Rep. Keith Bell

Maddy summaryHB 2031 prevents landlords from banning tenants from lawfully possessing firearms in specific areas of rental properties. It allows tenants to keep firearms in their rental units, vehicles parked in landlord-provided lots, and areas needed to access their unit or premises. Landlords who violate this law face civil penalties: $1,000-$1,500 for a first offense and $10,000-$10,500 for repeat violations. Tenants must first give landlords written notice of the violation and allow 3 business days to fix it before reporting to the attorney general. The collected penalties fund crime victim compensation.

Maddy summaryHB 1128 amends Texas Penal Code Section 46.03 to create an exception allowing licensed election judges and certain early voting staff to carry concealed handguns while performing their duties at polling places. This directly affects election judges (as defined in Election Code Chapter 32) and early voting clerks/deputies serving as election judges at early voting locations. The bill modifies the existing prohibition on concealed carry at polling places to exclude these specific election personnel who hold valid handgun licenses. The change applies only to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill limits late payment fees charged by municipal water utilities in Texas. It caps fees at $5 or 2% of the overdue amount before day 32, $5 or 5% between days 32-41, and $5 or 10% after day 41. Utilities cannot begin charging penalties before 21 days after billing a customer, and penalties end when the full amount is paid. The rules apply only to fees charged on or after the bill's effective date (September 1, 2025, unless passed by two-thirds vote).

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 4688 modifies Texas law for civil liability cases involving commercial motor vehicle accidents. It restricts when evidence of regulatory violations (like safety rules) can be used in court, requiring such evidence to directly link the violation to the injury and show the rule specifically applied to the situation. The bill also limits claims against employers for driver negligence unless the employer first admits the driver was acting within their job duties at the time of the accident. These changes apply only to cases filed or tried after the bill becomes law.

Maddy summaryHJR 138 proposes amending the Texas Constitution to prohibit the state legislature from imposing taxes based on the carbon content of fuels or emissions of carbon dioxide from goods and services. If approved by voters, it would prevent Texas from enacting any carbon tax policy. The bill failed to pass the Texas Legislature on May 12, 2025, so it did not advance to a voter referendum. This would have directly affected all Texans by blocking a potential state-level carbon tax mechanism.

Maddy summaryHB 778 requires most health insurance plans in Texas to cover medical expenses related to complications ("adverse effects") from gender transition treatments and procedures to reverse those treatments. It applies to individual, group, and employer-sponsored health plans, including HMOs, nonprofit health plans, and certain government-sponsored coverage. The law specifically mandates coverage for medical/surgical expenses tied to complications or reversals of gender transition procedures, not for standard transition care itself. This affects insurers offering plans under Texas Insurance Code chapters 842-846, 884-885, 941-942, and 1501-1682.

Maddy summaryHB 2275 requires that surplus lines insurance contracts (specialized policies for high-risk or hard-to-place coverage) containing arbitration agreements must specify that any arbitration occurs in Texas and follows Texas law. It mandates that both the arbitration process and contract interpretation be governed by Texas statutes, applying only to contracts delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026. Existing contracts before that date remain subject to prior law. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and directly affects insurers writing surplus lines policies in Texas.

Maddy summaryHB 298 requires Texas driver's licenses and personal ID certificates to include a clear indication that the holder is a U.S. citizen. This applies to all licenses issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026. The bill specifies that licenses must also display the holder's full name, date of birth, a full-face photograph, a distinguishing number, and either a residence address or, for certain federal judges or officials, the courthouse address. It does not change existing requirements for non-citizens. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 41 prohibits Texas state and local government entities from acquiring or using unmanned aircraft (drones) or related equipment/services produced by companies owned by or tied to the governments of China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or Syria. The law defines "governmental entity" broadly to include state agencies, cities, counties, and school districts, with a grace period allowing existing systems (acquired before September 1, 2025) to remain in use until September 1, 2030. It also establishes a grant program to help law enforcement agencies obtain secure drone technology through the "Law Enforcement Secure Unmanned Aircraft Grant Program." The bill directly affects all Texas public entities purchasing or operating drone systems, aiming to restrict foreign technology access based on national security concerns.