Rep. Keith Bell

Maddy summaryHB 391 requires rural area water districts to hold at least one quarterly board meeting within the district or within 10 miles of its boundary, unless meeting in the same county is deemed practical. It defines "rural area districts" as those with over half their water connections active and located outside high-population counties (over 800,000 people as of 2010). The bill allows meetings via phone or video conference for regular sessions, but mandates in-person meetings specifically for tax rate discussions. This applies directly to rural water districts meeting the defined population and connection criteria.

Maddy summarySB 14, titled the Regulatory Reform and Efficiency Act, creates the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office within the governor's office to streamline how state agencies develop and review regulations. The office will help agencies identify unnecessary rules, reduce costs for businesses and individuals, and establish a public online portal for searching regulatory information. This bill directly affects state agencies that create regulations and the public who interact with those regulations. The new office will operate until 2037 unless extended under the Sunset Act, with its work focused on improving regulatory efficiency and transparency.

Maddy summaryHB 2684 requires health care providers to inform pregnant women diagnosed with a life-threatening condition in their preborn child about available perinatal palliative care options. The bill mandates the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to create and maintain online informational materials describing palliative care services and a geographically indexed list of providers (excluding abortion providers). It directly affects pregnant women facing such diagnoses and their health care providers. The law aims to ensure access to supportive care focused on reducing suffering for both the pregnant woman and her preborn child. The bill also establishes an administrative penalty for noncompliance, though specific penalty details are not provided in the truncated text.

Maddy summaryHB 2196 allows public school districts to offer virtual and hybrid courses under Chapter 30B of the Education Code and authorizes the commissioner of education to temporarily adjust how school attendance is calculated during emergencies (like natural disasters or pandemics). This adjustment helps ensure school districts maintain their state funding under the Foundation School Program when students learn remotely. The bill also permits the commissioner to charge a fee related to these modifications. It directly affects Texas public school districts, students, and educators by providing flexibility in attendance tracking during crises while preserving funding stability.

Maddy summaryHB 3289 clarifies when disputes about construction contract payments are valid, preventing unrelated contract disagreements from delaying payments. It defines that a "good faith dispute" does not include disagreements about contracts or agreements unrelated to the specific construction work being paid for. This applies only to new construction contracts entered into on or after September 1, 2025, affecting government agencies and contractors working on public construction projects. The bill aims to streamline payments by limiting payment delays to disputes directly tied to the construction work itself.

Maddy summaryThis Texas bill (HB 4901) requires app stores (like Apple App Store or Google Play) operating in Texas to verify users' ages and categorize them into four groups: child (<13), younger teen (13-15), older teen (16-17), and adult (18+). For minors (under 18), it mandates parental consent by linking accounts to a parent or guardian aged 18 or older. App stores must use reasonable methods to confirm age during account creation. The law directly affects app platforms and users under 18 in Texas, with no voting record available as the bill remains pending in committee.

Maddy summaryHB 5243 would prohibit SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) beneficiaries in Texas from using their benefits to purchase energy drinks, sweetened beverages, carbonated drinks, candy, potato/corn chips, and packaged cookies. The bill defines "energy drink" as containing at least 65mg caffeine per 8oz and "sweetened beverage" as any nonalcoholic drink with added sweetener. Exceptions include milk products, milk substitutes (like soy milk), unsweetened juices, infant formula, and certain fortified products containing protein or vitamins. This policy change directly affects SNAP recipients who would no longer use benefits for the listed items, while allowing coverage for specified healthier alternatives.

Maddy summaryHB 5278 regulates businesses that handle bodies or body parts for education and research. It requires licensing for "human body acquisition services" and "non-transplant anatomical donation organizations," which directly affect providers of these services. The bill creates new criminal penalties for violations and increases punishments for existing offenses, while expanding fee requirements for these regulated entities. These changes aim to standardize oversight and accountability in handling human remains used for educational or research purposes.

Maddy summaryThe context provided does not include the actual text or provisions of HB 259. The bill description states "This version is not currently available, but is coming soon. In the meantime, please see the PDF for the content of this bill," and no substantive details about the bill's provisions, affected parties, or mechanisms are included in the provided text. Without access to the bill's content, a factual summary cannot be generated. The available information only notes the bill's title, committee referral, and recent procedural actions.

Maddy summaryHB 4660 establishes that space flight activities in Texas fall under both federal and state jurisdiction, prohibiting counties, municipalities, or other local entities from banning or regulating these activities (except as specified in Section 61.132 of the Natural Resources Code). The bill specifically applies to counties bordering the Gulf of Mexico with FAA-approved spaceports and smaller municipalities (under 150,000 population) that have beach access plans. It requires advance notice to local governments for launch dates between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (to the municipality) or 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. (to the commissioners court), and allows temporary beach closures near launch sites for public safety during those dates. The bill does not create new regulations but clarifies local governments' limited authority over space flight activities near coastal areas.