Rep. Penny Morales Shaw

Maddy summaryHB 2508 creates a property tax exemption for the residence homestead of a surviving spouse whose veteran spouse died from a qualifying condition or disease. The exemption applies to the full appraised value of the homestead and is available to spouses who have not remarried since the veteran's death. Qualifying conditions are defined under the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022. The exemption takes effect January 1 of the tax year the surviving spouse qualifies and applies regardless of when the veteran died, provided all eligibility criteria are met. This bill amends Texas Tax Code Sections 11.136, 11.42(c), and 11.43(c) to implement the change.

Maddy summaryHB 2894 creates a state-funded "disabled veteran assistance payment" for Texas local governments that grant property tax relief to disabled veterans and experience significant revenue loss. It specifically applies to municipalities adjacent to U.S. military installations or counties containing such installations, with eligibility based on losing at least 2% of their general fund revenue (or 10% for larger municipalities with populations between 370,000-380,000 or 83,000-84,000). Local governments meeting these thresholds can receive state aid to offset the lost tax revenue starting in the 2025 fiscal year. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and does not change existing tax relief policies for disabled veterans.

Maddy summaryHB 2306 changes parole eligibility for inmates convicted of specific trafficking offenses involving vulnerable victims. It prohibits parole for individuals serving sentences under Texas Penal Code Sections 20A.02 (regarding child victims), 20A.03, 21.02, 22.021(f), 51.03, or 51.04. The bill amends parole rules to explicitly exclude these trafficking offenses from eligibility, repealing prior provisions that may have allowed parole for such cases. This law takes effect September 1, 2025, applying only to offenses committed on or after that date.

Maddy summaryHB 2492 modifies Texas law governing detention after bond for individuals arrested in family violence cases. It allows authorities to detain someone for up to 4 hours after bond is posted, with a potential 48-hour extension if a judge determines the violence would continue and the person has prior family violence arrests or used a deadly weapon in past offenses. The bill applies only to arrests occurring on or after September 1, 2025, leaving pre-existing cases under prior law. This creates a specific, time-bound process to prevent immediate release in high-risk family violence situations.

Maddy summaryHB 3800 creates an advisory board under the Texas Workforce Commission to develop a resource guide helping health care providers and colleges collaborate on local workforce issues like shortages and training needs. The board, composed of members from urban/rural colleges, workforce boards, hospitals, health professionals, and community health centers, must deliver the guide to the legislature by November 1, 2026. It expires September 1, 2027, and directly affects health care institutions, educational institutions, and local workforce development efforts across Texas. The bill focuses on facilitating coordination rather than mandating specific solutions.

Maddy summaryHB 3595 requires Texas assisted living facilities to create emergency plans ensuring resident safety during power outages. Specifically, facilities must provide climate-controlled areas (at least 15 square feet per resident) for non-bedfast residents and dedicated climate-controlled rooms for bedfast residents (those unable to move during emergencies). The bill mandates maintaining temperatures between 68°F and 82°F in these spaces and reporting extended power outages (over 12 hours) to the state commission. It also sets new construction standards for facilities built after September 2026, including backup power systems. The law applies directly to all assisted living facilities and their residents, prioritizing safety during emergencies.

Maddy summaryHB 24 establishes new procedures for Texas municipalities to adjust zoning regulations or district boundaries. It requires a public hearing with 15 days' notice published in a newspaper and online before any zoning change takes effect. For changes that do not allow more residential development (non-comprehensive changes), property owners can protest by signing a written protest if they own 20% of the affected area or 60% of adjacent land within 200 feet. The bill, effective September 1, 2025, applies to all Texas cities and aims to balance development decisions with community input.

Maddy summaryHB 108 increases penalties for certain felony offenses when defendants use metal or body armor during the crime. It requires judges to make an affirmative finding if a defendant used such armor (as defined in Texas law) during the commission of a third-degree felony or lower under Title 5 of the Penal Code (excluding first-degree felonies). If this finding is made, the punishment is raised to the next higher category of offense (e.g., a third-degree felony becomes a second-degree felony). The law exempts peace officers, military personnel, and licensed security officers from these penalties. This bill takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 4490 exempts next of kin information for deceased persons from mandatory public disclosure under Texas Government Code Chapter 552 (the public information act). This directly affects government agencies and officials who handle public records requests, preventing them from routinely releasing next of kin details. The bill creates an exception to disclosure requirements while still allowing information to be shared via subpoena or other legal authority. The exemption applies to requests received on or after the bill's effective date (June 20, 2025), with prior requests governed by previous law.

Maddy summaryHB 1991 requires municipally owned utility systems (like water, electricity, or gas providers operated by cities) to publish all operating, maintenance, replacement, or improvement charges on both the utility's and city's websites. It mandates that municipalities update these online postings within 30 days of any change to the charge terms. The law applies directly to cities managing utility systems and takes effect September 1, 2025. This bill focuses solely on increasing public access to existing charge information, not altering the charges themselves.