Rep. Mike Schofield

Maddy summaryHB 924 amends Texas tax code to clarify where certain sales are considered "consummated" for local sales and use tax purposes. It specifies that for online sales by marketplace sellers (like Amazon or eBay) and specific types of remote vendors, the sale is deemed to occur at the location in Texas where the item was stored before shipment - not where the customer receives it. This directly affects online retailers, marketplace platforms, and local governments that collect sales tax. The change ensures local tax jurisdiction aligns with the physical storage location of goods prior to shipping, streamlining tax collection for digital and remote transactions.

Maddy summaryHB 951 requires Texas voters to declare their political party affiliation when registering to vote, adding a new field to voter registration forms. The bill amends election code sections to mandate that applicants include "political party affiliation, if any" on registration applications and adds a perjury warning about false statements. This directly affects voters registering to participate in partisan primary elections or party activities. Providing false affiliation information on the registration form would become a criminal offense under the law. The bill focuses on registration requirements, not voting eligibility or primary election procedures themselves.

Maddy summaryHJR 71 proposes a constitutional amendment to protect homeowners' primary residences (called "homesteads") from being seized or sold to pay delinquent property taxes. If passed, this amendment would change Texas law to explicitly state that a residence homestead cannot be subject to tax foreclosure, unlike other property. The bill amends Sections 15(b) of Article VIII and Section 50(a)(2) of Article XVI in the Texas Constitution to remove the tax lien exemption for homesteads. This directly affects homeowners who own their primary residence, providing them with stronger legal protection against losing their home due to unpaid property taxes. The amendment would override current provisions allowing tax sales of homesteads after delinquency.

Maddy summaryHB 959 changes the date for primary election runoffs in Texas. It specifies that runoffs for federal offices (like U.S. Congress) must be held on the fourth Tuesday in May, instead of the second Tuesday in April as currently required for most races. This bill directly affects candidates and voters in Texas primary elections for federal positions by shifting the runoff date to a later month. The change would apply to all federal office elections beginning September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 911 designates June 24 as "Celebration of Life Day," adding it as a state holiday in Texas. The bill amends the Government Code to include this date in the list of official state holidays, alongside existing observances like Texas Independence Day and San Jacinto Day. This change affects state government operations, requiring agencies to close on June 24 each year starting September 1, 2025. The bill does not alter other holiday provisions or provide additional funding.

Maddy summaryHB 918 prohibits property owners' associations (like HOAs) from banning peaceful assemblies, meetings, or guest speakers (including public officials or candidates) on association property without prior approval. It also bans associations from restricting speech based on content, except for speech threatening public health/safety, violating laws, or containing patently offensive displays. The bill directly affects HOAs and their residents by limiting how associations can regulate speech and gatherings. It amends Texas Property Code to take effect September 1, 2025, ensuring associations cannot suppress protected speech under their governing documents.

Maddy summaryHB 788 would require Texas to observe daylight saving time year-round, affecting all residents across both central and mountain time zones in the state. The bill amends state law to mandate year-round DST starting September 1, 2025, replacing the current system of switching between standard and daylight saving time. A key provision states that the law takes effect immediately if federal legislation authorizes Texas to implement year-round DST, otherwise it remains in force until such federal authorization is obtained. This change would eliminate the biannual time changes for all Texans.

Maddy summaryHB 831 amends Texas law to allow immediate appeals of certain court orders regarding a statute's constitutionality, effect, or enforceability. Specifically, it adds subsection (18) to permit appeals when a court "determines that a statute violates the state or federal constitution" or subsection (19) for orders barring a statute from taking effect. This change directly affects parties in civil lawsuits who seek to challenge a statute's validity before final judgment. The bill streamlines procedural access for litigants facing constitutional challenges to laws, without altering the substantive content of the statutes themselves.

Maddy summaryHB 739 changes the interest rate applied to property taxes deferred or abated for certain primary residences (homesteads) in Texas. It sets the annual interest rate during deferral at the lower of the 5-year Treasury rate or 5%, replacing the previous rate. The bill preserves interest accrued before deferral but waives penalties during the deferral period, with penalties only applying if taxes remain unpaid more than 181 days after the deferral ends. It affects homeowners who qualify for tax deferral under existing law, reducing their interest costs during the deferral period. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes amending the Texas Constitution to require the state to observe daylight saving time year-round, eliminating the seasonal time change. It applies to all areas of Texas regardless of time zone and includes a provision that the requirement would take effect once federal law permits it. The amendment must be approved by Texas voters in the November 2025 election.