Rep. Joanne Shofner

Maddy summaryHB 4595 would prohibit transporting or funding the transportation of unemancipated minors (minors under 18 without legal independence) for abortion services, imposing civil penalties and criminal charges for violations. This bill directly affects unemancipated minors seeking abortions, as well as individuals or organizations providing transportation or financial assistance for that purpose. Key provisions include criminalizing both the act of transporting minors and funding such transportation, with penalties ranging from fines to criminal prosecution. The law creates a clear legal barrier for minors under 18 accessing abortion care through transportation support.

Maddy summaryHB 4962, titled "Relating to the disclosure of citizenship of a candidate for public office," would require candidates for public office to disclose their citizenship status as part of their filing documentation. This requirement directly affects candidates running for elected positions at the local or state level. The bill's key mechanism involves adding citizenship verification to standard candidate filing forms, though specific enforcement details are not provided in the available context. The bill was filed on March 13, 2025, and referred to the Elections committee on April 3, 2025, but its full text is unavailable for detailed analysis.

Maddy summaryHB 4716 amends Texas business law to strengthen oversight of entities operating in the state. It allows courts to order the dissolution of business entities (including foreign entities) that commit serious violations, such as fraudulent formation, material misrepresentations in filings, exceeding their legal purpose, or if the entity or its top managers face felony convictions or civil liability for felony conduct. The bill also grants the Texas Attorney General authority to inspect business records, investigate potential violations, and interview witnesses, while allowing entities to challenge such investigations in court. These changes directly affect business entities operating in Texas and expand the Attorney General’s enforcement tools for accountability.

Maddy summaryHB 5021 requires Texas public school libraries to adopt collection development policies that prohibit materials deemed harmful under Texas Penal Code §43.24, sexually explicit by vendors, vulgar/unsuitable per *Pico v. Board of Education*, or listed by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as restricted. It mandates that all library materials - including classroom, school, and online catalogs - must comply with these standards, while requiring schools to communicate with parents about collections and prohibiting removal of materials based solely on ideas or author/character backgrounds. The policy must also recognize that obscene content lacks First Amendment protection and affirm parents' primary role in student access decisions. This law applies to all public school libraries starting the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryHB 4728 requires all Texas counties to use hand-marked paper ballots for every election, eliminating electronic poll lists and ending the countywide polling place program. It directly affects every county in Texas, particularly those previously exempt under Section 42.0051(a) (populations under 1.2 million not using countywide polling centers). The bill repeals the exception allowing electronic systems in certain counties, mandating paper ballots statewide. Key mechanisms include removing the countywide program exemption and requiring election officials to provide written ballot instructions and assistance options for voters.

Maddy summaryHB 4541's bill text is not available in the provided context, only the title and recent actions (filed, read first time, referred to Elections) are listed. The title indicates it relates to polling place locations during early voting and on election day, but without the actual text, specific provisions or mechanisms cannot be described. A summary of who the bill directly affects or its concrete policy changes cannot be generated from the available information. Please refer to the bill's full text for details.

Maddy summaryHB 4927 exempts medical and veterinary students from certain immunization requirements as a condition for enrollment or course participation. It allows students to decline immunizations based on conscience (including religious belief) by submitting a signed affidavit to their school's admitting official, following the form requirements in existing law. This exemption applies specifically to students enrolled in medical schools (as defined by Texas law) or veterinary medicine programs at institutions of higher education. The policy would take effect for the 2025-2026 academic year, overriding current Education Code requirements that previously mandated such immunizations.

Maddy summaryHB 4849 requires election authorities to number physical ballots consecutively starting from "1" and prohibits using electronic devices described in Section 31.014 (or network-connected devices) for ballot numbering. It also explicitly extends these numbering rules to electronic system ballots. The bill applies directly to Texas election officials preparing ballots and takes effect September 1, 2025. This is a procedural change focused on ballot numbering standards, not substantive policy.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution proposes adding a constitutional amendment to Texas law that explicitly states voters must be U.S. citizens. It would amend Article VI, Section 1(a) of the Texas Constitution to list "persons who are not citizens of the United States" as a disqualifying category for voting, alongside existing restrictions like age, mental incompetence, and felony convictions. The amendment would be submitted to Texas voters in the November 4, 2025 election, with the ballot phrasing: "The constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen." This is a procedural bill focused on clarifying voting eligibility requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Texas public schools to provisionally admit students who haven't completed required immunizations but have submitted a request for an exemption affidavit to the Department of State Health Services. It requires schools to accept documentation proving such a request was made, and mandates the health department to provide standardized receipts for all exemption requests (submitted online, in person, by mail, or fax). The policy applies to elementary and secondary schools for the 2025-2026 school year. This creates a temporary enrollment pathway while exemption requests are processed, without altering existing immunization requirements.