Rep. Marc LaHood

Maddy summaryHB 27 requires all Texas public high school students to complete at least one-half credit in personal financial literacy as part of their social studies graduation requirements under Education Code Section 28.025(b-1)(4). The bill directs the State Board of Education to develop a list of free, open-source curricula for these courses and allows Advanced Placement courses meeting specific standards to count toward the requirement. This policy change affects all public high school students in Texas, mandating practical financial education alongside traditional subjects like history and government. The law, signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025, is now effective immediately for all public school districts.

Maddy summaryHB 127 creates the Higher Education Research Security Council to protect universities from foreign espionage risks. The council, made up of security officers from university systems and select research institutions, will identify best practices for securing academic research while mitigating threats from foreign adversaries. It directly affects public and private research-focused universities in Texas, particularly those designated as "tier one" institutions. The bill establishes this council as a formal body to coordinate security efforts across higher education, without changing existing trade secret laws. The council’s role is limited to advising institutions on security protocols, not enforcing new penalties.

Maddy summaryHB 4226 exempts nonprofit food banks and specific housing providers from Texas state sales, use, and rental taxes on motor vehicles they purchase, use, or rent. It directly affects food banks (as defined in Section 162.001) and housing providers serving homeless individuals with disabilities who meet strict criteria (continuously homeless for 1+ year or four homelessness episodes in 3 years). The bill adds new Tax Code sections requiring vehicles to be used "primarily" for the organization's core services. This exemption applies only to vehicles acquired on or after its September 1, 2025 effective date. The law was signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 40 is a procedural bill that clarifies and streamlines operations for Texas' business court. It requires all business court prefiling orders to apply statewide (Section 1), mandates that appeals from business court cases go directly to the 15th Court of Appeals with a 120-day resolution deadline (Section 2), and specifies how to replace lost business court records (Section 3). The bill also adds business court clerks to authorized personnel for taking depositions (Section 4) and requires specific information in initial pleadings for all business court cases (Section 5). These changes directly affect parties involved in business court litigation and court staff handling business court cases. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor.

Maddy summaryHB 12 requires the State Commission on Governmental Operations to review state agencies that regulate activities through licensing, such as professional or business licensing boards. The bill mandates that these agencies post online notices about the review process and public participation opportunities, and regulatory agencies must also notify licensees and seek their input. The commission must include findings, recommendations, and a 10-year performance analysis for regulatory agencies in its final report. This applies to state agencies in the executive branch with statewide licensing authority (excluding river authorities) and became effective September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 4623 creates new liability standards for Texas public schools and their employees regarding student sexual misconduct. It holds schools financially responsible if they act with gross negligence or intentional misconduct in hiring or supervising employees who commit sexual misconduct against students or fail to report suspected abuse. The law caps damages at $500,000 per victim in successful claims and requires the employee who committed the act to be named as a defendant. This directly affects public school districts, charter schools, and all professional school employees covered by the definition, including teachers, administrators, and even student interns. The law became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summaryHB 824 requires Texas public high schools to include specific civics content in their government curriculum starting with the 2025-2026 school year. It mandates that the State Board of Education adopt standards covering the roles of elected officials (statewide, county, city), Texas voting processes and election laws, eligibility requirements for office, basic parliamentary procedures, and identifying local representatives. This directly affects all Texas public high school students and educators implementing the social studies curriculum. The bill became effective immediately upon the Governor's signature on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 6 amends Texas Education Code Section 12.111 to update requirements for charter schools. The bill specifically adds new criteria allowing charter schools to exclude students who were expelled under Section 37.007, placed in disciplinary alternative education programs under Section 37.006, or have documented criminal histories or discipline problems. While the bill title mentions telehealth mental health services in public schools, the provided text does not detail provisions for telehealth access. The legislation primarily affects charter schools by modifying their student admission policies and discipline management standards. HB 6 was signed into law by the governor on June 20, 2025, and is now effective.

Maddy summarySB 1233, the Perinatal Palliative Care Act, requires healthcare providers to inform pregnant women diagnosed with a life-threatening or life-limiting fetal condition about available perinatal palliative care. This applies to approximately 2% of pregnancies where the unborn child has a severe medical condition. The law mandates providers to explain comprehensive supportive care options - including medical, social, and mental health services - to reduce suffering for the mother, unborn child, and family during the perinatal period. It creates administrative penalties for noncompliance and defines perinatal palliative care to exclude actions intended to hasten death. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summaryHB 300 increases the maximum Texas Armed Services Scholarship to $30,000 per academic year (up from $15,000), capping at the average cost of attendance at Texas colleges. It expands appointment authority, allowing the governor and lieutenant governor to each appoint two students annually, and each state senator or representative to appoint one student, with deadlines set for September 30. The bill directly affects Texas students enrolled in ROTC or similar military commissioning programs at Texas colleges, requiring proof of program enrollment or acceptance into the Texas State Guard. These changes are effective immediately after the bill was signed by the governor on June 20, 2025.