Rep. Rafael Anchía

Maddy summaryHR 1383 is a ceremonial resolution congratulating six Dallas Independent School District educators named 2024-2025 Educator of the Year award winners by the Dallas Education Foundation. It directly affects Patricia Cortez (teacher, choice/magnet), Bernardo Velez Rico (teacher, secondary), Netallia Rush (teacher, elementary), Channel Hutchinson (principal, choice/magnet), Stephanie Amaya (principal, secondary), and Beverly Mullins Ford (principal, elementary). The resolution formally recognizes their work through a written statement from the Texas House of Representatives, which will provide each recipient with an official copy as a token of appreciation. This is a non-binding gesture with no policy changes or funding impacts.

Maddy summarySB 693 creates a new criminal offense for Texas notaries public who perform a notarization with knowledge that the person for whom the document is being notarized did not personally appear at the time of notarization. The offense is a Class A misdemeanor, but becomes a state jail felony if the document involves real estate transfer. The law includes a defense: if the person appearing presented a valid ID identifying themselves as the signer, the notary cannot be prosecuted. This bill directly affects Texas notaries by adding specific penalties for a common type of notarial fraud.

Maddy summaryHB 3809 requires lease agreements for battery energy storage facilities (like large-scale battery systems) to include specific terms about removal. It mandates that the operator (called a "grantee") must remove all equipment and restore the land to its original condition when the lease ends, covering all associated costs. This directly affects landowners leasing property to battery storage operators and the operators themselves, who must now include these removal obligations in their agreements. The law creates new rules under Texas Utilities Code Chapter 303 to ensure facilities are properly decommissioned, without changing how the storage systems operate during their active use.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HR 1416) formally congratulates the University of Texas at Austin speech team for winning the 2025 American Forensic Association National Speech Tournament championship. It specifically recognizes their fourth consecutive national title, 11th program championship overall, and individual achievements like Ishika Bhasin's impromptu speaking victory. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no policy impact or binding effect - it solely expresses the Texas House of Representatives' symbolic recognition of the team's accomplishment.

Maddy summaryHR 1423 is a ceremonial resolution recognizing May 28, 2025, as "Irving Fire Department Advocacy Day" at the Texas State Capitol. It honors the Irving Fire Department's 100th anniversary by extending a formal welcome to their delegation for a Capitol visit. The resolution highlights the department's growth from 20 volunteers in 1925 to over 400 personnel serving 250,000 residents today, including its nationally recognized Class 1 rating for fire services. This resolution does not create new laws or affect policy - it is purely symbolic recognition for the department.

Maddy summarySB 1921 amends Texas law to allow public improvement districts in certain municipalities to fund hotel-related projects like advertising, promotion, and business recruitment. It requires petitions to establish such districts to be signed by qualified hotel managers (e.g., owners, general managers, or authorized management staff) representing over 60% of both the appraised value and number or area of affected hotels. This change affects hotels and their managers in municipalities where these districts operate, streamlining the process for district creation focused on hotel development. The bill became effective immediately after passing both chambers and being filed without the governor’s signature on May 28, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2611 creates two new criminal offenses: "real property theft" (stealing homes, land, or buildings) and "real property fraud" (deceiving others to obtain property through false documents). It establishes a 10-year statute of limitations for prosecuting these crimes, meaning prosecutors must file charges within a decade of the offense. The bill also harmonizes existing statute of limitations for other property-related crimes and increases penalties for certain offenses. These changes directly affect individuals who commit real estate theft or fraud and law enforcement agencies handling such cases.

Maddy summarySB 1080 requires Texas licensing authorities to issue either a full occupational license or a provisional license (valid for six months) to otherwise qualified applicants who have been convicted of certain offenses, instead of automatically denying their applications. The provisional license begins on the date an applicant is released from prison if they were incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. This bill directly affects individuals with criminal convictions seeking occupational licenses (such as for nursing, contracting, or other licensed professions) who meet all other qualification requirements. It aims to reduce barriers to employment by providing a temporary licensing pathway for these applicants.

Maddy summarySB 455 requires that surplus lines insurance contracts (for risks wholly located in Texas) include arbitration agreements conducted in Texas under Texas law, unless both insurer and policyholder agree to change the venue after the insurer provides written notice and a premium credit for added costs. This applies to new or renewed contracts on or after January 1, 2026, affecting insurers and policyholders purchasing specialized insurance for high-risk properties in Texas. The bill ensures arbitration venues and legal interpretations remain tied to Texas, preventing out-of-state arbitration without financial compensation to policyholders. It becomes effective September 1, 2025, but the new rules apply to contracts delivered after 2025.

Maddy summaryTexas Senate Bill 1370 requires counties with a population exceeding 2.5 million (based on the latest federal census) to establish and maintain a medical examiner office. Counties with fewer than 1 million residents may choose to create such an office. The bill also allows two or more counties (regardless of size) to form a joint medical examiner district covering their entire contiguous areas. This law takes effect on September 1, 2025, directly impacting county governments in Texas.