Rep. Terri Leo-Wilson

Maddy summaryHB 290 restricts the use of specific agricultural products containing PFAS chemicals in Johnson County, Texas, directly affecting farmers, manufacturers, and sellers of fertilizers or soil amendments made from sewage sludge. It bans materials with PFAS concentrations exceeding set limits (e.g., 900 parts per trillion for perfluorooctanoic acid) when used as fertilizers or soil amendments. Violations create a criminal offense for manufacturing, selling, distributing, or applying products above these thresholds. The law applies only to Johnson County due to its population size (175,000-195,000 residents per census).

Maddy summaryHB 292 regulates the application of biosolids (treated sewage sludge) on non-agricultural land like parks, golf courses, and athletic fields by requiring permits. It mandates detailed quarterly reporting on sludge sources, locations, application dates, and metal content, plus annual compliance verification with nutrient management plans. The bill also requires visible signage at application sites and immediate reporting of violations. These provisions apply to all non-agricultural land applications and specifically target agricultural land in counties with populations between 170,000 and 190,000. The bill does not prohibit biosolids use but establishes strict permitting and transparency requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 5 allocates $324 million in supplemental funds from Texas' economic stabilization fund for disaster relief and preparedness. It provides $200 million to match federal disaster aid and support state disaster funds, $50 million for flood warning systems and equipment in 27 counties affected by a July 2025 flood declaration, and $24 million to improve weather forecasting and flood management in the Texas Hill Country. An additional $50 million is contingent on passing related legislation about emergency communication systems. The bill directly affects local governments in designated counties and state agencies managing disaster response.

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 98 would establish a 6.72% state value-added tax (VAT) on businesses selling goods or services in Texas, replacing certain existing local taxes like school district property taxes. Businesses would pay tax only on the "value added" to their products or services - subtracting taxes paid on business inputs from taxes collected on sales. The bill exempts small businesses, government entities, and nonprofits from the tax, while excluding financial services and other specified transactions. This VAT would fund school finance reform by replacing some local school district taxes with a new statewide revenue stream.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows certain Texas municipalities to use hotel and convention tax revenue for convention center projects by clarifying which cities qualify under existing tax law. It amends the Tax Code to specifically list 17 categories of eligible municipalities, such as cities with populations over 95,000 in counties bordering Lake Palestine or containing specific landmarks like the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame. The bill does not create new taxes but defines which existing tax revenue streams can be directed toward convention center development. It applies only to cities meeting one of the 17 detailed population or geographic criteria outlined in the legislation.