Rep. Ron Reynolds

Maddy summaryHB 3059 proposes a paid parental leave program administered by the Texas Workforce Commission. It would require employers with 50+ employees (or those voluntarily contributing under the bill) to fund the program, providing eligible employees up to 40 days of paid leave for their own childbirth or 20 days for adoption, spouse's birth, foster care, or kinship care. To qualify, employees must have worked at least 1,540 hours (or 30+ hours weekly) for the employer in the prior year. Paid leave would cover up to the lesser of the employee's average weekly wage or the state average weekly wage, with all costs borne by employers through mandated contributions. The bill is currently in committee referral.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HR 390) recognizes March 19, 2025, as "Houston Lawyers Association Day" at the Texas State Capitol. It honors the Houston Lawyers Association (HLA), founded in 1955 to support Black lawyers and address racial barriers in the legal profession, and extends a welcome to its delegation. The resolution has no policy impact - it is purely ceremonial, acknowledging HLA's 70-year work promoting equal justice, legal education, and community advocacy.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution, not a bill with policy changes. It formally recognizes March 19, 2025, as "African Methodist Episcopal Day" at the Texas State Capitol. The resolution acknowledges the historical significance of the AME Church (founded in 1816 by Richard Allen) and extends a welcome to the church's gathering at the Capitol on that date. It has no effect on laws, funding, or regulations.

Maddy summaryHR 519 is a ceremonial resolution recognizing March 18, 2025, as Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Day at the Texas State Capitol. It honors the sorority's history as a professional organization founded in 1922, its international membership (over 100,000 members across 500+ chapters), and its focus on community service, education, and leadership development. The resolution does not create new laws or policies; it is a symbolic gesture extending a welcome to sorority members attending the event. This is a procedural recognition with no direct impact on legislation or constituents.

Maddy summaryHB 2664 establishes a task force to study racial diversity in Texas' nursing workforce. The 9-member task force, selected from nursing committees, education boards, nursing programs, hospitals, and nursing associations, must assess current diversity, review existing initiatives, set diversity goals, and develop recommendations by September 2026. The task force will deliver a written report to relevant legislative committees and is dissolved after December 2027. This bill creates a fact-finding mechanism to inform future policy on nursing workforce diversity, without implementing direct changes to regulations or funding.

Maddy summaryHB 2656 prohibits peace officers from making motor vehicle stops while operating unmarked law enforcement vehicles. The bill requires that any law enforcement vehicle used for traffic stops must be clearly marked as such. This applies only to stops occurring on or after September 1, 2025, and does not affect existing stops before that date. The law directly affects police officers conducting traffic stops in Texas and aims to increase transparency during vehicle interactions.

Maddy summaryHB 2465 restricts how Texas A&M University can use state funds for agricultural research and extension programs. It prevents Texas A&M from using state money to match federal grants at a higher ratio than Prairie View A&M University receives for the same programs. Specifically, Texas A&M cannot exceed Prairie View’s state-to-federal matching ratio for agricultural research funding in any state fiscal biennium. This directly affects Texas A&M’s budgeting for agricultural programs and aims to align funding equity between the two land-grant universities.

Maddy summaryHB 2406 creates new regulations for group home facilities in Texas, which are defined as establishments housing three or more unrelated residents receiving paid residential care services (like meals, health care, or personal assistance). The bill requires the Health and Human Services Commission to develop model standards for construction, sanitation, safety, and fire protection in these facilities. It allows counties or municipalities to implement optional permitting requirements and authorize fees for such permits, while also creating criminal offenses for violations of the new rules. The law explicitly exempts licensed facilities, retirement communities, monasteries, child-care centers, and other specific types of residences from these regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 2466 prohibits employers in Texas from asking job applicants about their criminal history on initial application forms. It requires employers to first determine an applicant is qualified and extend a conditional job offer or interview invitation before inquiring into criminal history. The law applies broadly to most employment applications but excludes positions where criminal history checks are legally required (e.g., certain law enforcement or childcare roles). The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, aiming to reduce early barriers to employment for people with criminal records.

Maddy summaryHB 2405 aims to improve emergency mental health care by establishing clearer protocols for detaining individuals experiencing mental health crises. It requires police to transport such individuals to the nearest mental health facility within 100 miles or hospital emergency department if needed, and mandates courts to develop 24/7 procedures for judges to review emergency detention requests. The bill limits initial facility detention to 48 hours (including wait times for care), with limited extensions only for weather disasters or written court orders. These changes directly affect law enforcement, mental health facilities, courts handling emergency cases, and individuals seeking urgent mental health care. The bill focuses on streamlining access to care while setting clear time limits for involuntary detention.