Rep. Richard Raymond

Maddy summarySB 21 establishes the Texas Strategic Bitcoin Reserve as a special fund outside the state treasury, managed by the comptroller of public accounts. The bill authorizes the state to invest in Bitcoin using defined custody methods, including "cold storage" (offline, physically secured storage) and requiring investments through "qualified custodians" (regulated financial institutions). This directly affects how the state manages certain funds, allowing the comptroller to allocate state resources into Bitcoin for financial resilience. The law became effective immediately upon the governor's signature on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryTexas Senate Bill 2127 modifies rules for temporarily assigning retired or former judges to active judicial positions. It allows retired or former justices and judges to be assigned to courts of appeals or district courts without a vacancy, provided they meet specific criteria: at least 72 months of prior service (including 48 months in appellate courts), no judicial misconduct history, annual continuing education, and certifications to avoid conflicts of interest (e.g., not representing clients or hearing cases involving former clients). The bill also updates definitions of "retired judge" and eligibility requirements for inclusion on judicial assignment lists. These changes apply only to assignments occurring after the bill’s effective date.

Maddy summarySB 23 increases the school district homestead tax exemption for elderly (65+) or disabled homeowners from $10,000 to $60,000 of their home's appraised value. This directly affects eligible homeowners who qualify for the exemption and school districts that may lose local tax revenue due to the change. The bill requires the state to provide additional aid to school districts to offset revenue losses from the higher exemption, starting with the 2025-2026 school year. The state aid calculation compares current revenue to what would have been collected under the previous exemption amount. The bill was signed into law on June 16, 2025, and is now effective.

Maddy summaryThis Texas bill (SB 4) increases the homestead exemption for school district property taxes from $100,000 to $140,000 per homeowner, directly affecting residential property owners. School districts will receive additional state aid to offset revenue losses from this exemption increase, calculated as the difference between current local revenue and what would have been available before the change. The compensation mechanism applies starting with the 2023-2024 school year for the initial exemption increase and will extend to future changes proposed for 2025. This ensures school districts maintain funding stability despite reduced local tax revenue from larger homestead exemptions.

Maddy summaryHB 9 creates a property tax exemption for businesses owning tangible personal property (like equipment or inventory) used to generate income. It exempts $125,000 of the appraised value of such property at each location within a taxing unit, regardless of the property's individual value. The exemption applies to all businesses holding income-producing property at a single address, and related businesses operating under a unified enterprise must aggregate their property to calculate the exemption. Additionally, businesses leasing such property receive the full $125,000 exemption for all leased items, even if located across different taxing units.

Maddy summarySB 2308 establishes a Texas grant program to fund clinical trials of ibogaine with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval as a treatment for opioid use disorder, co-occurring substance use disorders, and other neurological or mental health conditions where ibogaine demonstrates efficacy. The program provides state funding to public-private partnerships conducting FDA drug development trials, targeting organizations with capacity to lead these trials and seek FDA approval. Eligible applicants must be for-profit, nonprofit, or public benefit entities capable of conducting the required trials and future research. This policy change directly supports the FDA approval process for ibogaine treatment, without authorizing its immediate use.

Maddy summaryHJR 7 proposes a constitutional amendment to dedicate a portion of Texas' state sales and use tax revenue to the Texas Water Fund. It would require that this dedicated revenue be allocated exclusively to water infrastructure projects, with new rules allowing temporary suspension during declared disasters. The bill would amend the state constitution to establish this dedicated funding stream, replacing current flexible allocation methods for water fund money. This proposal was reported adversely by the Senate Finance Committee with a 14-0 vote against in May 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 150 establishes the Texas Cyber Command as a new state agency under the Government Code, effective September 1, 2025. The bill transfers specific cybersecurity responsibilities from the Department of Information Resources to this new command, focusing on protecting critical infrastructure such as energy systems, water facilities, health care, and transportation networks. The command will handle cybersecurity incidents - including ransomware attacks and system breaches - by providing services to covered entities like local governments and private operators of critical infrastructure. This creates a dedicated state-level entity for coordinating cybersecurity efforts across vital systems, replacing the previous structure managed by the Department of Information Resources.

Maddy summaryThis is a memorial resolution (HR 17) honoring Corey D. Comperatore, a Pennsylvania resident who died in the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The resolution expresses the Texas House of Representatives' condolences to his family and community, recognizing his service as a U.S. Army Reserve veteran, fire department chief, engineer, husband, and father. It has no policy provisions or direct impact on laws or affected groups - it solely serves as a formal tribute to his life and legacy. The resolution was adopted by the Texas House on June 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HR 1353) formally honors Phillip Saenz Cruz Jr. for his decades of volunteer service supporting State Representative Richard Peña Raymond's office. It recognizes his long-term assistance, including campaign work, office support, and community involvement since Raymond's first election. The resolution is purely commemorative - expressing the Texas House's appreciation with no policy changes or direct impact on constituents or legislation. It was adopted by the House on June 1, 2025, and will be presented to Mr. Cruz as a formal gesture of recognition.