Rep. Penny Morales Shaw

Maddy summaryHB 5122 requires the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to create and maintain a webpage on its website with current, comprehensive resources to help employers support employee parents seeking child care. The webpage must include information on child-care assistance, tax credits, dependent care savings accounts, employer best practices, free tools, and optional policies - without providing legal advice or mandating employer action. TWC must post this information by February 1, 2026, and the bill takes effect September 1, 2025. This bill directly affects Texas employers seeking to support employee parents by providing accessible, non-binding resources.

Maddy summaryHB 168 prohibits marriage for anyone under 18 in Texas, eliminating the previous exception that allowed minors to marry with a court order removing the disabilities of minority. The bill amends the Texas Family Code to require county clerks to deny marriage licenses to minors and declare any marriage entered into by a minor void. This change applies to all marriage applications filed and marriages entered into on or after September 1, 2025. The bill directly affects minors under 18 and their families by ending the ability to marry with court approval under prior law.

Maddy summaryHB 279 simplifies the approval process for uranium mining permits in Texas by removing the requirement for public hearings on certain applications. It directly affects uranium mining permit holders seeking authorization for specific production zones within existing permits. The bill requires applicants to include groundwater restoration range tables, values at or below established limits, and baseline well data to qualify for this streamlined process. This change applies only to applications submitted on or after September 1, 2025, and does not alter environmental standards.

Maddy summaryHB 3134 establishes a regulatory framework for "advanced air mobility" in Texas, primarily affecting electric aircraft and vertiports (landing/takeoff sites for air taxis). The bill requires the Texas Department of Transportation to create an office for technical support, develop a statewide strategic plan, identify uniform planning standards for vertiports, estimate electric grid capacity needs, and provide guidebooks to local governments. It specifically applies to aircraft over 300 pounds capable of carrying passengers or cargo, focusing on electric vertical takeoff aircraft and urban air mobility infrastructure. The law aims to enable future air taxi services by standardizing planning and infrastructure requirements across the state.

Maddy summarySB 487 protects the confidentiality of identifying information for victims of specific crimes, directly affecting individuals who experience stalking (under Penal Code §42.072), invasive visual recording (§21.15), or indecent assault (§22.012). The bill amends Texas law to require that courts and law enforcement safeguard victims' personal details, such as addresses or contact information, from public disclosure in legal proceedings. It explicitly defines "victim" in the criminal procedure code to include those subjected to these offenses or part of the same criminal episode. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor on May 13, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2404 allows specific Texas counties bordering Oklahoma and split by U.S. Highway 62 to impose a hotel occupancy tax under existing state law. It directly affects hotels in those counties and local governments in municipalities that already tax hotels under Chapter 351 of the Tax Code. The bill adds a new provision permitting these counties to levy the tax, while explicitly exempting hotels located in municipalities with their own applicable hotel tax. The law would take effect immediately if approved by a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers, otherwise on September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3319 would establish a civil service system for constable's department employees (including deputies) in Texas counties with populations over 3.3 million. Counties can create this system either through an election requested by at least 20% of employees or by a commissioners court order. If implemented, a civil service commission appointed by the constable, commissioners court, and district attorney would set rules for hiring, promotions, and employee classification. The bill also includes a provision creating a criminal offense, though specific details of the offense are not provided in the text.

Maddy summaryHB 1461 requires state agencies like the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and Texas Juvenile Justice Department to take custody of individuals confined in county facilities within 45 days. If they fail to do so, the agencies must compensate counties for the cost of each day the individuals remain confined beyond that deadline, at the rate the agency would have paid for confinement. This applies to defendants in criminal cases, children in juvenile justice cases, and releasees for administrative violations. The law takes effect on January 1, 2026, for all cases occurring on or after that date.

Maddy summaryHB 4331 requires the Texas Water Development Board to study ways to streamline the state environmental review process for flood control and drainage projects seeking financial assistance from the flood infrastructure fund (under Water Code Chapter 15). The study must be completed by January 1, 2027, and the Board must then implement new internal procedures based on the findings. This directly affects flood infrastructure projects eligible for state funding, aiming to reduce delays in environmental reviews. The bill expires September 1, 2027, and takes effect in 2025 if passed with a two-thirds vote.

Maddy summaryHB 4329 requires the Texas Water Development Board to study factors affecting the costs of developing drainage infrastructure across Texas, with a report due by January 1, 2027. The study must identify cost drivers like location, materials, and project scale, then compare regional cost differences. The Board must submit a written report to the legislature based on this analysis. The bill expires September 1, 2027, and does not allocate funding or mandate specific infrastructure projects.