Rep. Armando Walle

Maddy summaryHB 4226 exempts nonprofit food banks and specific housing providers from Texas state sales, use, and rental taxes on motor vehicles they purchase, use, or rent. It directly affects food banks (as defined in Section 162.001) and housing providers serving homeless individuals with disabilities who meet strict criteria (continuously homeless for 1+ year or four homelessness episodes in 3 years). The bill adds new Tax Code sections requiring vehicles to be used "primarily" for the organization's core services. This exemption applies only to vehicles acquired on or after its September 1, 2025 effective date. The law was signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1481 requires Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to adopt written policies prohibiting student use of personal communication devices (such as cell phones, tablets, and smartwatches) during the school day on school property or at school events. Exceptions allow device use for students with documented medical needs, individualized education plans (IEPs), or health/safety protocols. Schools may implement either a full device ban or a secure storage system for devices during school hours, and must return confiscated devices or dispose of them after providing parents 90 days' written notice. The law takes effect immediately upon the governor's signature.

Maddy summaryHB 4361 requires Texas public institutions of higher education to establish standardized emergency notification procedures that comply with the federal Jeanne Clery Act. It mandates that institutions, in consultation with students, faculty, and staff, adopt clear protocols for timely emergency alerts through required systems. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board must adopt these rules promptly after the bill's effective date. The law took effect immediately on June 20, 2025, after being signed by the Governor. This directly affects all public colleges and universities in Texas, ensuring consistent emergency communication practices.

Maddy summaryHB 252 allows certain Texas state agencies to pay employees in positions classified under "Schedule A" (as defined in the General Appropriations Act) twice monthly instead of monthly. Agencies electing this option must comply with the comptroller's requirements for biweekly payroll processing. The bill directly affects state agencies and Schedule A employees by changing their salary payment frequency. It took effect immediately upon the Governor's signature on June 20, 2025. This is a procedural adjustment to payroll timing with no substantive policy changes to compensation amounts.

Maddy summaryHB 3463 amends Texas Penal Code Section 31.04 to change notice requirements for defendants accused of theft of service (like failing to pay for services after receiving them). It requires written notice to be sent via registered mail, commercial delivery, email, or text message to the defendant's contact information listed in agreements or on checks. The bill establishes a presumption that notice was received within two days for some cases and five days for others, affecting how prosecutors must prove notice was delivered. The law applies only to offenses committed on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1150 amends Texas law to address inactive oil and gas wells regulated by the Railroad Commission. It requires operators to plug wells inactive for over 15 years (or 25 years since completion) unless approved for an exception or included in a commission-approved compliance plan. Key provisions include new criteria for compliance plans - such as financial assurance, operator history, and environmental risks - and mandate an annual report starting in 2026 detailing well counts, plugging progress, financial methods, and operational status. The bill directly affects oil and gas operators with inactive wells, requiring them to submit compliance plans or face penalties for non-compliance.

Maddy summaryHB 2688 amends Texas law governing public retirement systems for firefighters in large municipalities. It lowers the population threshold for municipalities to establish such a fund from 2 million to 1.6 million residents. The bill clarifies "normal retirement age" as either 20 years of service (for pre-2017 hires) or age 50 with 10 years of service (for post-2017 hires). It also updates terminology related to actuarial cost methods used to calculate pension funding requirements. The bill became law on September 1, 2025, affecting firefighters in qualifying Texas cities.

Maddy summaryHB 107 establishes a statewide sickle cell disease registry under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 52B. It requires hospitals and other treatment facilities to submit patient data to the state health department, creating a centralized database of all sickle cell disease cases in Texas. The registry must include case records and additional relevant information to aid in treatment and research, with strict confidentiality protections for patients under federal privacy laws. The department will analyze the data, publish findings for medical professionals and the public, and submit annual reports to the legislature. This affects all Texas healthcare facilities treating sickle cell disease patients and ensures patient data is securely managed for medical advancement.

Maddy summaryHB 198, known as the Wade Cannon Act, requires Texas cities and counties that employ firefighters to provide free occupational cancer screenings starting in a firefighter's fifth year of service, with annual screenings thereafter. The screenings must include specific tests: urine, pulmonary function, electrocardiogram, infectious disease screening, breast cancer screening, blood tests, and chest x-rays (limited to once every five years). Political subdivisions may exempt themselves if they already offer annual occupational medical exams meeting standards set by the National Fire Protection Association and approved by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. The law takes effect June 1, 2026, directly affecting all Texas firefighters employed by local governments.

Maddy summaryThis is a memorial resolution (HR 247), not a policy bill. It honors the late U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston following her death on July 19, 2024. The resolution recognizes her decades of service in Congress, including her work as a champion for social justice, her authorship of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, and her leadership roles in the House. It was adopted by the House on May 23, 2025, and reported enrolled on May 28, 2025, as a formal tribute to her legacy.