Rep. Dennis Paul

Maddy summaryHB 4291 changes how Texas counties form early voting ballot boards, which handle signature verification for mail-in ballots. The bill requires these boards to have an equal number of members from the two political parties whose gubernatorial candidates received the most and second-most votes in the county, plus one additional member from the presiding judge's party. Board members must take an oath affirming they will handle ballots objectively and, in elections with party-aligned ballots, work only in the presence of a member from a different party. These changes apply to all counties and directly affect county election boards and early voting ballot board members during election periods.

Maddy summaryHB 4293 requires anyone who repairs or tests backflow prevention assemblies (devices that prevent contaminated water from flowing back into clean water systems) to hold either a state-issued license under Texas Water Code Chapter 37 or certification from a nationally recognized accrediting organization. This directly affects plumbers, technicians, and other professionals working on these critical water safety systems. The bill amends the Health and Safety Code to establish these licensing standards, which take effect September 1, 2025. It focuses on ensuring qualified personnel handle backflow prevention work to protect public water safety.

Maddy summaryHB 173 prohibits Texas public universities from soliciting or accepting money, gifts, or donations from specific foreign governments. It directly affects all public institutions of higher education in Texas by banning funds from China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or any country that supports foreign terrorist organizations. The bill requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to create rules for implementation and takes effect September 1, 2025. This policy change aims to restrict financial ties between Texas universities and certain foreign entities.

Maddy summaryHB 4381 requires the Texas Education Agency to create a plain-language document in English and Spanish explaining parents' rights regarding their child's health information and decisions in public schools. The document must cover specific rights, including accessing health records (like counseling or immunization data), withholding consent for health activities, removing children from classes conflicting with religious beliefs, and opting out of certain screenings or vaccinations. School districts must post the document online and email it to all parents before the first day of each school year. The bill also authorizes administrative penalties for schools that fail to comply with these requirements.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HR 555) formally honors the Adopt A Highway Maintenance Corporation (AHMC) for its 10 years of service maintaining Texas highways. It recognizes AHMC's work in reducing litter, lowering cleanup costs for the Texas Department of Transportation, and fostering community involvement in highway beautification. The resolution has no binding policy changes - it is purely ceremonial, expressing the Texas House's appreciation through official recognition. It was adopted by the House on March 31, 2025, with a copy to be presented to AHMC.

Maddy summaryHB 3899 prevents the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) from requiring insurers to comply with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards - such as those measuring climate risk, labor practices, or product safety - unless the legislature has explicitly authorized it. The bill amends the Insurance Code to add Section 36.008, prohibiting TDI from enforcing ESG-based rules or standards (including those from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners) without specific statutory permission. It defines key terms like "environmental assessment" (climate change exposure) and "social assessment" (labor practices and product safety) to clarify the scope of prohibited requirements. This directly affects Texas insurance companies by limiting TDI’s ability to impose new ESG-related regulations without legislative approval.

Maddy summaryHB 1783 establishes new requirements for ballot propositions in Texas elections. It mandates that city ballot language must be clear, definite, and neutral to prevent misleading voters, requiring the Secretary of State to review propositions within seven days of submission. If language is found misleading, cities must revise it, with the Secretary of State drafting a final version after three failed attempts. The bill also prohibits corporations and labor organizations from contributing to recall election petitions (while allowing religious organizations to circulate such petitions). These changes directly affect cities, petitioners, and voters involved in local elections and ballot initiatives.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a process for counties to form a signature verification committee when mail-in ballots have signature issues. It requires at least 15 registered voters in a county to submit a written request to the early voting clerk to appoint such a committee. The committee would verify signatures on mail ballots that lack a signature, have mismatched signatures, or contain other defects identified under the election code. This change applies specifically to mail-in ballots for early voting and does not alter voting eligibility or access.

Maddy summaryHB 3776 requires Texas public retirement systems that delegate proxy voting of their shares to external advisors or investment managers to report voting details annually. The bill mandates that these systems submit to the State Pension Review Board a summary of all proxy votes made during the prior fiscal year, including the vote topic, the system's vote, company recommendations, and the advisor's recommendation. Systems may instead provide a link to their publicly posted reports. This applies only to systems using external advisors and excludes managers handling less than $50 million in assets.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes who serves on the Texas School Safety Center's board of directors. It adds 11 appointed positions, including a juvenile court judge, school board trustee, school administrators, teachers, parent-teacher association members, school police officers, and three public members. Members appointed by the governor serve staggered two-year terms, with some terms ending in odd-numbered years and others in even-numbered years. The governor must appoint three new public members by February 1, 2026. The changes take effect September 1, 2025.