Rep. Steve Toth

Maddy summaryHJR 2 proposes a constitutional amendment that would prohibit Texas from imposing state taxes on property transferred after someone's death, including estate, inheritance, or gift taxes. It specifically prevents new taxes on these transfers or increases to existing taxes that were in place before January 1, 2025. Exceptions include taxes on motor vehicle gifts, certain property taxes (ad valorem), and taxes already authorized under existing law. This amendment requires voter approval in the November 2025 election and would affect anyone transferring property through wills, inheritances, or gifts after the amendment takes effect.

Maddy summaryHB 2458 adds a new defense for people accused of aggravated assault in Texas. It allows a defendant to claim they threatened to use a deadly weapon if two conditions were met: the threat would have been justified under self-defense law (Chapter 9 of the Penal Code), and they reasonably believed the threat was immediately necessary to defend against another person’s unlawful force or deadly force. This defense only applies to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025. The bill modifies Texas law to clarify when threatening to use a weapon can be part of a valid self-defense claim in aggravated assault cases.

Maddy summaryHB 993 requires Texas municipalities to process building permit applications within 45 days of submission. If a municipality misses this deadline, it cannot collect permit fees for the application and must refund any fees already paid. The bill allows written agreements extending the deadline only for commercial permits (defined in Section 214.211 of the Local Government Code). It also prohibits denying permits solely due to missed deadlines or requiring applicants to waive these time limits. The law applies only to applications submitted on or after September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2813 requires prosecutors to notify crime victims about court dates when victims request it. Victims must specifically ask for notification, and prosecutors must provide it at least 60 days before scheduled proceedings, or within 5 days if scheduling changes occur, or within 24 hours for emergency court actions. This applies only to criminal cases scheduled on or after September 1, 2025. The bill ensures victims receive timely updates about their case's court schedule without automatic notification.

Maddy summaryHJR 98 is a Texas legislative resolution requesting Congress to call a constitutional convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. It seeks to propose amendments that would impose spending limits on the federal government, reduce federal power over states, and establish term limits for federal officials and members of Congress. Texas formally applies to Congress to initiate this process, with the resolution intended as a continuing application until at least 34 states (two-thirds) support the same purpose. This is a procedural request - Texas has no authority to create new laws, but aims to join other states in advancing this constitutional mechanism.

Maddy summaryHB 2587 requires Texas hospitals to report costs of providing care to patients without legal immigration status. Hospitals must ask about immigration status during intake (without affecting care) and submit quarterly data on costs and financial impact to a state agency. The agency then compiles an annual report for lawmakers by November 1, detailing total costs and how these expenses affected hospitals. This applies to all Texas hospitals serving patients who were not lawfully present at the time of care, focusing on transparency about uncompensated care expenses.

Maddy summaryHJR 99 proposes a constitutional amendment to authorize Texas lawmakers to exempt animal feed held by businesses for retail sale from ad valorem property taxes. If approved by voters, this would allow the legislature to create a specific tax exemption for tangible personal property (physical animal feed) owned by sellers for resale. The amendment requires voter approval in the November 2025 election and does not automatically create the exemption - future legislation would need to implement it. This directly affects feed retailers and agricultural businesses that hold animal feed inventory for sale.

Maddy summaryHB 2031 prevents landlords from banning tenants from lawfully possessing firearms in specific areas of rental properties. It allows tenants to keep firearms in their rental units, vehicles parked in landlord-provided lots, and areas needed to access their unit or premises. Landlords who violate this law face civil penalties: $1,000-$1,500 for a first offense and $10,000-$10,500 for repeat violations. Tenants must first give landlords written notice of the violation and allow 3 business days to fix it before reporting to the attorney general. The collected penalties fund crime victim compensation.

Maddy summaryHB 4688 modifies Texas law for civil liability cases involving commercial motor vehicle accidents. It restricts when evidence of regulatory violations (like safety rules) can be used in court, requiring such evidence to directly link the violation to the injury and show the rule specifically applied to the situation. The bill also limits claims against employers for driver negligence unless the employer first admits the driver was acting within their job duties at the time of the accident. These changes apply only to cases filed or tried after the bill becomes law.

Maddy summaryHJR 138 proposes amending the Texas Constitution to prohibit the state legislature from imposing taxes based on the carbon content of fuels or emissions of carbon dioxide from goods and services. If approved by voters, it would prevent Texas from enacting any carbon tax policy. The bill failed to pass the Texas Legislature on May 12, 2025, so it did not advance to a voter referendum. This would have directly affected all Texans by blocking a potential state-level carbon tax mechanism.