Rep. Will Metcalf

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Texas licensing authorities to issue provisional occupational licenses for six months to applicants with criminal convictions who are otherwise qualified for the license, unless they have specific serious convictions listed in the Occupations Code. The provisional license begins upon the applicant's release from incarceration if they were imprisoned. It applies to most occupational licensing fields (like healthcare or trades) but excludes applicants convicted of offenses under Section 53.021(a). The bill provides a pathway for certain applicants to obtain licenses without full revocation of eligibility.

Maddy summaryHB 817 clarifies how majority votes are determined in Texas elections for public office. It states that a candidate must receive more than half of the votes as originally cast, prohibiting the use of preferential voting systems (where voters rank candidates) to reassign votes and calculate a majority. This bill directly affects local and state elections requiring a majority vote to win, ensuring results are based solely on initial vote counts. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and amends the Election Code to prioritize original vote totals over ranked-choice reassignment methods.

Maddy summaryHB 5337 requires Texas voters to submit proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. Applicants must provide documents like a U.S. passport, birth certificate, or citizenship papers to county registrars. If proof isn't submitted, voters would only qualify for a limited federal ballot under Chapter 115. The bill creates criminal penalties for failing to provide required documentation and amends election code sections to implement these requirements. This directly affects all new voter registrants in Texas seeking full voting rights.

Maddy summarySB 1870 prohibits cities, counties, and their officials (including sheriffs, police departments, and attorneys) from adopting or enforcing policies that would not fully comply with state drug laws (Chapters 481 and 483 of the Health and Safety Code) or federal drug laws. It bans local ordinances, charters, or ballot measures that would limit enforcement of these laws. Violations trigger civil penalties of at least $25,000 for the first offense and $50,000 for each subsequent violation, with penalties applied daily for ongoing violations. The bill also establishes a process for citizens to file complaints with the Attorney General to enforce this prohibition.

Maddy summaryThe provided context does not include the actual text or detailed summary of HB 5019. The bill title mentions school district contracts and payroll deductions, but no specific provisions, mechanisms, or affected parties are described in the available information. The "Bill Text" section states the content is unavailable, with a note to refer to a PDF (which cannot be accessed here). Without the full bill text or a substantive summary, a factual description of the bill's policy changes cannot be provided.

Maddy summaryHB 5398 amends Texas law to allow qualified landowners or their agents to use helicopters for taking aoudad sheep (an invasive species causing land damage) under the same permit system already used for depredating feral hogs and coyotes. The bill specifically adds aoudad sheep to the list of animals that can be managed using helicopter-assisted hunting or observation. It does not create new restrictions but expands existing authority for landowners dealing with these invasive animals. The Parks and Wildlife Commission must later adopt rules to implement this change, and the law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 342 allows Texas counties with populations under 1.2 million (that don't use countywide polling) to combine election precincts under specific conditions. It permits combining precincts with fewer than 500 registered voters to reduce election costs, or for larger counties (250,000+ population) to combine precincts with 500-750 voters. Combined precincts must not exceed 10,000 voters and cannot dilute voting rights for protected groups under federal law. The bill affects county election administrators in smaller Texas counties managing precinct boundaries.

Maddy summaryHB 952 requires all mail-in early voting ballots to include a unique electronic code that election officials can scan to verify authenticity. It mandates that clerks and ballot boards use electronic devices to check these codes against issued ballots before counting, rejecting any ballot with a mismatched code. The bill explicitly prohibits creating records linking individual voters to these codes, ensuring voter anonymity. This change applies to all mail-in ballots processed under Texas election law, taking effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1832 increases criminal penalties for non-citizens who illegally enter or remain in Texas. It amends Texas Penal Code sections to upgrade offenses from misdemeanors to felonies based on prior convictions involving immigration violations, drug crimes, or crimes against persons. For example, a prior misdemeanor under immigration law can elevate a Class B misdemeanor to a state jail felony, and multiple prior offenses can trigger third-degree or higher felonies. The bill specifically targets individuals removed under federal law (citing 8 U.S.C. sections) or convicted of related crimes. The bill is pending in committee and has not yet been enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 3924 allows uniformed school marshals in Texas public schools, charter schools, private schools, and public junior colleges to openly carry handguns while wearing a uniform identifying them as marshals. It amends Education Code sections to replace previous "concealed handgun" language with three permitted options: carrying concealed, openly carrying while uniformed, or storing the weapon in a locked secure location on school premises. The bill also requires that any handgun carried or stored must use frangible duty ammunition approved by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. This policy change directly affects school marshals appointed by school boards or governing bodies, subject to their specific written regulations.