Rep. Terri Leo-Wilson

Maddy summaryHB 5285 establishes the Thriving Texas Families Program under the Health and Human Services Commission to provide community support services for individuals with unexpected pregnancies. The bill requires that service providers funded through this program cannot be associated with, refer for, or provide abortion-related services as defined in the bill (including referrals for abortion-inducing drugs or travel facilitation). It mandates the commission to create a statewide network offering pregnancy support, adoption assistance, and parenting resources as alternatives to abortion. This program continues a previous "alternatives to abortion" initiative while restricting funding to providers without ties to abortion services.

Maddy summaryThe bill HB 5541 addresses potential discrimination by state agencies in occupational licensing decisions. It aims to prevent state agencies from denying or revoking occupational licenses based on protected characteristics like race, gender, or religion. The bill would require agencies to provide clear, non-discriminatory reasons for licensing decisions and establish a process for applicants to challenge alleged discrimination. However, the specific provisions and scope of the bill are not detailed in the provided context, as the full text is unavailable and only the title and filing date are documented.

Maddy summaryHB 5045 prohibits school districts from hiring uncertified teachers as "teacher of record" for specific core courses: reading/language arts or math in grades K-5, math in grades 6-8, or courses requiring advanced certification. It defines "teacher of record" as the educator primarily responsible for instruction and grading in a course. The law directly affects school districts and teachers, requiring certification for these roles starting with the 2026-2027 school year. This replaces current exemptions allowing uncertified teachers in certain positions under district innovation plans.

Maddy summaryHB 4699 clarifies that school districts and charter schools must implement legally required policies, not just adopt them. It amends Texas Education Code sections to require independent school districts, home-rule school districts, and open-enrollment charter schools to follow existing policy mandates. The bill specifies that governing bodies and school personnel must act in accordance with these policies. This change ensures compliance with current law but does not create new policies or requirements.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (HR 658), not a substantive bill. It formally honors John Sharp for his retirement as chancellor of The Texas A&M University System after a 14-year tenure - the longest in the system's history. The resolution recognizes his leadership in expanding the system to 11 universities, growing research expenditures to over $1 billion, and overseeing major campus developments like the Texas A&M-RELLIS campus and Kyle Field renovations. As a commemorative resolution, it has no policy impact or direct effect on any individuals or programs.

Maddy summaryHB 4606 creates new rules for foreign-owned real property in Texas, primarily affecting foreign individuals or entities holding agricultural land or critical infrastructure. It allows the Texas Attorney General to acquire such property via eminent domain if the Homeland Security Review Committee determines it poses a threat to security. The bill establishes this committee to review property acquisitions and defines "critical infrastructure" and "agricultural land" as key triggers for these provisions. It also creates a new criminal offense related to foreign ownership of specified properties.

Maddy summaryHB 4607 amends Texas law to allow housing developments funded through the state's low-income housing tax credit program to give occupancy priority to teachers and other school district employees (and their households) in the district where the development is located. This change applies only to new applications submitted under the 2026 or later tax credit allocation plans, not to existing applications. The bill requires that all other state and federal housing eligibility rules remain satisfied when granting this preference. It directly affects developers of affordable housing projects using tax credits and teachers/school staff seeking housing in those developments.

Maddy summaryHB 195 requires Texas counties to post specific financial details about school districts on their public websites. It applies to school districts with local revenue above a certain threshold (as defined by Texas education law) that have taken steps to reduce revenue, and to all school districts in the county for which this doesn't apply. The bill mandates counties to display the percentage of a district's maintenance and operations revenue coming from local taxes versus state funds for both the current and prior school years. For qualifying districts, it also requires posting the percentage of taxes used for attendance credits, making school funding sources more transparent to the public.

Maddy summaryHB 360 allows Texas property owners who sell their primary residence (homestead) for at least 10% less than the appraised value to request a tax adjustment. If the sale price reflects current market value, the appraisal review board can change the property tax records for the current year and the two prior years. This applies when the property qualifies as a homestead and the owner files a motion with the board. The bill also establishes procedures for hearings if the chief appraiser and owner disagree on the adjustment before the 15th day after filing.

Maddy summaryHB 4927 exempts medical and veterinary students from certain immunization requirements as a condition for enrollment or course participation. It allows students to decline immunizations based on conscience (including religious belief) by submitting a signed affidavit to their school's admitting official, following the form requirements in existing law. This exemption applies specifically to students enrolled in medical schools (as defined by Texas law) or veterinary medicine programs at institutions of higher education. The policy would take effect for the 2025-2026 academic year, overriding current Education Code requirements that previously mandated such immunizations.