Maddy summarySB 31, titled the "Life of the Mother Act," amends Texas Health and Safety Code to create a specific exception allowing abortions when a physician determines in "reasonable medical judgment" that a pregnancy poses a life-threatening risk of death or serious risk of substantial impairment to a major bodily function. It directly affects pregnant individuals with pregnancy-related conditions that threaten life or major bodily function, removing prior requirements that risks be imminent or that physical damage already occur. The law permits physicians to act proactively to address such risks before symptoms manifest, without needing to wait for documented harm. Signed by the governor on June 20, 2025, it became effective immediately.
Rep. Mary Ann Perez
Sponsored bills
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 summarySB 21 establishes the Texas Strategic Bitcoin Reserve as a special fund outside the state treasury, managed by the comptroller of public accounts. The bill authorizes the state to invest in Bitcoin using defined custody methods, including "cold storage" (offline, physically secured storage) and requiring investments through "qualified custodians" (regulated financial institutions). This directly affects how the state manages certain funds, allowing the comptroller to allocate state resources into Bitcoin for financial resilience. The law became effective immediately upon the governor's signature on June 20, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 23 increases the school district homestead tax exemption for elderly (65+) or disabled homeowners from $10,000 to $60,000 of their home's appraised value. This directly affects eligible homeowners who qualify for the exemption and school districts that may lose local tax revenue due to the change. The bill requires the state to provide additional aid to school districts to offset revenue losses from the higher exemption, starting with the 2025-2026 school year. The state aid calculation compares current revenue to what would have been collected under the previous exemption amount. The bill was signed into law on June 16, 2025, and is now effective.
Maddy summaryThis Texas bill (SB 4) increases the homestead exemption for school district property taxes from $100,000 to $140,000 per homeowner, directly affecting residential property owners. School districts will receive additional state aid to offset revenue losses from this exemption increase, calculated as the difference between current local revenue and what would have been available before the change. The compensation mechanism applies starting with the 2023-2024 school year for the initial exemption increase and will extend to future changes proposed for 2025. This ensures school districts maintain funding stability despite reduced local tax revenue from larger homestead exemptions.
Maddy summaryThis symbolic resolution urges the Houston City Council to construct a pedestrian bridge near Charles H. Milby High School in honor of Sergio Ivan Rodriguez, a 15-year-old Houston resident who died in 2024. It does not allocate funding or create legal requirements - it is a non-binding commemorative gesture to honor his life and legacy. The bridge would be located over railroad tracks near his high school, reflecting his connection to the community.
Maddy summarySB 1497 requires Texas peace officers to obtain a warrant before searching a person's cell phone or wireless device during a lawful arrest, amending the Code of Criminal Procedure. This applies to most personal devices like smartphones but excludes devices such as skimmers or those designed to illegally obtain payment card information. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, directly affecting law enforcement procedures during arrests. It changes existing practice by mandating judicial oversight for device searches rather than allowing warrantless searches incident to arrest. The bill was signed into law by Governor Abbott on May 30, 2025.
Maddy summaryHB 3611 sets fines for unauthorized commercial signs placed on public road right-of-ways in Texas. It directly affects businesses or individuals who place such signs without legal authorization. The bill requires local authorities to issue written notice before imposing a first violation fine of up to $1,000, with penalties increasing to $2,500 for a second violation and $5,000 for third or subsequent violations. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, applying only to violations occurring after that date.
Maddy summarySB 1080 requires Texas licensing authorities to issue either a full occupational license or a provisional license (valid for six months) to otherwise qualified applicants who have been convicted of certain offenses, instead of automatically denying their applications. The provisional license begins on the date an applicant is released from prison if they were incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. This bill directly affects individuals with criminal convictions seeking occupational licenses (such as for nursing, contracting, or other licensed professions) who meet all other qualification requirements. It aims to reduce barriers to employment by providing a temporary licensing pathway for these applicants.
Maddy summarySB 2371 creates new rules to combat skimmers - devices that illegally steal payment card data - on electronic terminals like point-of-sale machines and ATMs. It requires service technicians to report discovered skimmers to the Financial Crimes Intelligence Center and authorizes civil penalties for violations. The law directly affects service companies, technicians, merchants, and financial institutions that maintain or operate electronic terminals. Enforcement will be handled by the Financial Crimes Intelligence Center under Texas Business & Commerce Code Chapter 607A.