Rep. Will Metcalf

Maddy summaryHB 224 requires Texas youth camp operators to create and maintain written emergency plans covering specific scenarios like natural disasters, lost campers, fires, medical emergencies, and location-specific risks. Camps must coordinate annually with local authorities, establish parent notification procedures during emergencies, and submit plans for state approval. Plans must be updated yearly and revised within 90 days if rejected by the state department. This directly affects all youth camps operating in Texas by imposing new documentation and coordination requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 165 requires electric utilities serving first-tier coastal counties or high-flood-risk areas to create and submit detailed vegetation management plans for their power lines and rights-of-way. These plans must outline trimming schedules, miles of infrastructure to be maintained, and annual costs, and must be approved by the Public Utility Commission within 180 days. The bill also establishes a new cost recovery mechanism allowing utilities to seek reimbursement for approved vegetation management expenses through a dedicated rate factor, separate from standard base rates. This directly affects utilities operating in vulnerable coastal or flood-prone regions, aiming to improve grid resilience after disasters by standardizing vegetation management practices.

Maddy summaryHB 122 eliminates certain state-mandated assessment requirements that exceed federal education law. It removes Texas-specific testing mandates for subjects like social studies (grade 8) and end-of-course exams (e.g., Algebra I, English I, English II) that aren't required by federal law. The bill amends education code to ensure only assessments necessary for federal compliance (like the Every Student Succeeds Act) remain mandatory. This directly affects Texas public schools and students by reducing testing burdens in non-federally required subjects. The key change is aligning state assessment requirements strictly with federal minimums.

Maddy summaryHB 64 creates a rule that Texas state senators and representatives lose their seats if absent from all legislative proceedings without approved leave for seven consecutive days when their house is in session. This provision directly affects legislators who miss sessions without permission, triggering an immediate vacancy. The bill specifies that the absence must occur during days the house is meeting, not just calendar days. It would take effect immediately if passed with a two-thirds vote, otherwise 91 days after the legislative session ends.

Maddy summaryHB 236 creates an affirmative defense for individuals prosecuted under certain laws if they were victims of human trafficking or compelled prostitution. It applies when a person engaged in criminal conduct (like prostitution or other offenses) directly because they were subjected to force, fraud, or coercion by traffickers, and would not have committed the act otherwise. The defense requires showing the conduct was compelled by such means, that a reasonable person in similar circumstances would have been compelled, and that the person wasn’t merely offered an opportunity without coercion. This applies to prosecutions for offenses under Sections 20A.02 (human trafficking) or 43.05 (prostitution) but excludes specific offenses listed in state law. The bill affects individuals prosecuted for crimes committed while trafficked, shifting legal focus to their victim status during prosecution.

Maddy summaryHB 214, the Texas Women's Privacy Act, requires certain facilities like restrooms, locker rooms, and shelters to be designated for use based on biological sex (male or female). It directly affects correctional facilities, family violence shelters, institutions of higher education, and political subdivisions (e.g., cities, school districts). The bill prohibits the use of multiple-occupancy private spaces (like shared restrooms) by individuals whose biological sex differs from the space’s designated sex, while allowing single-occupancy spaces for individual use. Violations may result in civil penalties or private lawsuits for affected individuals.

Maddy summaryHB 186 restricts how local governments (like cities, counties, and school districts) can use public funds for lobbying. It prohibits spending public money to hire registered lobbyists or pay nonprofit groups that represent local governments and employ lobbyists. Exceptions include activities by elected officials, employees providing information to legislators, travel expenses for such activities, and services by associations representing sheriffs or law enforcement. The bill allows taxpayers to sue to stop prohibited spending and recover legal fees if they win. This directly affects local government budget decisions regarding legislative advocacy.

Maddy summaryHB 261 limits annual increases in the tax assessment value for commercial properties under $10 million in market value. It restricts how much a property's appraised value can rise each year to either the prior year's market value or a formula (20% of last year's appraised value plus last year's value plus new improvements). This applies to properties held for income production and takes effect January 1, 2027, for tax years following that date. The bill excludes properties appraised under specific subchapters of the tax code.

Maddy summaryThis constitutional amendment proposal would allow Texas lawmakers to cap the taxable value of commercial properties for property tax purposes. Specifically, it would authorize the legislature to limit a property's appraised value to either 110% (or a higher percentage) of its previous year's appraised value or its current market value - whichever is lower. The cap would apply only to properties meeting legislative definitions and eligibility criteria, such as having a market value below a specified threshold. The amendment requires voter approval in a 2026 election before taking effect.

Maddy summaryHB 260 limits annual increases in the appraised value used for property taxes on certain commercial real estate. It applies to commercial properties (defined as property held for income production) with a market value of $10 million or less, excluding properties covered under specific tax subchapters. The bill caps annual value increases at the lesser of: (1) the prior year's market value, or (2) 10% of the prior year's appraised value plus the prior year's appraised value plus the value of new improvements. This limitation takes effect for tax years beginning January 1, 2027, and requires appraisers to separately record both the market value and the capped value.