Rep. Ana Hernandez

Maddy summaryHB 1814 amends Texas marriage license application forms to add specific requirements for applicants. The bill requires couples to confirm they are not currently married, not related by certain family relationships (including in-laws), not divorced within 30 days, and not delinquent on child support. It also adds a new option for applicants to voluntarily contribute $5 to the Texas Home Visiting Program. These changes apply directly to individuals applying for marriage licenses in Texas. The bill standardizes the form's content without altering marriage eligibility criteria.

Maddy summaryHB 1517 allows constables in counties with over 4 million residents to enforce municipal ordinances only when a written agreement exists between the municipality and the county commissioners court. The constable may only enforce such ordinances within the portion of the municipality located in their specific county. This bill does not create new enforcement powers but formalizes an existing process for cooperation between large counties and municipalities. It directly affects constables in high-population counties (like Harris, Dallas, Tarrant) and the municipalities within their jurisdiction.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to create the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and establish a dedicated fund. It directs the transfer of $3 billion from the state's general revenue fund to this new special fund starting January 1, 2026. The fund will provide grants for research, prevention programs, and treatment development related to dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and related disorders. The institute will oversee funding for research institutions, medical facilities, and collaborative efforts across Texas, directly benefiting residents affected by these conditions through expanded research and prevention initiatives.

Maddy summaryHB 4337 updates regulations for pilots operating in Harris County ports, directly affecting Harris County port pilots and the board of pilot commissioners. It clarifies that a "Harris County port" includes areas in Harris or Chambers County connected to the Houston Ship Channel. The bill tightens conflict-of-interest rules for board members (prohibiting business interests that could affect their duties) and changes pilot certification rules, extending the renewal period from three to four years and requiring reappointment by a branch pilot for renewal. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 4442 would require Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to offer an elective mindfulness course for all students in middle school, junior high school, and high school. The course must teach specific techniques to enhance focus, manage stress, improve emotional regulation, and build self-awareness and compassion. High school students would be able to count this course toward their elective credit requirements for graduation. The bill would take effect for the 2026-2027 school year, unless it receives a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers, in which case it would take effect immediately.

Maddy summaryHB 1573 would require all Texas public school districts to create and post online a policy setting specific square footage limits for custodians' workloads, categorized by elementary, middle, and high school campuses. This policy would establish measurable benchmarks for how much area each custodian can be responsible for during an eight-hour shift, covering maintenance and cleaning duties. The bill, which failed to pass in the 2025 legislative session, would have applied to the 2025-2026 school year if enacted. It directly affects school district boards of trustees and custodial staff by mandating standardized workload requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 2186 requires occupational registration for elevator mechanics, elevator apprentices, and elevator contractors in Texas. The bill mandates that these professionals must be certified and registered with the state commission, including meeting minimum insurance requirements ($1 million for bodily injury and $500,000 for property damage for contractors). It also establishes rules for annual equipment inspections, enforcement of safety standards, and continuing education requirements. The law directly affects anyone working on elevator installation, repair, or maintenance, ensuring they meet state safety and certification standards under the Health and Safety Code.

Maddy summaryHB 573 allows Texas legislators to request unannounced inspections of concrete batch plants (those doing wet/dry batching or central mixing) by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. It directly affects residents in a legislator's district who submit written complaints about plants impacting them, as well as the plants themselves. The bill requires the Commission to prioritize these requests, maintain files per Water Code procedures, and provide complainants with inspection policies and notices. If denied, the Commission must explain the denial within 90 days. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2200 would have legalized "natural organic reduction" (a process that uses natural decomposition to turn human remains into soil) as a legal method of cremation in Texas. The bill amended Texas Health and Safety Code definitions to include natural organic reduction under "cremation," "crematory," and "cremation chamber," ensuring facilities using this method would follow the same regulatory standards as traditional crematories. Key provisions required crematories using natural organic reduction to meet existing container safety requirements and allowed the state commission to adjust procedures to accommodate this method. The bill failed to pass in the 2025 legislative session.

Maddy summaryHB 1363 requires implicit bias training for Texas judges (including supreme court justices, appellate judges, district court judges, and county court judges), judicial officers, certain court personnel, and licensed attorneys. The bill mandates that these individuals complete the training through programs overseen by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, which will manage grant funding and program standards. It specifies that grant funds for these programs cannot cover costs unrelated to approved training activities. The legislation creates a new Subchapter B in the Government Code to establish this training requirement and oversight structure.