Rep. Angelia Orr

Maddy summarySB 502 adds a new category to Texas law defining who qualifies as a peace officer: employees commissioned by the Health and Human Services Commission’s office of inspector general. This change grants these specific HHS inspectors authority to perform standard peace officer duties, such as making arrests, within their scope of work. The bill also requires these officers to be paid according to Schedule C of the state’s position classification salary schedule. Additionally, it updates the definition of "state employee" to include these HHS inspector general officers.

Maddy summaryHB 3000 creates a state grant program to provide financial assistance to qualified rural ambulance service providers in counties with populations of 68,750 or less. Counties may apply for grants of up to $500,000 (for counties under 10,000 people) or $350,000 (for counties between 10,000-68,750 people) to purchase ambulances, with funds restricted solely to ambulance procurement. Grants require counties to maintain ambulance service budgets in the following fiscal year and prioritize counties with greater distance to trauma facilities or limited funding capacity. The program, now law after being signed by the governor on June 20, 2025, aims to ensure adequate ground ambulance services in underserved rural areas.

Maddy summarySB 10 requires all Texas public elementary and secondary schools to display a specific, standardized version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom starting September 1, 2025. The law mandates a durable poster or framed copy meeting strict size (at least 16x20 inches) and content requirements, including only the exact text listed in the bill. Schools must display this unless they accept a privately donated version meeting the same specifications, and may optionally use district funds to purchase compliant displays. This directly affects every public school classroom in Texas, requiring a physical display of the specified religious text.

Maddy summaryHB 2306 changes parole eligibility for inmates convicted of specific trafficking offenses involving vulnerable victims. It prohibits parole for individuals serving sentences under Texas Penal Code Sections 20A.02 (regarding child victims), 20A.03, 21.02, 22.021(f), 51.03, or 51.04. The bill amends parole rules to explicitly exclude these trafficking offenses from eligibility, repealing prior provisions that may have allowed parole for such cases. This law takes effect September 1, 2025, applying only to offenses committed on or after that date.

Maddy summaryHB 3800 creates an advisory board under the Texas Workforce Commission to develop a resource guide helping health care providers and colleges collaborate on local workforce issues like shortages and training needs. The board, composed of members from urban/rural colleges, workforce boards, hospitals, health professionals, and community health centers, must deliver the guide to the legislature by November 1, 2026. It expires September 1, 2027, and directly affects health care institutions, educational institutions, and local workforce development efforts across Texas. The bill focuses on facilitating coordination rather than mandating specific solutions.

Maddy summarySB 1667 standardizes the process for individuals seeking to expunge arrest records under specific eligibility criteria (Article 55A.053(a)(2)(A) or (B)). It requires petitioners to provide detailed personal information (full name, date of birth, arrest details, and a comprehensive list of agencies holding their records) when filing for expunction. The bill also authorizes a fee for this process, which will be collected by district clerks. This law, effective September 1, 2025, directly affects Texas residents with eligible arrest records who wish to clear their records.

Maddy summarySB 379 prohibits SNAP (food stamp) benefits in Texas from being used to purchase energy drinks, sweetened beverages (like soda), carbonated drinks, candy, potato/corn chips, and pre-packaged cookies. It directly affects SNAP recipients who previously could buy these items with their benefits. The law includes exceptions for milk products, milk substitutes (like almond milk), unsweetened beverages, infant formula, weight-loss drinks, and health-recommended products. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summaryHB 24 establishes new procedures for Texas municipalities to adjust zoning regulations or district boundaries. It requires a public hearing with 15 days' notice published in a newspaper and online before any zoning change takes effect. For changes that do not allow more residential development (non-comprehensive changes), property owners can protest by signing a written protest if they own 20% of the affected area or 60% of adjacent land within 200 feet. The bill, effective September 1, 2025, applies to all Texas cities and aims to balance development decisions with community input.

Maddy summaryHB 229 defines key terms like "boy," "father," "female," and "woman" based on biological sex for government data collection. It specifies that individuals with intersex conditions or disorders of sex development are not considered a third sex and must receive accommodations under existing law. The bill amends the Government Code to require state agencies to use these biological sex definitions when gathering information. It directly affects how Texas government entities collect and categorize personal data in records, programs, and services. The law became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summarySB 31, titled the "Life of the Mother Act," amends Texas Health and Safety Code to create a specific exception allowing abortions when a physician determines in "reasonable medical judgment" that a pregnancy poses a life-threatening risk of death or serious risk of substantial impairment to a major bodily function. It directly affects pregnant individuals with pregnancy-related conditions that threaten life or major bodily function, removing prior requirements that risks be imminent or that physical damage already occur. The law permits physicians to act proactively to address such risks before symptoms manifest, without needing to wait for documented harm. Signed by the governor on June 20, 2025, it became effective immediately.