Rep. Matt Morgan

Maddy summarySB 10 requires all Texas public elementary and secondary schools to display a specific, standardized version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom starting September 1, 2025. The law mandates a durable poster or framed copy meeting strict size (at least 16x20 inches) and content requirements, including only the exact text listed in the bill. Schools must display this unless they accept a privately donated version meeting the same specifications, and may optionally use district funds to purchase compliant displays. This directly affects every public school classroom in Texas, requiring a physical display of the specified religious text.

Maddy summaryHB 2306 changes parole eligibility for inmates convicted of specific trafficking offenses involving vulnerable victims. It prohibits parole for individuals serving sentences under Texas Penal Code Sections 20A.02 (regarding child victims), 20A.03, 21.02, 22.021(f), 51.03, or 51.04. The bill amends parole rules to explicitly exclude these trafficking offenses from eligibility, repealing prior provisions that may have allowed parole for such cases. This law takes effect September 1, 2025, applying only to offenses committed on or after that date.

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 summaryHB 2674 prohibits the Texas Education Agency, State Board of Education, and other educational institutions from adopting rules or policies that regulate homeschool educational programs. It directly affects homeschooling families in Texas by preventing state oversight of their curriculum, teaching methods, or operational standards. The bill adds Section 1.010 to the Education Code, explicitly banning such regulations, and takes effect September 1, 2025, for the 2025-2026 school year. This is a substantive policy change that removes potential state regulatory requirements for homeschools.

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 summaryHB 4429 designates a specific segment of U.S. Highway 281 in Blanco and Burnet Counties - between State Highway 71 and Ranch Road 962 - as the Muckleroy Family Memorial Highway. The bill requires the Texas Department of Transportation to install markers at both ends of the designated segment and at appropriate intermediate locations along the highway. This is a commemorative designation with no new policy or funding requirements; it solely names the highway segment for recognition. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after receiving gubernatorial approval.

Maddy summaryHB 138 establishes the Health Impact, Cost, and Coverage Analysis Program at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. The program analyzes proposed legislation that would require health insurers (including Medicaid managed care organizations) to cover new services, change payment rates, or add administrative requirements. Legislators or committee chairs can request these analyses before voting on such bills. The bill authorizes a fee to fund this program’s operations.

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 3629 prohibits individuals required to register as sex offenders under Texas law from serving on the board of trustees of an independent school district. It directly affects sex offenders who might seek or hold such board positions. The bill amends the Education Code to add explicit ineligibility language (Section 11.061(b-1)), requiring candidates to acknowledge this restriction and banning service for those on the sex offender registry. The law took effect immediately upon the governor's signature on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 23 increases the school district homestead tax exemption for elderly (65+) or disabled homeowners from $10,000 to $60,000 of their home's appraised value. This directly affects eligible homeowners who qualify for the exemption and school districts that may lose local tax revenue due to the change. The bill requires the state to provide additional aid to school districts to offset revenue losses from the higher exemption, starting with the 2025-2026 school year. The state aid calculation compares current revenue to what would have been collected under the previous exemption amount. The bill was signed into law on June 16, 2025, and is now effective.