Rep. Erin Gámez

Maddy summaryHB 168 prohibits marriage for anyone under 18 in Texas, eliminating the previous exception that allowed minors to marry with a court order removing the disabilities of minority. The bill amends the Texas Family Code to require county clerks to deny marriage licenses to minors and declare any marriage entered into by a minor void. This change applies to all marriage applications filed and marriages entered into on or after September 1, 2025. The bill directly affects minors under 18 and their families by ending the ability to marry with court approval under prior law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Texas health agencies to produce a biennial report (every even-numbered year by December 1) on how mental health beds are allocated across the state's regions. The report must evaluate the current allocation method, show how it has worked in practice, analyze factors affecting bed usage (like local resources and funding), and include recommendations for improvement. It is submitted to the governor, legislature leadership, and relevant committees to inform future decisions about mental health resources. The bill does not change current bed allocation rules but mandates regular assessment of the system's effectiveness.

Maddy summaryHB 3134 establishes a regulatory framework for "advanced air mobility" in Texas, primarily affecting electric aircraft and vertiports (landing/takeoff sites for air taxis). The bill requires the Texas Department of Transportation to create an office for technical support, develop a statewide strategic plan, identify uniform planning standards for vertiports, estimate electric grid capacity needs, and provide guidebooks to local governments. It specifically applies to aircraft over 300 pounds capable of carrying passengers or cargo, focusing on electric vertical takeoff aircraft and urban air mobility infrastructure. The law aims to enable future air taxi services by standardizing planning and infrastructure requirements across the state.

Maddy summaryHB 2785 requires Texas' Secretary of State website to display a mandatory confirmation message during online voter registration before the application is finalized. This message requires applicants to electronically confirm two key points: that completing the form does not equal voter registration, and that the completed application must still be submitted to a local voter registrar. The website must block further interaction until this confirmation is given, ensuring applicants understand the registration process isn't complete upon form submission. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and directly affects all Texas residents using the state's online voter registration system.

Maddy summaryHB 4329 requires the Texas Water Development Board to study factors affecting the costs of developing drainage infrastructure across Texas, with a report due by January 1, 2027. The study must identify cost drivers like location, materials, and project scale, then compare regional cost differences. The Board must submit a written report to the legislature based on this analysis. The bill expires September 1, 2027, and does not allocate funding or mandate specific infrastructure projects.

Maddy summaryHB 3717 establishes a Texas grant program to fund private entities conducting U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug development trials using ibogaine. The program targets organizations (for-profit, nonprofit, or public benefit corporations) that can design and execute FDA trials to seek approval of ibogaine as a medication for treating opioid use disorder, co-occurring substance use disorder, and other neurological or mental health conditions where ibogaine shows effectiveness. Applicants must submit detailed trial designs, team expertise, and FDA approval strategies. The grant covers costs for these trials, aiming to advance ibogaine's potential approval as a treatment option.

Maddy summaryHB 4402 clarifies rules for human operators in automated vehicles in Texas. It requires that non-commercial automated vehicles (like personal self-driving cars) may operate without a human present, while commercial vehicles (such as trucks or buses) must have a licensed human operator physically in the vehicle. Human operators must hold a valid driver's license appropriate for the vehicle type. The bill amends the Transportation Code to establish these requirements and takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2229 amends Texas law to allow statutory county courts to expunge arrest records and files under specific conditions. It directly affects individuals who were arrested but not convicted (e.g., acquitted or had charges dismissed before trial), enabling them to clear their records through these courts. The key change specifies that statutory county courts may only expunge records for offenses within their jurisdiction, such as misdemeanor cases. This streamlines the process by clarifying which courts can handle expungement requests, replacing prior restrictions that limited this authority. The bill passed in May 2025 and applies to cases meeting eligibility criteria under existing law.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (HR 1037) congratulating the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) chess team for sharing the 2025 President's Cup national championship title. It specifically recognizes their achievement as co-champions after a tournament in Dallas, noting their perfect performance at the Pan-American Intercollegiate Championship and their fourth national title overall. The resolution has no policy impact - it simply expresses the Texas House of Representatives' approval through a formal congratulatory statement. The bill was adopted quickly (filed to passed in 3 days) as a symbolic gesture.

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.