With over half of the state legislatures adjourned for 2025, below is a small sampling of bills NASBP tracked and monitored throughout the year. Since January, NASBP has tracked nearly 300 state measures.

Of those 300 bills, nearly 30 were considered a “top priority” such as increases to state bond thresholds:

• In Connecticut, legislation to raise the performance bond threshold for subcontractors from less than $50,000 to less than $1M, died in Committee;
• In Louisiana, a bill to raise the bond threshold from $25,000 to $250,000 only in Ascension Parish, passed the House and Senate. NASBP engaged in grassroots activities which included sending a letter in opposition describing the terrible precedent to allow a single Parish to circumvent established Louisiana state bonding requirements (current bond threshold is $25,000/$100,000 Highway), which may lead to procurement malfeasance and favoritism;
• In Mississippi, a measure to raise the bond threshold from $25,000 to $75,000 for public works contracts, died in Committee;
• In North Dakota, a bill to increase the bond threshold from $200,000 to $250,000 was signed into law;
• In Texas, legislation to increase the bond threshold from $25,000 to $150,000 died in Committee; and
• In Texas, a measure to raise the bond threshold from $25,000 to $150,000 for contracts of construction for the Department Parks and Wildlife, was signed into law.

Other state bills of interest this session included public-private partnerships (P3s):

• In New Mexico, legislation to establish P3s to facilitate the development of trade ports, which requires performance and payment bonds, was signed into law; and
• In Louisiana, legislation authorizing the Port of New Orleans to utilize P3s for the St. Bernard Transportation Corridor roadway project, which requires bonding pursuant to Louisiana’s Department of Transportation, passed the House and awaits Senate approval.

Additional state legislation relating to commercial surety:

• In New Mexico, legislation was signed into law creating the local solar access energy fund to provide grants to local entities for solar power energy, which requires a contractor of a project funded through grant funds to furnish performance and payment bonds; and
• In Utah, legislation was signed into law to require a solar retailer’s estimated energy production to be within a certain percentage of output and requires the retailer to obtain/maintain a performance bond to operate in the state.

Finally, legislation was signed into law in Montana to permit the state or other governmental entities to accept electronic bid bonds signed electronically or otherwise verified by the bidder and the surety. The bill was introduced on behalf of the Montana Department of Administration. NASBP continues to support the electronic execution and delivery of surety bonds and to monitor advances in electronic bonding activities. For additional information pertaining to state legislative activities, please contact NASBP.

Be an advocate for your industry. Be sure to save the date and plan to attend the February 24-25, 2026 Federal Legislative Fly-in. NASBP will provide more details in the next few months.