Rep. Harold Dutton

Maddy summaryHB 4623 creates new liability standards for Texas public schools and their employees regarding student sexual misconduct. It holds schools financially responsible if they act with gross negligence or intentional misconduct in hiring or supervising employees who commit sexual misconduct against students or fail to report suspected abuse. The law caps damages at $500,000 per victim in successful claims and requires the employee who committed the act to be named as a defendant. This directly affects public school districts, charter schools, and all professional school employees covered by the definition, including teachers, administrators, and even student interns. The law became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summarySB 1839 requires courts transferring probate cases to deliver the original will or a copy (as permitted under existing law) to the receiving court using specific methods: registered/certified mail (with return receipt), common carrier (with proof of delivery), or a designated delivery service (like FedEx/UPS). The party requesting the case transfer must pay for this delivery. This rule applies to all probate cases pending or started on or after September 1, 2025, and directly affects probate court clerks and individuals involved in transferring cases. The bill streamlines the handling of wills during court transfers without changing probate procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 1922 modifies when a legal claim begins for certain construction liability cases under Texas Government Code Chapter 2272. It specifies that for this chapter only, a claim accrues on the date a required report is postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service. This change does not affect other legal dates, such as insurance policy coverage or statute of limitations deadlines for other purposes. The bill directly impacts construction companies, contractors, and claimants involved in Chapter 2272 claims. It became law on June 20, 2025, and takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 300 increases the maximum Texas Armed Services Scholarship to $30,000 per academic year (up from $15,000), capping at the average cost of attendance at Texas colleges. It expands appointment authority, allowing the governor and lieutenant governor to each appoint two students annually, and each state senator or representative to appoint one student, with deadlines set for September 30. The bill directly affects Texas students enrolled in ROTC or similar military commissioning programs at Texas colleges, requiring proof of program enrollment or acceptance into the Texas State Guard. These changes are effective immediately after the bill was signed by the governor on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill transfers certain parental educational rights to students who are 18 years old or have had their "disabilities of minority" removed under Texas Family Code Chapter 31 (typically through court order). It directly affects minors meeting these criteria, allowing them to make school enrollment decisions previously held by parents or legal guardians. The key mechanism amends Education Code Section 26.002 and Family Code Sections 31.006 and 151.001 to explicitly state that these rights transfer to the minor, unless the minor is deemed incompetent or restricted by court order. The law became effective September 1, 2025, after signing by the Governor.

Maddy summarySB 1404 requires courts in Texas to mandate that parties in parent-child relationship cases (like custody or child support disputes) provide an email address for receiving court notices and documents electronically. The law specifies that courts must include this email in final orders, with an exception if providing it would endanger the party's safety. It also allows courts in child support enforcement cases to use the most recent addresses filed with the court for service of process. These changes apply to all pending or future cases starting September 1, 2025, and are part of Texas Family Code updates.

Maddy summaryHB 100 prohibits Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools from using state funds to purchase or adopt instructional materials that contain obscene or harmful content or appear on the State Board of Education's rejected materials list. The bill requires the State Board to issue a 45-day notice before adding materials to the rejected list, allowing time for revisions. It also bans the use of any instructional materials - whether traditional or open education resources - listed as rejected, while permitting local funds for non-rejected materials. This law applies starting the 2025-2026 school year and became effective immediately after the governor signed it on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 102 requires Texas public universities to offer early registration for courses and programs to students in military-related programs who are in good standing. Specifically, it mandates this for students enrolled in ROTC programs, cadet corps (including at senior military colleges), or maritime academies. The law, effective for the 2026 spring semester, obligates institutions to provide this early registration opportunity on the same basis as other designated student groups. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will develop rules to implement this requirement.

Maddy summaryHB 2350 amends Texas Family Code Section 102.003 to clarify who has legal standing to file a lawsuit concerning a parent-child relationship. It specifically adds new categories of individuals who can initiate such cases, including foster parents, relatives, or designated caregivers who have cared for a child placed by the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) for at least 12 months, with exceptions if the child was returned to parents or a DFPS case was dismissed. It also expands standing for relatives within the fourth degree of consanguinity if both parents are deceased. The bill directly affects foster parents, extended family members, and caregivers seeking legal involvement in a child's custody or care. This change streamlines eligibility for filing suits without altering custody standards or outcomes.

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.