Rep. Lauren Simmons

Maddy summaryHB 304 creates a state franchise tax credit for businesses opening grocery stores or "healthy corner stores" (under 2,000 sq. ft. with 20% fresh food space) in designated food deserts. It directly affects businesses that open such stores after January 1, 2026, in low-income areas with limited healthy food access. To qualify, stores must accept WIC and SNAP benefits within 90 days of opening and operate year-round. The credit reduces the business’s state tax liability for establishing these stores, aiming to improve healthy food access in underserved communities.

Maddy summaryHB 271 amends the composition of Texas' Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee, increasing its membership from 23 to 25 members. The bill adds two new physician specialties (critical care and emergency care), two doulas with specific urban/rural representation requirements (one must specialize in end-of-life care), and a representative from a managed care organization. It also specifies that community members must include one urban and one rural representative, and requires at least one maternal fetal medicine specialist among obstetric physicians. The committee, which analyzes pregnancy-related deaths to improve maternal health outcomes, will now include these additional expertise areas to enhance its review capacity.

Maddy summaryHB 270 requires Texas licensing authorities (like the Texas Department of Agriculture or Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation) to revoke business licenses for individuals or entities found guilty of price gouging during a declared disaster. Specifically, if the attorney general or a consumer wins a court case under Section 17.46(b)(27) for price gouging, the court must notify relevant licensing authorities within 30 days. The licensing body must then revoke the person’s license through standard procedures if permitted by law. This applies to repeat violations (a second court victory) and directly affects licensed businesses operating in regulated fields during disaster emergencies. The bill takes effect 91 days after the legislative session ends.

Maddy summaryHB 278 would require Texas licensing authorities to revoke business licenses for individuals or businesses found in court to have engaged in price gouging during a declared disaster. The bill mandates that within 30 days of a successful legal case - whether brought by the state attorney general under Section 17.47 or a consumer under Section 17.50 - the court or attorney general must notify the relevant licensing agency (Texas Department of Agriculture or Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation). The agency may then revoke the person’s license through standard procedures. This applies to licenses required for regulated commercial activities, targeting those convicted of price gouging during declared disasters. The law takes effect 91 days after the legislative session ends.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes the membership requirements for Texas' Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee, increasing its size from 23 to 25 members. It adds two doulas (one urban, one rural, with end-of-life experience), a managed care organization representative, and specifies detailed medical specialties including obstetrics, psychiatry, and critical care. The committee, which reviews maternal deaths and health outcomes, will now include these specific roles to ensure diverse expertise in its work. The state health commissioner must appoint members according to these new requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 413 would have limited pretrial detention for defendants charged with Class B misdemeanors or more serious offenses, preventing jail stays longer than the maximum sentence they could receive if convicted. It required courts to calculate whether a defendant’s cumulative time in jail before trial exceeded the potential sentence for their offense, mandating release if it did. Exceptions included defendants undergoing competency evaluations or subject to Chapter 46B commitment orders. The bill was vetoed by the governor on June 22, 2025, and never took effect.

Maddy summaryHB 2520 amends Texas' open meetings law to expand the definition of "governmental body" subject to public meeting requirements. It adds entities like reinvestment zone boards, workforce development boards, certain nonprofit water corporations, and local workforce boards to the list of groups required to follow open meeting rules. The bill also requires more specific meeting notices, including detailed agendas that clearly identify topics of public interest and any items discussed in closed sessions. This legislation, which passed both chambers in May 2025, was vetoed by the Governor on June 22, 2025.

Maddy summaryHCR 9 designates the first Saturday of every month as "Small Business Saturday" in Texas for a 10-year period ending in 2035. This symbolic resolution, which does not create new laws or funding, aims to encourage Texans to support local small businesses. It directly affects all Texas small businesses (defined as those employing fewer than 500 people) by promoting community shopping. The designation expires 10 years after the resolution's final passage, per Section 391.004(d) of the Texas Government Code.

Maddy summaryHB 27 requires all Texas public high school students to complete at least one-half credit in personal financial literacy as part of their social studies graduation requirements under Education Code Section 28.025(b-1)(4). The bill directs the State Board of Education to develop a list of free, open-source curricula for these courses and allows Advanced Placement courses meeting specific standards to count toward the requirement. This policy change affects all public high school students in Texas, mandating practical financial education alongside traditional subjects like history and government. The law, signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025, is now effective immediately for all public school districts.

Maddy summarySB 217 establishes the Historic Texas Freedmen’s Cemetery Designation Program through the Texas Historical Commission. It allows cemeteries containing at least one freed slave’s grave to apply for official recognition, requiring applicants to prove the cemetery’s existence and historical significance. The program includes a $25 application fee, and approved cemeteries may display a commemorative medallion. The designation aims to inform the public and adjacent landowners about the historical value of these sites.