Rep. Greg Bonnen

Maddy summarySB 1426 transfers management of Texas' First Capitol State Historic Site and its replica in West Columbia to the Texas Historical Commission (THC). The bill requires the THC to preserve, maintain, and operate the site, including relocating the replica building to a historically accurate location, constructing a replica of the first Republic of Texas senate building, and building a visitor center for educational programs. It also mandates the THC to manage site infrastructure, historical artifacts, and interpretive programming to enhance public access and historical accuracy. The law took effect on September 1, 2025, directly affecting site operations and visitors.

Maddy summaryHB 4088 updates jury qualification rules by disqualifying individuals with recent felony convictions or pending charges for theft or felonies. It also establishes a program to reimburse jurors for mental health services after serving in trials involving serious crimes (like assault or sexual offenses under Penal Code Chapters 19-25). Courts must inform jurors in writing about this program and provide a certificate detailing the trial's charges to facilitate reimbursement claims. The program requires state funding to operate and applies specifically to jurors in cases involving those designated criminal offenses.

Maddy summarySB 2230 requires Texas municipalities and county commissioners courts to mandate evacuations of unauthorized people from hazard zones calculated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) during space flight activities. Violating these evacuation orders would be a Class B misdemeanor (Class A for repeat offenses). The bill’s effective date depends on another related bill (S.B. 2188) also passing into law. It creates a legal mechanism to enforce safety zones around space launch sites without specifying new safety protocols or altering FAA regulations.

Maddy summaryHJR 2 proposes a constitutional amendment that would prohibit Texas from imposing state taxes on property transferred after someone's death, including estate, inheritance, or gift taxes. It specifically prevents new taxes on these transfers or increases to existing taxes that were in place before January 1, 2025. Exceptions include taxes on motor vehicle gifts, certain property taxes (ad valorem), and taxes already authorized under existing law. This amendment requires voter approval in the November 2025 election and would affect anyone transferring property through wills, inheritances, or gifts after the amendment takes effect.

Maddy summaryHB 4663 specifies exact routes for permits allowing oversized and overweight vehicles to travel between border crossings and ports in Cameron County (which borders Mexico). It details paths using U.S. Highways 77 and 83, State Highway 4, and Farm-to-Market roads to reach Brownsville Port, Harlingen Port entrances, and Boca Chica Beach. The bill directly affects trucking companies moving large equipment and port authorities in border counties. It formalizes routing requirements for permit issuance under the Texas Transportation Code, effective September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHJR 98 is a Texas legislative resolution requesting Congress to call a constitutional convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. It seeks to propose amendments that would impose spending limits on the federal government, reduce federal power over states, and establish term limits for federal officials and members of Congress. Texas formally applies to Congress to initiate this process, with the resolution intended as a continuing application until at least 34 states (two-thirds) support the same purpose. This is a procedural request - Texas has no authority to create new laws, but aims to join other states in advancing this constitutional mechanism.

Maddy summaryHB 2587 requires Texas hospitals to report costs of providing care to patients without legal immigration status. Hospitals must ask about immigration status during intake (without affecting care) and submit quarterly data on costs and financial impact to a state agency. The agency then compiles an annual report for lawmakers by November 1, detailing total costs and how these expenses affected hospitals. This applies to all Texas hospitals serving patients who were not lawfully present at the time of care, focusing on transparency about uncompensated care expenses.

Maddy summaryHCR 35 is a Texas concurrent resolution urging Congress to change federal tax law. It requests that spaceports be added to the list of facilities eligible for tax-exempt private activity bonds - currently available for airports, docks, and similar transportation hubs. This would allow spaceport projects in Texas (where the state ranks second nationally in spaceport locations and hosts over 2,000 aerospace businesses) to access lower-cost financing for infrastructure development. The resolution does not change state law but formally asks federal lawmakers to amend the Internal Revenue Code to support this change.

Maddy summaryHB 135 exempts the purchase and sale of game animals (such as deer and elk) and exotic animals (like reptiles or big cats) from Texas sales and use taxes. This means businesses and individuals involved in trading these animals - such as breeders, pet stores, or hunters - no longer pay state sales tax on these transactions. The bill amends the Texas Tax Code to add these animals as a new category of exempt items, similar to existing agricultural exemptions for feed or farm equipment. This directly reduces tax costs for the wildlife trade and pet industries while aligning with broader agricultural tax policies.

Maddy summaryHB 3045 exempts qualifying corporations from Texas' franchise tax if they operate a spaceport meeting two specific conditions: it must be licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the spaceport must be critical to a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense for spaceflight or launch services. This tax exemption directly affects corporations operating spaceports that support national defense contracts, reducing their state business tax burden. The bill creates a new tax exemption provision under the Texas Tax Code, effective September 1, 2025, for reports due after that date. It does not create new requirements for spaceports but modifies tax treatment for existing qualifying operations.