Rep. Terri Leo-Wilson

Maddy summaryHB 1549 bans businesses in Texas from selling, offering for sale, or holding for sale "obscene devices" (as defined in the Penal Code), except for sexually oriented businesses operating under existing local licensing rules. The bill creates a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation for non-compliant businesses and allows county or district attorneys to seek injunctions and recover investigation costs. It directly affects businesses selling such devices, including retailers and vendors, while exempting licensed sexually oriented businesses. Enforcement is handled through civil lawsuits filed by local prosecutors, with penalties applying per violation.

Maddy summaryThis proposed constitutional amendment would clarify that Texas's Attorney General has the authority to prosecute criminal election law violations alongside local district attorneys. It amends the state constitution to explicitly grant the Attorney General "concurrent jurisdiction" with county or district attorneys for these cases. The change requires voter approval in the 2025 election before taking effect. (Note: This is a procedural constitutional amendment, not a law affecting specific policies.)

Maddy summaryHB 3 establishes an education savings account program in Texas, allowing families to use state funds for approved educational expenses for children enrolled in public schools. The program, administered by the state comptroller, provides funding for costs like tuition at private schools, curriculum materials, or tutoring, with funds drawn from general revenue appropriations. Eligibility includes any child attending a public school who is not enrolled in a participating private school, with priority given to children with disabilities. The bill defines key terms and sets funding limits based on the previous biennium's allocation or the cost per participating child, creating a new option for families seeking alternatives to traditional public schooling.

Maddy summaryThe bill text for HB 1497 is not currently available in the provided context, only the title and basic action timeline are accessible. The title indicates it relates to the placement of a nativity scene on Capitol grounds, but without the full text, specific provisions or policy changes cannot be described. The bill was recently filed and referred to the Culture, Recreation & Tourism committee, but no concrete details about its requirements or affected parties are provided. For an accurate summary, the official bill text or PDF would be needed.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows parents to transfer their child to another public or private school if they believe the child is being sexually groomed, with state education funding following the child to the new school. It defines sexual grooming as efforts to normalize inappropriate sexual relationships between adults and children or to desensitize children to sexual experiences. The bill requires the state to create rules for accredited private schools participating in the program, while prohibiting the use of federal funds for this purpose. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1354 establishes the Texas Adoption Assistance Program to provide financial help for adoption-related expenses to eligible adoptive parents in Texas. The program is administered by the state comptroller, who will certify non-profit organizations meeting specific criteria (such as 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and a mission focused on family or child services). Certified organizations can accept donations, distribute grants to eligible adoptive parents, and must undergo annual audits and report to the comptroller. The bill does not specify grant amounts or detailed eligibility for parents, but requires organizations to follow defined distribution rules for program funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Texas public school districts from using state funds to purchase or adopt instructional materials containing obscene or harmful content, or that appear on a state-maintained list of rejected materials. It requires schools to avoid all instructional materials - both traditional and open educational resources - listed as rejected by the State Board of Education. School districts may use local funds for materials not on the rejected list, but state funds remain restricted. The law applies to the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryHB 1485 would replace certain school district property taxes with a new 6.72% state and local value-added tax (VAT) on business sales. The bill exempts small businesses, government entities, and schools from paying the tax, while excluding financial services, employment, and other specified transactions. Businesses would pay the VAT based on the difference between taxes they collect (output tax) and taxes they pay on purchases (input tax). This reform aims to shift school funding responsibility from local property taxes to a broader business-based tax system.

Maddy summaryHB 1468 requires certain healthcare facilities to accept vaccine exemptions based on "reasons of conscience, including religious belief" for individuals covered under the facility's vaccine preventable disease policy. The bill amends the Health and Safety Code to mandate that facilities cannot reject such exemptions for any reason. This directly affects patients seeking exemptions from required vaccines at participating healthcare facilities. The key provision changes the policy requirement from optional ("may") to mandatory ("shall"), ensuring facilities must accommodate these exemptions. The bill would take effect on September 1, 2025, unless approved for immediate effect by a two-thirds vote.

Maddy summaryHB 5 creates the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to accelerate research on dementia and related disorders. The institute will award grants to Texas universities, medical facilities, and other eligible organizations for research into dementia causes, prevention strategies, treatments, and symptom mitigation. It establishes oversight committees to manage grants, ensure compliance, and requires annual public reports detailing funded projects and recipients. The institute is set to expire on September 1, 2035, unless extended under Texas Sunset Act procedures.