Rep. Alma Allen

Maddy summaryHB 3103 requires Texas school districts to hold an open public meeting and take a recorded vote before contracting with out-of-state open-enrollment charter schools or entities to operate a district campus. This bill specifically applies to contracts with charter holders or entities not located in Texas, adding a transparency requirement for such agreements. The new rule only affects future contracts entered into on or after September 1, 2025, leaving existing agreements governed by prior law. It does not change requirements for in-state charter contracts or alter other aspects of school district operations. The bill focuses solely on procedural voting requirements for out-of-state partnerships.

Maddy summaryHB 2943 requires Texas' Department of Criminal Justice to provide temporary post-release housing payments for inmates released on parole or mandatory supervision, directly affecting these individuals. The bill mandates payments for housing that meets parole panel conditions, Reentry Housing Task Force standards, and is located in the inmate's county of residence, replacing some residential facility stays. It also requires the department to prioritize this housing to reduce facility stays, implement early housing planning assessments for low-risk inmates, and submit annual reports to the legislature. The bill aims to expand housing alternatives while ensuring compliance with established standards for post-release support.

Maddy summaryHB 2942 requires Texas correctional authorities to publish specific details about education and training programs inmates must complete before parole release. The bill mandates that the parole board and department post on their websites: program curricula, instructor qualifications, completion rates, disability/language accommodations, assessment methods, evaluation results, and for private vendors, contract details and vendor history. This directly affects inmates preparing for parole by increasing transparency about program requirements. The law aims to make parole eligibility information publicly accessible without changing parole standards or procedures. It takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2709 limits classroom teachers in Texas public schools to a maximum of 480 minutes (8 hours) of required daily service in their employment contracts. This law directly affects public school teachers and districts by restricting new contracts from requiring longer daily work periods. The bill amends the Education Code to establish this 8-hour cap, applying only to contracts signed on or after its effective date. It takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year, unless approved for immediate effect with a two-thirds legislative vote. Existing contracts signed before the effective date remain governed by prior law.

Maddy summaryHB 2664 establishes a task force to study racial diversity in Texas' nursing workforce. The 9-member task force, selected from nursing committees, education boards, nursing programs, hospitals, and nursing associations, must assess current diversity, review existing initiatives, set diversity goals, and develop recommendations by September 2026. The task force will deliver a written report to relevant legislative committees and is dissolved after December 2027. This bill creates a fact-finding mechanism to inform future policy on nursing workforce diversity, without implementing direct changes to regulations or funding.

Maddy summaryHB 2555 modifies Texas Education Code to eliminate fees for individuals taking bilingual education certification exams. The bill requires the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to waive the exam fee assessed by the agency and pay any vendor fees directly to the exam provider on behalf of test-takers. This applies to all examinations for bilingual education certification, including those under Section 21.04891. The changes take effect September 1, 2025, and directly affect educators seeking bilingual certification in Texas public schools.

Maddy summaryHB 2554 requires school districts and other employers to pay both the retiree's and state's share of contributions for employed retirees enrolled in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. Specifically, employers must contribute an amount equal to what would be paid if the retiree were an active member, covering both the retiree's portion and the state's portion for retirement benefits and health insurance. The bill also gives the retirement system authority to waive these employer payments for certain fiscal years. This change applies starting with the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryHB 2157 creates a new "licensed specialist in school psychology" credential for psychologists working in Texas schools. It requires applicants to hold an existing psychology license, complete 1,200 hours of supervised practice, pass qualifying exams, and pay a fee. The bill also mandates continuing education focused on special education laws (IDEA and Section 504), school evaluations, and school-based services. This directly affects school psychologists seeking specialized certification and school districts hiring them, with rules and fees to be established by the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council by January 2026. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2163 increases benefits for retired teachers and beneficiaries under Texas' Teacher Retirement System (TRS). It adds a one-time 10% benefit adjustment to all monthly service, disability, and death benefits, plus a new 4% annual cost-of-living adjustment starting January 2026. The bill also mandates a supplemental payment in January 2026, equal to the greater of $2,000 or the recipient's December 2025 regular benefit amount, paid in addition to their existing monthly payments. These changes directly affect current TRS retirees and beneficiaries receiving monthly payments under Chapter 824 of the Government Code.

Maddy summaryHB 2296 changes eligibility requirements for obtaining a State Capitol access pass. It allows individuals with past criminal convictions (who cannot qualify through standard handgun license requirements) to apply by demonstrating time passed since their conviction and providing evidence of community standing. The Department of Public Safety must consider these factors when reviewing applications. This affects Capitol visitors who previously faced automatic disqualification due to certain criminal histories.