Texas Government Code Chapter 2054 carries three conflicting Subchapter S's on AI, with duplicated section numbers
Three separate acts of the 89th Legislature each added a Subchapter S to Government Code Chapter 2054, and two of them number their sections identically. Section 2054.702 exists twice with entirely different commands, as do Sections 2054.701 and 2054.703 through 2054.705. The codifier has flagged the conflict in the published code rather than resolved it. Which text governs a state agency's AI duties is unsettled on the face of the statute.
How to take part
A codification conflict is resolved either by the Legislature in a future non substantive revision bill or by a court. There is no comment window. A reader who cares can raise it with their own legislator or with the Texas Legislative Council, which prepares the revision bills.
Where
Statewide. This decision applies across Texas rather than to a named county.
Timeline
- effective
Both conflicting AI subchapters took effect
- Today
How this decision moved
One dated line per check, oldest first. A line that says nothing changed means somebody looked and it had not.
- 2026-08-19
Which Subchapter S governs remains unconfirmed. The published chapter text available this run runs only as far as Section 2054.0702. That stops short of the three Subchapter S enactments the item rests on.
- 2026-08-22
The three Subchapter S enactments are confirmed in the published chapter text. One runs Sections 2054.651 to 2054.654 on website modernization. Two more both begin at Section 2054.701, one creating an artificial intelligence division and one setting artificial intelligence duties. The codifier still flags the conflict rather than resolving it.
- 2026-08-25
Checked and unchanged. Still open, with no dated movement.
- 2026-08-28
Checked and unchanged. The codifier's conflict note is still sitting in the published text and the Legislature has not met to resolve it. A state agency reading its own AI duties still has three Subchapter S's to choose between.
- 2026-09-01
The published code still carries the conflicting artificial-intelligence subchapters and their duplicated section designations.
- 2026-09-02
Checked and unchanged. Still open, with no dated movement.
- 2026-09-05
The three Subchapter S's are still in the Government Code with their section numbers still colliding. Nothing has been renumbered and a reader looking up the AI duties still meets more than one answer.
- 2026-09-08
Chapter 2054 still carries its three competing Subchapter S designations, and the duplicated section numbers are still in the published code. Nothing has been renumbered.
- 2026-09-09
Three separate Subchapter S's on artificial intelligence still sit in Chapter 2054 with overlapping numbering, and nothing has been passed to reconcile them.
- 2026-09-12
Checked and unchanged. Still open, with no dated movement.
- 2026-09-13
Checked and unchanged. Still open, with no dated movement.
- 2026-09-16
The three Subchapter S sections on artificial intelligence still sit in the code with their duplicated numbering unresolved. A reader looking up a section number still gets more than one answer.
- 2026-09-19
The three conflicting subchapters are all still on the books with their section numbers still duplicated, so the code still gives two answers to the same question.
- 2026-09-23
The code still carries the same three subchapters under one letter, and none of the duplicated section numbers has been renumbered.
- 2026-09-26
Chapter 2054 still carries three subchapters under one letter, with the duplicated section numbers left as they were.
- 2026-09-29
The code still carries its three subchapters on artificial intelligence under one letter. No cleanup bill has renumbered them.
The evidence
Every fact above rests on one of these. The words are the source's own.
Subchapter S, consisting of Secs. 2054.701 to 2054.713, was added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1148 (S.B. 1964 ), Sec. 5. For another Subchapter S, consisting of Secs. 2054.651 to 2054.654, added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 951 (H.B. 5195 ), Sec. 1, see Sec. 2054.651 et seq., post. For another Subchapter S, consisting of Secs. 2054.701 to 2054.705, added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1079 (H.B. 2818 ), Sec. 1, see Sec. 2054.701 et seq., post.Texas Government Code Chapter 2054, editorial note preceding Subchapter S Primary source, official · tcss.legis.texas.gov
Sec. 2054.702. GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGY.Texas Government Code Sec. 2054.702, in the Subchapter S added by HB 2818 Primary source, official · tcss.legis.texas.gov
Sec. 2054.702. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM CODE OF ETHICS. (a) The department by rule shall establish an artificial intelligence system code of ethics for use by state agencies and local governments that procure, develop, deploy, or use artificial intelligence systems.Texas Government Code Sec. 2054.702, in the Subchapter S added by SB 1964 Primary source, official · tcss.legis.texas.gov
the artificial intelligence system code of ethics must include guidance for the deployment and use of artificial intelligence systems and heightened scrutiny artificial intelligence systems that aligns with the Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0) published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.Texas Government Code Sec. 2054.702(b), in the Subchapter S added by SB 1964 Primary source, official · tcss.legis.texas.gov
(c) State agencies and local governments shall adopt the code of ethics developed under this section.Texas Government Code Sec. 2054.702(c), in the Subchapter S added by SB 1964 Primary source, official · tcss.legis.texas.gov
Questions about this decision
Answered from the record itself. Every answer is assembled from stored fields, so an answer the record has no basis for is left out rather than guessed.
What is this decision?
Three separate acts of the 89th Legislature each added a Subchapter S to Government Code Chapter 2054, and two of them number their sections identically. Section 2054.702 exists twice with entirely different commands, as do Sections 2054.701 and 2054.703 through 2054.705. The codifier has flagged the conflict in the published code rather than resolved it. Which text governs a state agency's AI duties is unsettled on the face of the statute.
Who decides it?
Texas Legislature decides. The record names the deciding body for every entry it carries.
Can the public take part?
A codification conflict is resolved either by the Legislature in a future non substantive revision bill or by a court. There is no comment window. A reader who cares can raise it with their own legislator or with the Texas Legislative Council, which prepares the revision bills. No dated public window is on the record. The deciding body is named and reachable.
Where in Texas does it apply?
It applies statewide.
Has it been decided?
Its status on the record is open.
What happens next?
No future date is on the record. The last dated step on it was effective on September 1st.
When did it start?
The earliest date on its record is September 1st, 2025.
What kind of decision is it?
It is filed under state policy.
What sources back it?
One source backs it. It is primary.
Is it on the ERCOT grid?
No. It sits outside the ERCOT interconnection.
When was it last checked?
Every fact on it was last verified against its source on September 29th, 2026.
Cite this
Texas AI Docket, Texas Government Code Chapter 2054 carries three conflicting Subchapter S's on AI, with duplicated section numbers. Tracked since September 1st, 2025. Last verified September 29th, 2026. https://texasaidocket.com/item/tx-2026-0008/. Reuse permitted under CC BY 4.0 with attribution. The same entry is in the docket JSON as item tx-2026-0008.
Beat
Filed under State policy, with every other decision on that beat.