Rep. Brent Money

Maddy summaryHB 4360 exempts all tangible personal property (like furniture, equipment, or vehicles) from ad valorem property taxes starting January 1, 2026. This change directly affects property owners and businesses that currently pay taxes on such items, removing this tax burden for future tax years. The bill modifies Texas Tax Code sections to remove references to tangible personal property as taxable, aligning the law with the new exemption effective 2026. It also adjusts charitable organization exemption provisions by removing outdated references to tangible personal property. The key mechanism is a clear, future-dated tax exemption for this category of property.

Maddy summaryHB 4363 requires permits for battery energy storage facilities (like lithium-ion systems) that sell energy at wholesale, directly affecting operators including electric cooperatives and municipally owned utilities. The bill authorizes the Public Utility Commission to set fees covering administrative costs and mandates fire safety standards from the state fire marshal, including minimum distances from buildings, fireproof barriers, and specialized suppression equipment. Key provisions include requiring permit holders to comply with fire safety rules and ensuring facilities meet design, maintenance, and emergency shutdown standards. This creates a regulatory framework for new battery storage projects while defining specific safety requirements for their operation.

Maddy summaryHB 4362, the Texas Agricultural Right to Repair Act, requires manufacturers of electronics-enabled farm equipment to provide independent repair shops with parts, tools, software, and documentation on "fair and reasonable terms." It directly affects farmers and independent repair providers by ensuring they can access necessary repair resources for equipment like modern tractors with integrated computer systems. The bill defines "electronics-enabled implements of agriculture" as farm equipment relying on digital electronics for operation and mandates that manufacturers offer these resources at costs and terms equivalent to those provided to their own authorized repair networks. This aims to prevent manufacturers from restricting access to repair information or parts solely through proprietary control. The law applies specifically to equipment used exclusively in agricultural operations, not general consumer electronics.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require money transfer companies (like Western Union or MoneyGram) to collect a 5% fee on all international remittances sent to recipients outside the U.S. The collected fees would be deposited into a new "border security enhancement fund" managed by the state treasurer. The fund can only be used for specific border security activities, including hiring personnel, training officers, and building infrastructure along Texas' international border. Companies failing to collect the fee could face civil penalties of up to $500,000 or twice the amount of the uncollected fee.

Maddy summaryHB 1582 increases the minimum prison sentence for aggravated sexual assault when the victim is under 14 years old. The bill specifically raises the minimum term to 25 years if the victim is under 14, or if the victim is under 14 and the assault occurs in a manner described in existing law (such as involving a minor victim and specific circumstances). This change applies only to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, meaning past cases remain governed by older sentencing rules. The bill directly affects sentencing for offenders convicted of aggravated sexual assault involving child victims under 14.

Maddy summaryHJR 171 proposes a constitutional amendment to exempt all tangible personal property (like cars, boats, furniture, and equipment) from ad valorem taxation in Texas, effective January 1, 2026. It directly affects property owners and businesses that currently pay taxes on such items, with one key exception: property with an existing tax pledge for debt repayment before January 1, 2026, may continue to be taxed until the debt is paid. The amendment requires voter approval in the November 2025 election and includes a temporary provision expiring January 1, 2027. This change would eliminate a long-standing tax on physical personal property, shifting the tax burden to other areas.

Maddy summaryHB 4198 requires Texas school districts to update their library collection policies every five years to prohibit certain materials, including harmful content (per Penal Code), sexually explicit material rated by vendors, and content containing indecent or profane material. The bill mandates that policies must recognize parents as primary decision-makers for student library access, require transparency in cataloging, and prevent removal of materials based solely on ideas or author background. School districts that fail to comply face a civil penalty. This applies directly to all public school districts managing library collections, including classroom and online resources.

Maddy summaryHB 4004 modifies Texas property tax rules for land with renewable energy installations. It states that land containing a wind-powered energy device (as defined in the bill) cannot be classified as agricultural land for tax purposes under Section 23.42 of the Tax Code. This change directly affects property owners who have installed wind or solar energy devices and previously qualified for lower agricultural tax rates. The bill removes eligibility for agricultural land valuation on such properties, ensuring they are taxed at standard rates instead. It does not create new tax incentives but alters existing classification rules for renewable energy sites.

Maddy summaryHB 4001 defines "male" and "female" biologically for Texas state government documents, requiring that all state forms, surveys, and notices requesting sex information use only two categories based on biological sex at birth. The bill specifies that "female" means an individual with a reproductive system developed to produce ova, and "male" means one with a system developed to fertilize ova. It applies to all Texas state government entities when collecting or reporting sex-based data, such as in health services, ID applications, or educational programs. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and mandates that government materials may not reference more than two sex categories for such purposes.

Maddy summaryHB 4003 requires Texas public school employees or contractors to obtain written parental consent before conducting certain mental health assessments (like psychological tests or screenings) or recording a student's voice or image. It specifically covers activities such as surveys about mental health, psychological treatments, or videotaping, but excludes routine academic lessons, general well-being checks, and safety-related recordings (e.g., on school buses or for classroom instruction). The bill mandates that schools retain these consent forms in students' education records. This directly affects Texas parents of K-12 students and school staff who perform these activities.