Rep. Trey Wharton

Maddy summaryHB 4234 requires Texas public colleges and universities to add the average or median grade for each class directly next to a student's individual grade on their transcript. It applies to letter-graded classes with more than 10 students, excluding pass/fail courses and very small classes. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will create rules to implement this transparency requirement, effective starting the 2025 fall semester. The bill aims to provide students with clear data on how their grades compare to class performance.

Maddy summaryHB 2638 designates Farm-to-Market Road 10 in Panola County as the "Deputy Sheriff Chris Dickerson Memorial Highway" under Texas Transportation Code. The bill requires the state transportation department to install markers at both ends of the road and at appropriate intermediate locations along its route. This commemorative designation, honoring a specific deputy sheriff, does not alter road maintenance or create new transportation policies. It is a standard memorial road designation with no other substantive provisions.

Maddy summarySB 1151 requires Texas insurance companies to conduct semiannual reviews and biennial on-site audits of third-party administrators (TPAs) managing benefits for more than 100 clients (such as policyholders or injured workers) on their behalf. This law directly affects insurers using large-scale TPAs, mandating regular oversight to ensure proper administration of benefits. The key provisions set specific timelines: insurers must review TPA operations at least twice a year and perform in-person audits at least once every two years. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and amends Section 4151.1042 of the Texas Insurance Code.

Maddy summaryHB 4142 allows certain Texas counties to designate constables or deputy constables as weight enforcement officers. It applies to counties meeting specific criteria: those with 1.5 million+ population within 200 miles of an international border, counties adjacent to a 3.3 million+ population county, or counties with 75,000-90,000 population adjacent to a county meeting the second criterion. The bill amends the Transportation Code to authorize these designations, enabling officers to enforce commercial vehicle weight laws in qualifying areas. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3009 expands Texas' Department of Public Safety database to include individuals convicted of two or more specific violent offenses, including assault with a deadly weapon (Penal Code §§ 22.01, 22.02) or offenses involving force/deadly force, and non-citizens unlawfully present in the U.S. who have two or more such convictions. The bill requires the database to include full names, aliases, dates of birth, physical descriptions, conviction details, and for non-citizens, their last known location. It mandates that the DPS add historical data for qualifying offenders convicted before the law's effective date (by January 1, 2026), unless the individual would be removed from the database under existing rules. This affects law enforcement agencies and individuals with multiple violent offense convictions who meet the expanded criteria.

Maddy summaryHB 2583 clarifies that if a group health plan provider (like an employer) notifies an insurer or health maintenance organization after the end of the month when a member's coverage ended, the insurer may stop charging premiums for that member for future months. This applies only if no covered health services were provided to the member after their coverage officially terminated. The bill directly affects group health plan sponsors and insurers by modifying their premium liability rules for late termination notifications. It does not change eligibility rules but provides a mechanism to avoid billing for coverage that no longer exists.

Maddy summaryHB 3695 limits copayments for physical therapy visits under certain health plans. It prohibits health maintenance organizations and preferred provider plans from charging enrollees a higher copayment for a physical therapist visit (without a referral) than for a primary care physician visit. The law applies to plans delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, and takes effect September 1, 2025. This directly affects Texas enrollees who use physical therapy services without needing a physician referral.

Maddy summaryHB 3507 amends Texas Penal Code Section 31.03 to reclassify theft offenses based on the property's value and specific circumstances, directly affecting anyone committing theft in Texas. It establishes tiered penalties: Class C misdemeanor for theft under $100, Class B misdemeanor for $100-$750 (or prior theft convictions), Class A misdemeanor for $750-$2,500, state jail felony for $2,500-$30,000 (or theft of firearms, driver's licenses, catalytic converters, or ballots), and third-degree felony for $30,000+ or repeated thefts. Key provisions include stricter penalties for theft of specific items like catalytic converters (valued under $30,000), firearms, or election materials, and higher penalties for repeat offenders. The bill changes sentencing outcomes without altering the definition of theft itself.

Maddy summaryHJR 98 is a Texas legislative resolution requesting Congress to call a constitutional convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. It seeks to propose amendments that would impose spending limits on the federal government, reduce federal power over states, and establish term limits for federal officials and members of Congress. Texas formally applies to Congress to initiate this process, with the resolution intended as a continuing application until at least 34 states (two-thirds) support the same purpose. This is a procedural request - Texas has no authority to create new laws, but aims to join other states in advancing this constitutional mechanism.

Maddy summarySB 1879 transfers a specific 14.999-acre tract of land in Walker County from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to Walker County. The county must use the property exclusively for a justice center (such as a courthouse or detention facility) and cannot repurpose it or fail to use it for that purpose within 10 years of transfer, or ownership reverts to the state. The bill specifies the property's boundaries and requires a formal transfer document with these usage restrictions. The bill was signed into law by the governor on May 13, 2025, and is now effective.