Rep. Greg Bonnen

Maddy summaryHB 426 requires Texas Medicaid and the Child Health Plan to fully cover the cost of a custom head device (cranial remolding orthosis) for children with specific head shape conditions. It applies to children with premature skull fusion (craniosynostosis) or children aged 3 months to 18 months with a flat or asymmetrical head (plagiocephaly or brachycephaly) who have not improved after two months of non-surgical treatment and meet documented head measurement standards. The coverage must be at least as comprehensive as for other orthotic devices under Medicaid. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 4535 requires healthcare providers to obtain written informed consent before administering any COVID-19 vaccine to patients, including parental or guardian consent for minors or individuals lacking decision-making capacity. The law mandates that consent forms include acknowledgment of receiving a standardized information sheet developed by the state health department. This sheet must detail vaccine benefits/risks, accelerated development timeline, availability of long-term studies, manufacturer liability status, and instructions for reporting adverse reactions through the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). The law, effective September 1, 2025, applies directly to healthcare providers and patients receiving COVID-19 vaccinations in Texas.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the Rural Health Stabilization and Innovation Act, creates a State Office of Rural Hospital Finance to develop and implement a strategic plan for rural hospitals in Texas. The plan must include specific strategies to improve access to hospital services - such as enhanced Medicaid reimbursement, hospital rate enhancements, or reduced regulatory costs - and require annual financial vulnerability assessments to evaluate each hospital’s ability to maintain services, meet obligations, and remain operational. The office will submit annual reports to the legislature, governor, and budget board detailing progress on these goals. This law directly affects rural hospitals by mandating participation in this structured program to address financial challenges and sustain healthcare access in underserved communities.

Maddy summaryHB 2273 allows county judges in specific large Texas counties to delegate certain duties to county commissioners. It applies to counties with populations over 1.5 million, or smaller Gulf Coast counties (350,000-370,000 population) adjacent to a county with over 3.3 million people. The bill amends Local Government Code Sections 81.028 and 81.029 to establish this delegation process. The change takes effect September 1, 2025, directly affecting county governance in those qualifying jurisdictions.

Maddy summaryHB 229 defines key terms like "boy," "father," "female," and "woman" based on biological sex for government data collection. It specifies that individuals with intersex conditions or disorders of sex development are not considered a third sex and must receive accommodations under existing law. The bill amends the Government Code to require state agencies to use these biological sex definitions when gathering information. It directly affects how Texas government entities collect and categorize personal data in records, programs, and services. The law became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summarySB 1198 designates spaceports as "critical infrastructure facilities" under Texas law, specifically covering properties used for spacecraft launch, landing, recovery, or testing that are FAA-licensed or operated by spaceport development corporations. This change directly affects spaceport operators, contractors, and related facilities by modifying criminal and civil liability standards for incidents occurring at these sites. The bill adds spaceports to the existing definition of critical infrastructure, which already includes pipelines, airports, and military installations, and applies to construction sites and equipment used during development. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and governs liability for offenses or causes of action occurring on or after that date.

Maddy summarySB 965 protects public school employees in Texas (including teachers and staff) from being restricted from engaging in religious speech or prayer during work hours. It prohibits school districts or charter schools from infringing on this right unless they have a compelling state interest that cannot be achieved through less restrictive means. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and applies directly to all public school employees in Texas. This is a policy change that defines when schools may limit religious expression, not a requirement for employees to engage in it.

Maddy summaryHB 2 amends Texas education law to change how public school districts and charter schools compensate teachers. It requires schools to implement performance-based pay systems where teacher salaries differentiate based on appraisals, prohibits routine across-the-board raises, and mandates that all teachers be eligible for designations like "master" or "exemplary" based on evaluations. The bill also establishes criteria for districts to qualify for enhanced teacher incentive funding, including strategic evaluation systems for principals and placing highly effective teachers at high-need campuses. This directly affects school districts, charter schools, and classroom teachers by restructuring compensation and evaluation practices.

Maddy summaryHB 5424 limits volunteer firefighter compensation by prohibiting fire departments from paying or reimbursing volunteers more than 20% of the highest full-time firefighter salary in their county (or an adjacent county if their county lacks such pay data). This directly affects volunteer firefighters and local fire departments, setting a clear annual cap on their compensation. The bill takes effect September 1, 2026, and amends the Government Code to establish this specific financial threshold. It does not change eligibility for volunteer status but restricts the amount departments can provide to volunteers relative to full-time staff pay.

Maddy summaryHB 4486 authorizes specific payments totaling approximately $600,000 to resolve historical claims against the State of Texas, primarily for "replacement of void warrants" related to healthcare services (e.g., Baylor Scott & White Health) and tax refunds. The bill directs these payments from the General Revenue Fund for 15 identified claims, including $251,145.94 to a confidential payee for a void sales tax refund. It does not create new policy or affect ongoing programs, but resolves previously unresolved financial obligations. The bill was signed into law on June 20, 2025, and became effective immediately.