Rep. John Lujan

Maddy summaryHB 3565 amends Texas law to upgrade the penalty for interfering with public duties from a Class B misdemeanor to a state jail felony. This change directly affects individuals who obstruct or interfere with public officials (such as police, emergency responders, or elected representatives) while they are performing their duties. The bill increases criminal penalties for such actions but applies only to offenses committed on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025. Offenses occurring before that date remain subject to the previous misdemeanor penalties. The bill does not create new offenses but raises the severity of punishment for existing conduct.

Maddy summaryHB 137 designates specific routes for permits allowing oversize and overweight vehicles to travel from international border crossings to ports and industrial areas in Cameron and Hidalgo counties. The bill specifies exact roadways, including State Highways 48 and 4, U.S. Highways 77 and 83, and Farm-to-Market Roads 509 and 106, that must be used for these movements. It also grants the transportation commission authority to approve alternative routes after consulting with port authorities. This bill directly affects commercial trucking companies transporting large cargo across the U.S.-Mexico border in these counties.

Maddy summaryHB 5218 establishes designated routes for permits allowing larger cargo vehicles to move through specific areas near deepwater seaports on the U.S.-Mexico border. It directly affects commercial trucking companies transporting goods to and from these border ports by requiring permits for oversized or overweight vehicles traveling along these pre-approved routes. The bill's key provision is creating a formal system for route designation, streamlining permit issuance for vehicles serving border seaports while ensuring designated paths are used. This focuses on logistical efficiency for freight movement without altering vehicle size limits or creating new taxes. The bill is currently pending in the Transportation committee after a public hearing.

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 summaryThis bill (HB 1507) requires Texas public institutions of higher education to waive tuition and laboratory fees for firefighters enrolled in fire science curriculum courses. It directly affects paid firefighters employed by state political subdivisions and qualifying volunteer firefighters who meet specific requirements: attending 20+ annual training hours approved by the State Firefighters' Association, supporting 25% of department emergencies, and holding either Accredited Advanced or Phase V fire service certification. The exemption applies only to fire science courses, not all programs, and takes effect for the 2025 fall semester. Existing fee policies continue to apply for academic periods before this effective date.

Maddy summaryHB 3364 prohibits veterinarians in Texas from establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship **solely** through telephone or electronic means. This means an initial in-person meeting is required to form the relationship, directly affecting veterinarians and pet owners seeking veterinary services. The bill amends the Occupations Code to clarify this requirement, taking effect September 1, 2025. It focuses on defining the foundational relationship for veterinary care, not on specific treatment protocols.

Maddy summaryHB 3345 allows certain Texas counties with populations under 700,000 to increase an optional fee on vehicle registrations up to $20, but only if approved by a majority of voters in a special referendum election. This bill directly affects counties meeting the population threshold, giving them a new option to raise local revenue for transportation funding. The key mechanism requires commissioners courts to hold a voter-approved referendum before implementing the fee increase. The law would take effect on September 1, 2025, if passed.

Maddy summaryHB 3858 requires counties and municipalities to obtain governor approval before building or operating temporary housing or emergency shelters for disaster victims. It establishes a two-step process: local governments must submit location details to the governor and request a public safety assessment (including crime rate analysis) from the department. The department conducts the safety assessment, which the governor reviews to determine if the location is safe for disaster victims. The governor must approve safe locations or provide a written explanation if a location is deemed unsafe. This bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and directly affects local governments planning disaster shelters.

Maddy summaryHB 2735 bans e-cigarette advertising within 1,000 feet of schools or churches in Texas, directly affecting businesses that sell or advertise e-cigarettes. The bill requires new ads to maintain this minimum distance, with an exception for existing signs placed before September 1, 1997 (which only needed to be 500 feet away). It amends the Health and Safety Code to establish this buffer zone, applying to all cigarette, e-cigarette, and tobacco product advertisements. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.