Rep. Cody Vasut

Maddy summaryHB 747 requires the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners to adopt two specific plumbing codes: the Uniform Plumbing Code (as of May 31, 2001) and the 2015 International Plumbing Code. This affects plumbers, contractors, and local governments in Texas, as they must follow these adopted codes for plumbing system design, installation, and maintenance. The bill updates existing law to specify these exact codes and sets a deadline for the Board to adopt implementing rules by December 1, 2025. It takes effect September 1, 2025, ensuring consistent plumbing standards across the state.

Maddy summaryHCR 33 is a Texas legislative resolution urging Congress to propose a constitutional amendment to permanently maintain nine justices on the U.S. Supreme Court. It requests Congress submit the "Keep Nine" amendment - which would state "The Supreme Court of the United States shall be composed of nine justices" - for state ratification. The resolution directs Texas officials to send copies to Congress and the Texas delegation, asking them to enter it into the Congressional Record. This is a procedural request, not a binding law, and does not change current Supreme Court composition or federal procedures.

Maddy summaryBased solely on the provided context, HB 646's title indicates it relates to using unmanned aircraft (drones) for locating and retrieving wounded or killed wildlife. However, the bill text is unavailable in the provided context (stated as "not currently available"), and no specific provisions, mechanisms, or affected parties are described. The bill was filed on November 12, 2024, and referred to the Culture, Recreation & Tourism committee. Without access to the actual bill text or detailed summary, a factual description of its policy changes cannot be provided.

Maddy summaryHB 717 would protect public school employees in Texas from being prohibited from engaging in religious speech or prayer during work hours, unless a school district or government entity demonstrates a compelling state interest that requires the restriction and uses the least restrictive means possible. The bill specifically prohibits schools from infringing on this right except in narrowly defined circumstances, such as preventing disruption to school operations. This proposed law directly affects all public school employees (teachers, staff, etc.) in Texas school districts and charter schools, but it is still pending in committee and has not become law. The bill would take effect immediately if passed by a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers, otherwise on September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHJR 45 proposes a constitutional amendment to let Texas lawmakers limit annual increases in property tax appraisals for primary residences (homesteads). It would require that the appraised value for tax purposes cannot exceed 103.5% of the previous year's value, preventing sudden large tax jumps. This directly affects homeowners with primary residences, as it caps how much their property taxes can rise annually. The amendment must be approved by voters in November 2025 and would temporarily expire January 1, 2027, unless renewed.

Maddy summaryHJR 52 proposes a constitutional amendment that would prevent Texas state and local governments from regulating the educational programs of private schools and home schools. If approved by voters in November 2025, this amendment would add a new section to the Texas Constitution stating that state agencies, the legislature, and local governments cannot impose regulations on private school curricula or operations. The bill directly affects all private schools and home schools operating within Texas by removing current regulatory oversight. The amendment would require voter approval before taking effect, as specified in Section 2 of the resolution.

Maddy summaryHJR 54 proposes a constitutional amendment to remove time restrictions on introducing and acting on bills during Texas' regular legislative sessions. Currently, the first 30 days of a session are reserved for bill introductions and emergency matters, but this amendment would allow the Legislature to introduce, consider, and pass any bill or resolution at any point during the session. The amendment would repeal the current Section 5(c) of Article III and replace Section 5(b) with language authorizing action "at any time." If approved by voters in the November 2025 election, this change would alter how the Texas Legislature manages its workflow during sessions.

Maddy summaryHJR 44 proposes a constitutional amendment to limit service terms for Texas legislators and statewide elected officials. It would prevent members of the Texas House or Senate from serving more than six total regular sessions (with a Senate exception allowing a four-year term after five sessions), and bar statewide elected officials (like governor or attorney general) from serving 12 or more calendar years in office. Existing service before January 1, 2027, would not count toward these limits. The amendment requires voter approval in the November 2025 election to take effect.

Maddy summaryHJR 38 proposes a constitutional amendment requiring Texas governors to call a special legislative session when at least two-thirds of members in both the House and Senate sign a petition. The petition must specify the session date and exact purpose, and the governor must convene the legislature on that date to address only those stated issues. If approved by voters in November 2025, this would change the process for initiating special sessions from the governor’s sole discretion to a legislator-driven requirement. The bill is currently pending in the State Affairs committee.

Maddy summaryHJR 22 rescinds a 2017 provision that automatically canceled Texas's applications to call a constitutional convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution after eight years. This change prevents Texas's current applications from expiring automatically, allowing them to remain active indefinitely. The bill directly affects Texas's ability to maintain its position in the process of proposing constitutional amendments through a national convention. It modifies existing procedural rules without creating new applications or altering Texas's stance on constitutional conventions.