Rep. Charles Cunningham

Maddy summaryHB 293 requires developers applying for low-income housing tax credits on projects funded through private activity bonds to notify their state representative and local governing bodies (municipal council or county commissioners court) before submitting applications. The bill adds a new provision stating that if the state representative for the project's district submits an opposing letter to the Texas Department of Housing, the application cannot be approved. This directly affects housing developers seeking tax credits for projects using private activity bonds, particularly those in areas outside city limits or within a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction. The changes apply only to applications submitted during the 2026 or later qualified allocation plan cycles.

Maddy summaryHJR 1 proposes a constitutional amendment to allow Texas lawmakers to exempt up to $125,000 of the market value of business-used tangible personal property (like equipment or vehicles) from property tax. It would directly affect business owners who hold such property for income generation, such as small business operators or farmers. The amendment would revise the state constitution to authorize this specific exemption amount, replacing the current exemption structure. If approved by voters in November 2025, this would become a permanent constitutional provision enabling future legislation to implement the tax break. The bill is now headed to the November ballot after passing both legislative chambers.

Maddy summaryHB 1741 creates a process for transferring jurisdiction over acquitted individuals requiring court-ordered outpatient or community-based mental health treatment to another county. It allows either party to file a motion to transfer jurisdiction to a county where the person has an existing support network (like family) or prior treatment, provided the new county has available resources and the local mental health authority agrees. The court must evaluate factors including resource availability, community safety, and the "nexus" between the person and the proposed county before approving the transfer. This bill directly affects individuals acquitted in criminal cases who need ongoing mental health treatment but are not required to be confined.

Maddy summaryHB 3339 mandates a study by Texas' Maternal Mortality Review Committee and the Department of State Health Services to examine maternal mortality and morbidity rates specifically among Black women in Texas. The study requires comparing these rates to other racial/ethnic groups, analyzing socioeconomic factors, evaluating healthcare coverage types (Medicaid, private insurance, uninsured), and assessing impacts of specific health conditions (like preeclampsia and obesity) and implicit biases in healthcare. It also requires evaluating social determinants of health and pregnancy-related complications. The committee must submit a report with recommendations to address disparities by September 1, 2026, including provider training on cultural competency and successful programs from other states. This bill directly affects Black women in Texas by focusing on data collection to inform future policy.

Maddy summaryHB 2879 protects condo owners, tenants, and their guests from penalties like fines or eviction for using justified force (including deadly force) on residential property, as defined under Texas Penal Code Chapter 9. The bill creates an "irrebuttable presumption" that force was justified if the person was acquitted, a grand jury declined to indict, or prosecutors declined to file charges for the same incident. It applies to condominiums (via Property Code Section 82.122) and leased residential properties (via Sections 92.027 and 94.258), preventing associations or landlords from taking adverse action based on legally justified force. The law overrides any conflicting terms in property declarations or leases, regardless of when they were adopted.

Maddy summaryHB 3753 prohibits the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs from using public school quality (such as test scores or ratings) as a factor when allocating low-income housing tax credits for developments near public schools. Specifically, it bans requiring school quality as a project requirement or scoring applications based on it. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and expires September 1, 2027, unless extended. It also mandates a study on the policy's impact, with a report due to the legislature by November 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to create the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and establish a dedicated fund. It directs the transfer of $3 billion from the state's general revenue fund to this new special fund starting January 1, 2026. The fund will provide grants for research, prevention programs, and treatment development related to dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and related disorders. The institute will oversee funding for research institutions, medical facilities, and collaborative efforts across Texas, directly benefiting residents affected by these conditions through expanded research and prevention initiatives.

Maddy summaryHB 605 amends Texas law to explicitly allow the Harris County Hospital District to hire and commission peace officers, directly affecting the district's security operations. The bill updates Section 281.057 of the Health and Safety Code to include Harris County Hospital District in the list of eligible hospital districts, and revises the Code of Criminal Procedure to add it to the definition of entities that may commission peace officers. This change formalizes the district's existing practice by expanding its legal authority under existing provisions. The bill does not create new security services but clarifies and extends current powers to Harris County Hospital District.

Maddy summarySB 1706 allows state agency boards to hold closed meetings specifically to discuss defense, military, or aerospace matters. It directly affects state governmental bodies (like local boards or commissions) that handle federal defense projects. The bill defines these matters as either establishing military bases/facilities in Texas or offering economic incentives tied to federal defense grants. The law amends Texas Open Meetings rules to permit this exception for those specific issues, without requiring public disclosure during deliberations. This is a procedural change, not a new policy on defense funding or facility location.

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.