Rep. Denise Villalobos

Maddy summaryHB 2189 requires Texas public school districts to receive free, high-quality instructional materials for health career and technology education programs. It mandates a study (to report by December 2026) on sharing laboratory resources between K-12 schools and colleges to support these programs. The bill also directs a joint review of health-related dual credit courses to ensure they align with college requirements and reduce redundant coursework. These provisions directly affect public school districts offering health career programs and institutions of higher education collaborating with them. The bill passed the Texas Legislature on May 8, 2025, and expires September 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHJR 161 proposes amending the Texas Constitution to explicitly prohibit non-citizen residents from voting in Texas elections. The bill would add "persons who are not citizens of the United States" as a new category barred from voting, alongside existing restrictions for minors, those declared mentally incompetent, and convicted felons. If approved by voters in November 2025, this constitutional change would formally enshrine the current legal standard - non-citizens already cannot vote in Texas - into the state constitution. The amendment requires voter approval at the 2025 general election, with ballot language specifying the change. This is a procedural constitutional amendment, not a new voting law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Texas licensing authorities to issue provisional occupational licenses for six months to applicants with criminal convictions who are otherwise qualified for the license, unless they have specific serious convictions listed in the Occupations Code. The provisional license begins upon the applicant's release from incarceration if they were imprisoned. It applies to most occupational licensing fields (like healthcare or trades) but excludes applicants convicted of offenses under Section 53.021(a). The bill provides a pathway for certain applicants to obtain licenses without full revocation of eligibility.

Maddy summaryHB 5337 requires Texas voters to submit proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. Applicants must provide documents like a U.S. passport, birth certificate, or citizenship papers to county registrars. If proof isn't submitted, voters would only qualify for a limited federal ballot under Chapter 115. The bill creates criminal penalties for failing to provide required documentation and amends election code sections to implement these requirements. This directly affects all new voter registrants in Texas seeking full voting rights.

Maddy summaryHB 3628 requires the Texas Water Development Board to review and update its guidance principles and rules for the state water plan and state flood plan at least every five years, aligning with the existing five-year cycle for adopting new plans. The bill exempts these specific water and flood plan rules from the standard Government Code requirement that most rules be reviewed every four years. This applies to guidance principles adopted under Sections 16.051 and 16.061 of the Water Code, involving coordination with agencies like the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Agriculture Department, and Parks and Wildlife Department. The bill directly affects the Board’s planning processes and its collaboration with state agencies on water resource management.

Maddy summarySB 2 establishes a state-funded education savings account program in Texas, allowing eligible families to use public funds for approved educational expenses. The program directly affects Texas families with children who have disabilities or who live in low-income households (at or below 500% of the federal poverty level). The comptroller administers the program, funding accounts with state money that can cover approved education costs like tuition, books, or tutoring. The bill becomes effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor on May 3, 2025. This creates a new state-funded option alongside public schools for participating families.

Maddy summaryThe bill text for HB 5360 is unavailable in the provided context, only showing a placeholder message. The title indicates it relates to the attorney general's duty to prosecute human trafficking offenses, but specific provisions cannot be described without the full text. The bill was filed on March 14, 2025, read for the first time on April 7, 2025, referred to State Affairs, and withdrawn from the schedule on April 30, 2025. Without the actual bill language, a substantive summary of its mechanisms or affected parties cannot be provided.

Maddy summaryHB 3618 requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to create policies governing searches of female inmates. It mandates that searches involving unclothed female inmates must be conducted by a female officer when available, and if a male officer must conduct such a search, they must submit a written report within 72 hours. The bill also limits visual body cavity searches (a visual inspection of genital or anal areas with clothing removed) to only "exigent circumstances" like immediate security threats - not routine program access like education or rehabilitation. These policies apply directly to female inmates in TDCJ facilities and must be adopted by September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 54, titled "Relating to the display of and allowance for non-human behaviors in Texas schools," is a procedural bill that amends school discipline requirements. It mandates that Texas public school districts include specific factors in their student conduct codes, such as self-defense, intent, disability considerations, and homelessness status, when making disciplinary decisions like suspensions or expulsions. The bill requires schools to post these codes prominently and consider these factors in all disciplinary actions. It does not ban specific activities but standardizes how schools evaluate student behavior. The bill is currently pending in the Education Committee.

Maddy summaryHB 3724 requires written approval from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department before placing cultivated oysters in natural oyster beds, private oyster beds, or coastal waters. It directly affects oyster farmers, coastal property owners, and commercial shellfish operations seeking to deploy cultivated oysters. The bill mandates the department to establish best management practices for approving such placements, replacing the current prohibition. This creates a formal permitting process where oyster placement was previously banned without authorization. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.