Rep. Erin Zwiener

Maddy summaryThis resolution honors Helen and Rene Alcala posthumously for receiving Buda's 2025 Local Legends Award. It recognizes their community contributions through Helen's Casa Alde restaurant (founded 1980, first Mexican restaurant in Buda), which served as a gathering place for decades, and Rene's preservation of the business after his mother's death. The resolution, adopted by the Texas House on June 1, 2025, expresses legislative tribute to their legacy without creating new policies or affecting any laws.

Maddy summaryHR 1333 is a ceremonial resolution congratulating the city of San Marcos for earning "Bird City Texas" certification from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Audubon Texas. It recognizes San Marcos as one of only 11 Texas cities to meet the program's criteria, including maintaining bird-friendly native landscapes, removing invasive species, expanding green spaces, and hosting bird conservation events. The resolution formally commends the city and directs that an official copy be presented to San Marcos as a symbolic gesture of support. This is a non-binding, procedural resolution with no policy changes or funding impacts.

Maddy summaryThis is a symbolic resolution (not a law) passed by the Texas House to honor the 2025 Buda Lions Country Fair & BBQ Cook-Off. It commemorates the event, which will take place April 25-26, 2025, in Buda, Texas, and recognizes its role as a sanctioned state championship cook-off drawing Texas pitmasters. The resolution extends the House's "sincere best wishes" to the organizers and participants but does not create any new policies or affect regulations. It was adopted by the House on June 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (HR 1329) congratulating Dr. Van Davis on his induction into the Texas Digital Learning Association Hall of Fame. It recognizes his 25+ years of work in digital learning, including his roles as WCET executive director and his prior contributions to Texas distance education policy. The resolution has no policy provisions - it simply expresses the Texas House's recognition of his achievements through a formal congratulatory statement.

Maddy summarySB 3037 creates La Cima Municipal Management District No. 1 in San Marcos, Texas, to promote economic development and public welfare within its boundaries. The district will have authority to issue bonds for infrastructure, impose property assessments and fees, and use limited eminent domain to acquire land for public projects. It directly affects property owners in the designated district area by subjecting them to these financial obligations. The bill specifies the district will supplement, not replace, existing city services like public safety and transportation.

Maddy summaryHB 37 requires hospitals with maternal care designations to provide bereavement counseling options and perinatal bereavement devices (which delay tissue deterioration for up to 72 hours after pregnancy loss or infant death) to families following intrauterine fetal demise, neonatal death, or stillbirth. The Texas Department of State Health Services must establish a perinatal bereavement care initiative offering hospitals training for staff on compassionate communication and resources like devices with maintenance support. This law directly affects designated hospitals and families experiencing pregnancy or infant loss in Texas. The initiative aims to improve access to supportive care during this difficult time, with the law taking effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 21 amends Texas Local Government Code provisions affecting housing finance corporations that develop or manage low- and moderate-income housing. It defines qualifying residential developments as those where at least 90% of units are intended for households with adjusted gross income below state-defined moderate income levels. The bill also requires these corporations to follow open meetings and public records laws (Chapter 551 and 552, Government Code) and restricts their development to areas within the boundaries of their sponsoring local governments - unless approved by those governing bodies. These changes clarify operational rules and transparency requirements for housing finance corporations serving low- and moderate-income residents.

Maddy summarySB 1080 requires Texas licensing authorities to issue either a full occupational license or a provisional license (valid for six months) to otherwise qualified applicants who have been convicted of certain offenses, instead of automatically denying their applications. The provisional license begins on the date an applicant is released from prison if they were incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. This bill directly affects individuals with criminal convictions seeking occupational licenses (such as for nursing, contracting, or other licensed professions) who meet all other qualification requirements. It aims to reduce barriers to employment by providing a temporary licensing pathway for these applicants.

Maddy summarySB 455 requires that surplus lines insurance contracts (for risks wholly located in Texas) include arbitration agreements conducted in Texas under Texas law, unless both insurer and policyholder agree to change the venue after the insurer provides written notice and a premium credit for added costs. This applies to new or renewed contracts on or after January 1, 2026, affecting insurers and policyholders purchasing specialized insurance for high-risk properties in Texas. The bill ensures arbitration venues and legal interpretations remain tied to Texas, preventing out-of-state arbitration without financial compensation to policyholders. It becomes effective September 1, 2025, but the new rules apply to contracts delivered after 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Texas counties to contract with local municipalities or emergency services districts to administer and enforce county fire codes, rather than handling it directly. It directly affects counties, their municipalities, and emergency services districts by changing how fire code enforcement is managed. The key provision requires county fire marshals to delegate enforcement to contracted entities under written agreements, as specified in the bill's amendments to local government code. The changes take effect on September 1, 2025.