Rep. Dade Phelan

Maddy summaryHB 4765 establishes registration requirements for code enforcement officers and officers in training in Texas. It defines "code enforcement officer" as someone working for state or local government who conducts code enforcement, and "officer in training" as someone supervised by a registered officer. The bill requires individuals to hold a valid registration certificate (including passing an exam and having one year of experience) to use the title "code enforcement officer," while exempting those already licensed under other state laws. Local governments may still hire unregistered staff if they qualify for the exemption under Section 1952.002.

Maddy summarySB 21 establishes the Texas Strategic Bitcoin Reserve as a special fund outside the state treasury, managed by the comptroller of public accounts. The bill authorizes the state to invest in Bitcoin using defined custody methods, including "cold storage" (offline, physically secured storage) and requiring investments through "qualified custodians" (regulated financial institutions). This directly affects how the state manages certain funds, allowing the comptroller to allocate state resources into Bitcoin for financial resilience. The law became effective immediately upon the governor's signature on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3629 prohibits individuals required to register as sex offenders under Texas law from serving on the board of trustees of an independent school district. It directly affects sex offenders who might seek or hold such board positions. The bill amends the Education Code to add explicit ineligibility language (Section 11.061(b-1)), requiring candidates to acknowledge this restriction and banning service for those on the sex offender registry. The law took effect immediately upon the governor's signature on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 23 increases the school district homestead tax exemption for elderly (65+) or disabled homeowners from $10,000 to $60,000 of their home's appraised value. This directly affects eligible homeowners who qualify for the exemption and school districts that may lose local tax revenue due to the change. The bill requires the state to provide additional aid to school districts to offset revenue losses from the higher exemption, starting with the 2025-2026 school year. The state aid calculation compares current revenue to what would have been collected under the previous exemption amount. The bill was signed into law on June 16, 2025, and is now effective.

Maddy summaryThis Texas bill (SB 4) increases the homestead exemption for school district property taxes from $100,000 to $140,000 per homeowner, directly affecting residential property owners. School districts will receive additional state aid to offset revenue losses from this exemption increase, calculated as the difference between current local revenue and what would have been available before the change. The compensation mechanism applies starting with the 2023-2024 school year for the initial exemption increase and will extend to future changes proposed for 2025. This ensures school districts maintain funding stability despite reduced local tax revenue from larger homestead exemptions.

Maddy summarySB 2308 establishes a Texas grant program to fund clinical trials of ibogaine with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval as a treatment for opioid use disorder, co-occurring substance use disorders, and other neurological or mental health conditions where ibogaine demonstrates efficacy. The program provides state funding to public-private partnerships conducting FDA drug development trials, targeting organizations with capacity to lead these trials and seek FDA approval. Eligible applicants must be for-profit, nonprofit, or public benefit entities capable of conducting the required trials and future research. This policy change directly supports the FDA approval process for ibogaine treatment, without authorizing its immediate use.

Maddy summarySB 378 prohibits licensed barbers and cosmetologists in Texas from making skin incisions (such as for injections) or using certain devices during their services, except when they hold a separate license for that specific medical act. The bill requires license holders to prove they are authorized to perform such acts in disciplinary cases. It would have taken effect September 1, 2025, but was vetoed by the Governor on June 2, 2025, so it never became law. This bill directly affected licensed professionals providing hair, skin, or cosmetic services under Texas law.

Maddy summaryHB 11 requires the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) to actively pursue licensing reciprocity agreements with other states. It directs TDLR to evaluate whether other states' licensing requirements - such as training, testing, scope of practice, and complaint procedures - are "substantially equivalent" to Texas standards, and to identify legal barriers preventing reciprocity. TDLR must report annually to the governor and legislature on its progress, including a list of existing agreements, failed attempts, and recommendations to expand reciprocity. This bill primarily affects licensed professionals (like nurses, contractors, or cosmetologists) who move between Texas and other states, making it easier to practice without retaking exams or meeting redundant requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 2890 establishes a legal framework for Texas to join an interstate compact with Gulf Coast states (like Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama) focused on the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry. It authorizes the Texas governor to negotiate and sign this compact without needing congressional approval, ensuring it doesn’t increase states' political power relative to the federal government. The compact requires participating states to share information, resources, and services to protect and grow the LNG industry along the Gulf Coast while improving industry coordination. This bill directly affects Texas and other Gulf Coast states participating in the compact, creating a formal mechanism for regional collaboration. The bill became effective immediately on May 28, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summaryHB 37 requires hospitals with maternal care designations to provide bereavement counseling options and perinatal bereavement devices (which delay tissue deterioration for up to 72 hours after pregnancy loss or infant death) to families following intrauterine fetal demise, neonatal death, or stillbirth. The Texas Department of State Health Services must establish a perinatal bereavement care initiative offering hospitals training for staff on compassionate communication and resources like devices with maintenance support. This law directly affects designated hospitals and families experiencing pregnancy or infant loss in Texas. The initiative aims to improve access to supportive care during this difficult time, with the law taking effect September 1, 2025.