Rep. Terry Canales

Maddy summaryHB 3006 requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to install climate control systems in specific areas of its facilities - including housing, medical treatment areas, dining spaces, and inmate hygiene zones - to maintain temperatures between 65°F and 85°F. The law mandates a phased implementation over eight years (phases ending in 2028, 2030, and 2032), with each phase costing no more than $100 million, using competitive bidding for contractors. TDCJ must prioritize efficient use of state funds when selecting systems and contractors. This bill directly affects inmates, staff, and visitors at all TDCJ facilities requiring new or upgraded climate systems.

Maddy summaryHB 3514 allows property owners adjacent to Texas state highways to plant or replace vegetation in the road right-of-way, subject to specific rules. The bill requires owners to cover all costs, use locally adapted plants, and avoid interfering with utility infrastructure within 500 feet of their property. It explicitly states the program does not relinquish the state’s right to use the right-of-way for road construction or maintenance. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and directly affects property owners along state highway corridors.

Maddy summaryHB 3863 requires health insurance plans (including Medicaid managed care organizations) to pay healthcare providers faster for services. Specifically, it mandates payments within 10 days for nursing facility services, 30 days for long-term care, and 45 days for other claims. The bill also prohibits insurers from charging providers fees for electronic payments (like virtual credit cards), though standard bank fees are allowed. Additionally, it requires insurers to establish a system for tracking and resolving provider disputes over unpaid claims. This directly affects doctors, hospitals, and clinics that bill these insurance plans.

Maddy summaryHB 3849 creates a new program category within Texas' unified transportation program specifically for border security projects. It requires the Transportation Commission to establish this category for projects that either improve security for goods movement across international border crossings or reduce congestion near border crossings within 60 miles. The bill also mandates that the legislature must make a specific funding appropriation to implement this new category. This change affects transportation projects near Texas' international border crossings and alters how such projects are categorized and funded.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to create the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and establish a dedicated fund. It directs the transfer of $3 billion from the state's general revenue fund to this new special fund starting January 1, 2026. The fund will provide grants for research, prevention programs, and treatment development related to dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and related disorders. The institute will oversee funding for research institutions, medical facilities, and collaborative efforts across Texas, directly benefiting residents affected by these conditions through expanded research and prevention initiatives.

Maddy summaryHB 2667 creates new regulations for entities that connect seniors with housing providers (referred to as "referral agencies"). It defines referral agencies as organizations that provide referrals for a fee, excluding senior communities themselves and family members making referrals. The bill permits senior living communities to pay referral agencies through lump sums, per-referral fees based on care costs, or fixed fees via written contracts. It also exempts these referral agencies from certain licensing requirements under Texas law, as specified in amended sections of the Business & Commerce Code and Occupations Code.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 13) urges the U.S. Department of State and the International Boundary and Water Commission to ensure Mexico complies with the 1944 Treaty on shared water resources. It specifically addresses Mexico's failure to deliver the required 350,000 acre-feet of water annually (averaged over five years), with a current deficit of 984,814 acre-feet. The resolution highlights how this shortfall harms Texas water users, including municipal, agricultural, and industrial sectors in the Rio Grande Valley, impacting reservoir levels and causing economic losses like the closure of Texas' only sugar mill. As a non-binding resolution, it formally requests U.S. federal agencies to take action but does not change legal obligations.

Maddy summaryHB 4473 requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to study how counties manage road construction and maintenance across five statewide road systems. The study will inventory each county's adopted system, compare 25-year cost data for the 20 most populous counties in each system (adjusted for inflation), and rank the systems by cost-effectiveness for taxpayers. This affects all Texas counties that operate under one of the five county road administration systems described in the Transportation Code. TxDOT must submit a final report with findings and recommendations to state leaders by December 1, 2026, with the bill expiring January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 3449 amends Texas law to require reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred by appointed defense attorneys in noncapital criminal cases (excluding public defender office staff). It covers costs like investigations, expert fees, and travel/lodging for attorneys traveling over 50 miles to meet defendants confidentially, plus remote communication costs. Expenses approved by the court will follow capital case reimbursement rules (Articles 26.052(f)-(g)), while unapproved expenses use capital case rules under Article 26.052(h). The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, applying only to expenses incurred after that date.

Maddy summaryHB 4967 eliminates the renewal fee for car dealers' temporary license plates in Texas. The bill changes the Transportation Code to set a $0 renewal fee for these plates (previously a charge applied), while keeping the initial $10 fee for new temporary plates. This directly affects auto dealers who use temporary license plates for vehicles they sell. The change takes effect September 1, 2025.