Rep. Janis Holt

Maddy summaryHB 1402 prohibits Texas state agencies, political subdivisions (like cities or counties), and the state itself from using public funds to alter roadways for high-speed rail construction projects. It specifically bars spending state or local money on road changes needed for high-speed rail, whether operated by public or private entities. The bill amends the Transportation Code to clarify that public funds cannot cover such roadway alterations, except where required by federal law or other existing state laws. This restriction applies to all high-speed rail projects defined as service reaching at least 110 mph.

Maddy summaryHB 4241 changes how vacancies on school board trustee positions are filled in Texas independent school districts. It prohibits boards from appointing someone to fill a vacancy until the next general election, requiring instead that vacancies be resolved either at the next regular election or through a special election held under standard election rules. The bill sets a strict 18-month deadline to fill any vacancy and gives property owners in the district the right to sue the school board for violations, allowing them to recover damages and legal fees without first going through an administrative process. This directly affects school boards and property owners in independent school districts by creating clear timelines and legal accountability for vacancy procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 4150 authorizes the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to enforce certain regulations adopted by county commissioners courts in unincorporated areas. Specifically, it allows TxDOT to issue verbal warnings, notify local law enforcement about violations, and remove structures (like vendor setups) that breach county rules regarding food/merchandise sales, vendor structures, or money solicitation. Vendors operating in unincorporated county areas are directly affected, as TxDOT can now enforce these local regulations after a 24-hour warning period. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3736 prohibits Texas public school districts and charter schools from serving food or drinks containing specific artificial color additives in school meals. The bill bans nine listed additives (including red 40, yellow 5, blue 1, and caramel) and any substantially similar substitutes. This policy directly affects school nutrition programs, requiring them to remove these additives from all meals served to students starting the 2025-2026 school year. The law does not apply to food sold in vending machines or à la carte items outside of regular meals.

Maddy summaryHB 3739 requires Texas public schools to include specific fetal development instruction in health classes for students in grades 7 through 12 starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The bill mandates teaching about weekly fetal growth, medically assisted termination procedures (including abortion-inducing drugs), and other causes of fetal termination (such as drug/alcohol effects), alongside resources supporting pregnancy continuation through faith-based organizations. It does not require teaching about abortion access but specifies that recommended resources must not be linked to organizations providing or advocating for fetal termination. This policy directly affects Texas public school curricula and students in grades 7-12.

Maddy summaryHB 3734 amends Texas law to require public water systems to test for mifepristone and estrogen hormones in drinking water, in addition to existing testing requirements. This bill directly affects municipal and community water providers across Texas by adding these specific substances to mandatory water quality testing protocols. The key provision (Section 1) amends the Health and Safety Code to explicitly include mifepristone (a medication used in medical procedures) and estrogen hormones in required testing under Section 341.033(c). The law takes effect on September 1, 2025, but does not establish new testing standards or penalties for non-compliance.

Maddy summaryHB 3828 prohibits the use of Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) funds for embryonic or fetal stem cell research. It allows funding for research using adult stem cells or stem cells from umbilical cords instead. The bill directly affects all researchers and institutions receiving CPRIT grants by restricting how they can spend the awarded funds. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, unless passed with a two-thirds vote for immediate implementation.

Maddy summaryHB 3735 requires health insurance plans in Texas to cover prenatal care, childbirth, and postnatal care provided in hospitals, birthing centers, or home settings. It specifically mandates coverage for nurse midwife services, prenatal visits (including ultrasounds), related blood/urine tests, childbirth in all three settings, and prescription drugs for pain management during labor. This applies to all health benefit plans offering maternity coverage, including those from traditional insurers, HMOs, health maintenance organizations, and state health exchanges. The bill aims to standardize coverage for essential pregnancy-related services regardless of where care is delivered.

Maddy summaryHB 3740 requires that any chemical or technique used for weather modification and control in Texas must first be approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). TDLR cannot approve a chemical or technique if it is known to cause harm to human health, including to the endocrine, nervous, respiratory, or reproductive systems. The department may seek input from other agencies like the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality or the Department of Agriculture when reviewing approvals. TDLR must adopt implementing rules as soon as practicable after the bill takes effect, which would be September 1, 2025, unless it receives a two-thirds legislative vote for immediate implementation.

Maddy summaryHB 3738 requires the Texas Department of Agriculture (with Texas Education Agency assistance) to conduct an annual study measuring PFAS levels in school lunches served through the state's school lunch program. The study must test representative samples of all foods distributed to schools under the program and other foods commonly purchased using program subsidies. Results must be reported annually to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house, and all legislators by December 31 each year, with the first report due December 31, 2026. This bill directly affects Texas public school lunch programs and the agencies managing food safety compliance.