Rep. Rafael Anchía

Maddy summaryHB 1795 amends Texas Penal Code Sections 42.10 (dog fighting) and 42.105 (cockfighting) to adjust criminal penalties. It changes certain offenses from state jail felonies to Class A misdemeanors (e.g., dog fighting under subsection (a)(6) or cockfighting under subsection (b)(5)). For repeat cockfighting convictions, it increases penalties to Class A misdemeanors instead of Class C. The bill applies only to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, with prior offenses governed by older law. This directly affects individuals convicted of dog or cockfighting under the specified subsections.

Maddy summaryHB 1826 requires Texas county jails and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to screen pregnant women or those who gave birth within the past year for depression at specific intervals: once per trimester during pregnancy, once within six weeks after birth, and again at 6 and 12 months postpartum. This bill directly affects incarcerated women in Texas who are pregnant or have recently given birth. The key provision mandates these screenings as part of standard medical care in correctional facilities. The legislation aims to address mental health needs for this vulnerable population through structured, time-bound assessments.

Maddy summaryHB 4558 amends Texas law to require clerks of court to notify specific parties when they reasonably suspect a property-related document is fraudulent. The bill mandates written notice to the person against whom a purported judgment is directed, or to the grantor, grantee, and property owner for documents creating liens or claims on real or personal property. A document is presumed fraudulent if it originates from a non-existent court or claims a lien without legal basis under Texas law. This change establishes a clearer process for addressing potential fraud in property filings, affecting property owners, debtors, and those named in disputed documents.

Maddy summaryHB 4560 updates Texas property law by adding stricter requirements for recording real estate deeds and heirship affidavits. For deeds filed by title companies or similar entities, the grantor’s signature must be notarized or witnessed by two people; for deeds filed by individuals, both buyer and seller must sign, have two witnesses, and then get the document notarized. Heirship affidavits (used to establish property inheritance) must be signed by the person making the affidavit and all heirs, witnessed by two people, and then notarized. The bill would take effect on September 1, 2025, unless passed with a two-thirds legislative vote for immediate implementation.

Maddy summaryHB 3511 allows electric vehicle owners in Texas to connect their vehicles to the power grid and sell stored electricity back to the grid, earning credits for supplying power during peak times. It requires the Texas Utility Commission to establish safety and technical standards based on existing industry codes (like UL and NEC) and create a program enabling EVs to participate in grid services through utilities. This directly affects EV owners, electric utilities, and ERCOT market operators by integrating vehicles as grid assets. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1825 requires the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) or its foster care contractors to share specific information with juvenile justice agencies upon request. It mandates sharing details about children who have been in foster care, involved in abuse/neglect investigations, or had parental rights terminated. Juvenile justice agencies will receive confirmation of foster care history and the number of prior foster care placements for youth in their custody. This law applies only to requests made on or after the bill's effective date, aiming to improve coordination between child welfare and juvenile justice systems.

Maddy summaryHB 2618 requires 15 major Texas state agencies - including the Department of Transportation, Public Utility Commission, Texas Division of Emergency Management, and Texas Water Development Board - to develop and publish severe weather adaptation plans every even-numbered year. Each plan must include a vulnerability assessment, specific operational steps for severe weather, budget impact analysis for 2/5/10 years, funding sources, and a statewide monitoring strategy based on current climate science. The bill mandates consultation with the Houston Advanced Research Center and Texas State Climatologist during plan development. This procedural law focuses on preparing state agencies for increased severe weather impacts, not on direct funding or policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 3713 modifies Texas Utilities Code to maintain reasonable rates and expand the universal service fund for smaller telecommunications companies. It directly affects local exchange companies and cooperatives serving fewer than 31,000 phone lines, requiring the Public Utility Commission to implement mechanisms - either through modest rate adjustments or fund expansions - to replace revenue losses from federal policies, FCC orders, or other regulatory changes. The bill specifies that these mechanisms must not harm universal service access and prohibits support for companies exceeding 31,000 lines or those that opted into other programs by 2013. It takes effect September 1, 2025, and does not alter existing service obligations for consumers.

Maddy summaryHB 36, the Sharon Radebaugh Family Violence Protection Act, requires courts to mandate GPS tracking devices for high-risk defendants charged with family violence offenses as a condition of bond. The bill also establishes that defendants may be charged a fee to cover the cost of the GPS monitoring system and requires courts to collect data on bond conditions in family violence and certain other criminal cases. This directly affects defendants facing family violence charges (who may wear GPS devices), victims (who may receive related resources), and courts (which must track bond conditions). The law aims to enhance victim safety through stricter offender monitoring and data collection, without specifying new victim services beyond the data collection requirement.

Maddy summaryHB 3997 establishes new procedural rules for environmental permits involving liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal construction or modifications in Texas. It requires an expedited permit review process with an additional fee to cover costs, sets a 120-day deadline for responding to public comments, and delegates contested case hearings to the State Office of Administrative Hearings with a 30-day timeline for preliminary hearings (allowing a 15-day extension). The bill applies only to permit applications filed on or after September 1, 2025, and specifically affects LNG terminal developers, the public submitting comments, and parties challenging permits. It does not alter environmental standards but streamlines review procedures for these specific projects.