(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), in any matter brought under this subchapter, the reviewing court shall review all questions of law de novo, including the interpretation of constitutional or statutory provisions or rules adopted by a state agency, without giving deference to any legal determination by a state agency.

(b) Subsection (a) does not prohibit a reviewing court from giving consideration to a legal determination made by a state agency that is reasonable and does not conflict with the plain language of the statute.

(c) Notwithstanding any other law, this section applies in an action for judicial review of a contested case authorized by law and other court actions authorized by law that involve a state agency’s legal determination of a constitutional or statutory provision or a rule adopted by the state agency.

(d) A law may not exempt an action from the application of this section except by specific reference to this section.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., ch. 1 (S.B. 14), § 8, eff. Sept. 1, 2025.