Rep. Harold Dutton

Maddy summaryHB 3582 creates a new legal right for parents to sue public school districts or open-enrollment charter schools in Texas for specific violations of student or parental rights. Parents can file civil actions if schools: fail to involve them in required decisions (per Education Code), violate parental rights protections in Section 1.002, assign students to campuses with poor performance ratings for two years, or fail to employ required educators. Successful plaintiffs may recover actual damages, court costs, attorney fees, or court-ordered changes (like specific performance or injunctions). The bill waives sovereign immunity, meaning schools can be sued without prior administrative appeals. This applies only to violations occurring after the bill’s effective date.

Maddy summaryHB 3279 creates a new commission to periodically review Texas state and local tax preferences, such as credits, exemptions, and special tax rates. The commission - composed of five House members, five Senate members, and the comptroller - will develop a biennial review schedule for all tax preferences, identifying which ones to maintain, modify, or eliminate. This process affects all state and local tax policies that provide financial benefits beyond standard tax rates. The bill establishes the commission's structure, terms, and funding but does not change specific tax rates or preferences itself. The review mechanism aims to ensure tax preferences remain cost-effective and aligned with policy goals.

Maddy summaryHB 3217 requires the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to respond to public comments on environmental permit applications. It mandates that TCEQ staff provide written responses to each public comment during the comment period and transmit these responses, along with the permit application and hearing instructions, to applicants, commenters, and mailing list subscribers. The bill ensures the TCEQ considers all public comments when making final permit decisions. This applies only to applications filed on or after September 1, 2025, not to older applications. The bill changes the process for handling public input but does not alter environmental regulations or permit standards.

Maddy summaryHB 3037 creates a mechanism for temporarily reducing Texas state sales and use tax rates if specific revenue projections are met. It requires the comptroller to calculate whether projected tax revenue for the 2027 fiscal biennium would exceed 50% of the 2025 fiscal biennium's revenue at current rates. If so, the comptroller must determine a new tax rate that would adjust the 2027 projection to exactly 50% of the 2025 amount, then publish this rate for businesses. The bill applies only to the 2027 fiscal period and expires December 1, 2027. It does not set a new tax rate itself but establishes the process for potential future adjustment.

Maddy summaryHB 3038 requires applicants seeking permits from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to post a visible sign at the facility site within 30 days after TCEQ determines their application is complete. The sign must display the applicant's name, contact information, proposed site use, and how to request more details, and must meet specific size (18x28 inches) and design standards (dark letters on white, 1.5-inch block capitals). This rule applies only to permit applications filed on or after September 1, 2025, and does not change existing public notice requirements under other state laws.

Maddy summaryHB 3216 would expand Texas Medicaid eligibility to working parents of dependent children who apply for assistance, provided federal matching funds are available. The bill adds a new eligibility category requiring the Health and Human Services Commission to provide medical assistance to qualifying parents meeting all three criteria: (1) working parent of a dependent child, (2) having applied for assistance, and (3) federal funding availability. It applies to initial eligibility determinations or recertifications made on or after September 1, 2025, and requires the commission to notify federal agencies of the expanded eligibility. The bill does not guarantee coverage if federal matching funds are unavailable, and implementation may be delayed pending federal authorization.

Maddy summaryHB 3218 would require counties with populations of 3.3 million or more to establish polling places at county jails. It allows eligible incarcerated residents (who have not been finally convicted of the offense for which they are jailed) to register to vote and cast ballots at these jail locations. To vote, individuals must submit a valid voter registration application and provide proof of county residence through ID or jail records. The bill, if enacted, would take effect September 1, 2025, and applies only to large-county jurisdictions.

Maddy summaryHB 3039 clarifies who qualifies as an "affected person" in environmental permit hearings before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). It specifically adds state senators and representatives from the area where a facility is located or proposed to be located to the list of people automatically considered "affected persons" for permit applications under Water Code Sections 5.556 or 5.557. This change applies only to permit applications filed on or after September 1, 2025, with older applications governed by prior law. The bill directly affects local elected officials, TCEQ permit applicants, and individuals seeking to participate in these hearings.

Maddy summaryHB 3070 creates a 50% franchise tax credit for businesses or organizations that open early learning and child-care centers in qualifying affordable housing developments. The credit applies to 50% of the franchise tax due after other credits are applied, directly benefiting entities establishing centers serving children five and younger. Eligible centers must be operated by school districts, charter schools, or licensed facilities meeting specific educational standards. The credit takes effect January 1, 2026, for tax reports due on or after that date.

Maddy summaryHB 3215 amends Texas Election Code sections to clarify voting eligibility for individuals on parole or mandatory supervision following a felony conviction. It explicitly includes "mandatory supervision" alongside parole in the requirement that a person must have "completed any term of incarceration, parole, or community supervision" to register as a voter. This change directly affects people who have completed their felony sentences but are under mandatory supervision (a form of post-release supervision), ensuring they can register to vote once their sentence is fully served. The bill does not expand voting rights but clarifies existing eligibility criteria to include mandatory supervision in the same category as parole. The amendment takes effect September 1, 2025, unless approved for immediate effect by a two-thirds vote.