Rep. Alma Allen

Maddy summaryHJR 186 proposes adding a new section to the Texas Constitution that explicitly prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude in all circumstances, including as punishment for a crime. This constitutional amendment would directly affect all Texans by enshrining this prohibition into the state's foundational law. The bill's key mechanism is creating a new Article I, Section 37 to ban these practices, followed by a voter referendum scheduled for November 4, 2025. The ballot will ask voters to approve the proposition: "The constitutional amendment prohibiting slavery and involuntary servitude."

Maddy summaryHB 3853 requires foster parents caring for children under state custody (in the conservatorship of Texas’ Department of Family and Protective Services) to complete trauma-informed care training by September 1, 2027. The training covers how trauma affects children’s development and behavior, attachment issues, non-drug interventions for trauma, and avoiding re-traumatization. It also mandates information on screening for trauma, risks of mislabeling, and accessing trauma-informed mental health services. The Department of Family and Protective Services must adopt rules to implement the training requirements by the bill’s effective date (September 1, 2025).

Maddy summaryHB 3870 would increase retirement benefits for Texas state employees and retirees under the Employees Retirement System of Texas. It requires a one-time 10% benefit adjustment starting in January 2026 for service retirement, disability retirement, death, and other monthly benefits. Additionally, it mandates annual inflation adjustments tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W), calculated each October based on federal data, to reflect rising costs. The bill includes safeguards requiring the retirement system to be actuarially sound and financially able to fund increases before any adjustments are applied.

Maddy summaryHB 4093 requires Texas public schools and charter schools to provide annual information about three specific assistance programs during student enrollment: free/low-cost health coverage (medical assistance), child health plans, and food assistance (SNAP). Schools must share eligibility details with students and parents in formats they choose, using a model form created by the state's Health and Human Services Commission. This applies to all public schools starting the 2025-2026 school year. The bill directly affects students, parents, and school districts by ensuring access to key program information at enrollment.

Maddy summaryHB 3702 requires school districts designated as "districts of innovation" under Texas law to follow all standard educator certification and contract rules (Chapter 21 of the Education Code), ending their previous ability to exempt themselves from these requirements. The bill directly affects innovation districts that have adopted local innovation plans under Chapter 12A, including those with plans in place before the law’s effective date. It mandates compliance by September 1, 2027, for existing plans and applies to all new or renewed plans. This policy change ensures innovation districts operate under the same teacher qualification standards as other public schools.

Maddy summaryHB 3703 clarifies that school districts designated as "districts of innovation" in Texas must comply with specific state education laws they previously could exempt themselves from. The bill requires these districts to follow all state curriculum and graduation requirements (Chapter 28), class size limits (Section 25.112), discipline rules (Chapter 37), and accountability measures (Chapters 39-39A), among other core requirements. Existing innovation plans must align with these rules by September 1, 2025, and new plans must comply from the start. The bill directly affects Texas school districts operating under the "innovation district" model, ensuring they adhere to fundamental public school standards.

Maddy summaryHB 3564 requires the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to mandate specific race and ethnicity categories for collecting and reporting student data on academic achievement, graduation rates, attendance, languages spoken at home, and access to educational resources. The bill specifies seven main categories - American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Middle Eastern or North African, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and White - each with defined subcategories (e.g., "Asian" includes Chinese and Filipino). This standardizes data collection across all Texas public schools, replacing previous methods with detailed, consistent reporting requirements. The law directly affects Texas public schools and the TEA, which must implement these categories in all relevant reporting.

Maddy summaryHB 3558 requires school districts in Texas to include three specific provisions in all new teacher employment contracts entered on or after September 1, 2025. The bill mandates contracts specify the exact number of required workdays (including student instruction/supervision), the contract's start and end dates, and guarantee payment at the teacher's daily rate for any extra days worked beyond the specified number. This directly affects teachers and school districts by clarifying work expectations and ensuring compensation for additional service. Existing contracts signed before the effective date are exempt and remain governed by prior law. The bill focuses on standardizing contract terms rather than altering broader education policies.

Maddy summaryHB 3492 requires foster parents, adoptive parents, kinship caregivers, and Department of Family and Protective Services staff to complete an annual eight-hour online training course focused on children's emotional health. The training covers trauma-informed care, attachment issues, and emotional expression, and must be offered in both Spanish and English. This bill applies to individuals caring for children in foster care under the Department's conservatorship and takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3328 requires public school special education admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committees to hold a meeting with a student's parent before approving supplemental special education services or instructional materials for funding under the program. It directly affects students with special education needs, their parents, and school districts by mandating parental involvement in purchasing decisions before money is assigned to a student's account. Key provisions include the committee's obligation to determine and approve specific services/materials during the meeting and to provide parents and agencies with a written list of approved items. The bill applies starting the 2025-2026 school year.