922
Relating to the accrual of a cause of action for purposes of certain laws governing certain construction liability claims.
Moderate Urgency
Passed with Opposition
House Vote117 - 2
YEA
98% in favor119 voting
Senate Vote31 - 0
YEA
100% in favor31 voting
2
Total Opposition Votes
Cost Impact
Low
Effective
2025-06-20
Enforcing Agencies
Texas Civil Courts
Primary Author: Rep. Jay Dean
89th Texas Legislature
jdkey.com
01

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

  • Effective Date: June 20, 2025 (Immediate effect due to legislative supermajority).
  • Compliance Deadline: June 20, 2025. Procedures must be active by this date to handle incoming claims correctly.
  • Agency Rulemaking: None. This is a statutory change enforced by the courts; no state agency will issue further guidance.

Immediate Action Plan

  • Immediately issue a directive to mailroom staff: "Do not discard envelopes from governmental entities."
  • Update your litigation hold software/spreadsheets to calculate deadlines based on "Postmark Date" rather than "Receipt Date" for public entity claims.
  • Consult with outside counsel regarding the "Non-USPS Defense" strategy for any claims received via private courier after June 20, 2025.
  • Verify that your professional liability and CGL carriers are aware that your procedural accrual date (Chapter 2272) may differ from your coverage trigger date.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

  • Review Notice Provisions: Audit Master Service Agreements (MSAs) with governmental entities. While statutory law supersedes contract terms, ensure your "Notice of Claim" sections do not contain language conflicting with the USPS postmark accrual definition, which could create costly venue or procedural disputes.

Hiring/Training

  • Mailroom & Intake Training: Train administrative staff and mailroom personnel immediately. They must stop the common practice of discarding envelopes after opening legal notices.
  • Docketing Staff: Retrain legal assistants to log the postmark date as the accrual trigger in case management software, rather than the date stamped "Received."

Reporting & Record-Keeping

  • Evidence Preservation: You must retain the physical envelope for any Chapter 2272 defect report.
  • Digital Scanning Protocol: Update scanning workflows. The envelope (front and back) must be scanned as Page 1 of the digital packet for any incoming claim from a public entity.
  • Dual-Track Docketing: Maintain two separate tracking dates:
  • 1. Postmark Date: For Chapter 2272 procedural compliance.
  • 2. Date of Occurrence/Damage: For insurance coverage triggers and Statute of Repose calculations (which remain unchanged by this law).

Fees & Costs

  • No New Government Fees: There are no filing fees associated with this change.
  • Litigation Costs: Failure to capture the postmark date could result in missed deadlines for counter-claims or dispute resolution steps, leading to default judgments or procedural waivers.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

  • Non-USPS Delivery: The statute explicitly specifies the "United States Postal Service." It is silent regarding reports sent via FedEx, UPS, or private courier. If a governmental entity uses a private carrier, defense counsel should be prepared to argue that the cause of action under Chapter 2272 has not technically accrued.
  • Illegible Postmarks: Metered mail or damaged envelopes may lack a legible date. In the absence of a clear postmark, the accrual date becomes a fact issue. Businesses must retain tracking numbers and receipt logs to reconstruct the mailing timeline if the postmark is unreadable.

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JD Key Consulting specializes in Texas regulatory compliance strategy. Work directly with James Dickey—former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas—to understand this bill's impact on your operations and develop an actionable compliance plan.

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Information presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.

02

Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

Filed
Jan 16, 2025
Passed House
Apr 25, 2025
Passed Senate
May 19, 2025
Signed
Jun 20, 2025
Effective
Jun 20, 2025
TopicsCivil Remedies & LiabilitiesBuilding ConstructionConstruction & Building MaterialsConstruction & Heavy EquipmentContractors & SubcontractorsStatutes of Limitations
03

House Authors

Rep. Jay DeanRepublican · Primary Author
Joint Authors
Coauthors (6)

Senate Sponsor

Sen. Mayes MiddletonRepublican · Primary Sponsor

Bill Text(with markup)

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

Related Legislation

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More from Rep. Jay Dean

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Related by Topic

View more Civil Remedies & Liabilities legislation
Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about HB1922

Q

What does Texas HB1922 do?

HB1922 establishes a strict "mailbox rule" for public works construction defect claims: the cause of action now accrues specifically on the date the defect report is postmarked by the USPS, not the date of receipt. This legislation impacts all general contractors, subcontractors, and design professionals contracting with Texas governmental entities, necessitating immediate changes to mailroom intake and evidence preservation procedures.

Q

Who authored HB1922?

HB1922 was authored by Texas Representative Jay Dean during the Regular Session.

Q

When was HB1922 signed into law?

HB1922 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025.

Q

Which agencies enforce HB1922?

HB1922 is enforced by Texas Civil Courts.

Q

How significant are the changes in HB1922?

The regulatory priority for HB1922 is rated as "moderate". Businesses and organizations should review the legislation to understand potential impacts.

Q

What is the cost impact of HB1922?

The cost impact of HB1922 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

Q

What topics does HB1922 address?

HB1922 addresses topics including civil remedies & liabilities, building construction, construction & building materials, construction & heavy equipment and contractors & subcontractors.

Q

What are the key dates for HB1922?

Key dates for HB1922: Effective date is 2025-06-20. Consult with legal counsel regarding applicability.

Q

Which Texas businesses are affected by HB1922?

HB1922 primarily affects construction firms and contractors. These businesses should review the legislation with their legal and compliance teams to understand potential impacts.

Need Strategic Guidance on This Legislation?

JD Key Consulting is an Austin, Texas-based government affairs firm led by James Dickey, former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. We specialize in Texas regulatory compliance and legislative strategy for data centers, energy, banking, and manufacturing.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: January 11, 2026