Rep. Donna Howard

Maddy summaryHB 300 increases the maximum Texas Armed Services Scholarship to $30,000 per academic year (up from $15,000), capping at the average cost of attendance at Texas colleges. It expands appointment authority, allowing the governor and lieutenant governor to each appoint two students annually, and each state senator or representative to appoint one student, with deadlines set for September 30. The bill directly affects Texas students enrolled in ROTC or similar military commissioning programs at Texas colleges, requiring proof of program enrollment or acceptance into the Texas State Guard. These changes are effective immediately after the bill was signed by the governor on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution (SCR 5) directs the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) to name its middle school gymnasium the "Robert Rives Gymnasium" as a commemorative tribute. It honors Robert Rives, a TSD alumnus who served as the school's first football coach (1894-1898), taught for over 40 years, and was inducted into the TSD Alumni Hall of Fame in 1999. The resolution affects the TSD community by permanently recognizing Rives' legacy through the gymnasium's name. It is a non-binding ceremonial action with no policy or funding changes.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (SCR 49), not a substantive bill. It recognizes Austin Oaks Church for its 100th anniversary in 2025, acknowledging its founding in 1925 by Swedish immigrants as the Swedish Evangelical Free Church, its relocation to southwest Austin in 2002, and its current ministries under pastors Brandon Zieske and BJ Forguson. The resolution formally commends the church's century-long service to the community and directs that a copy be presented to the church. No new laws or policies are created, and it directly affects only the church congregation as a ceremonial honor.

Maddy summaryHB 102 requires Texas public universities to offer early registration for courses and programs to students in military-related programs who are in good standing. Specifically, it mandates this for students enrolled in ROTC programs, cadet corps (including at senior military colleges), or maritime academies. The law, effective for the 2026 spring semester, obligates institutions to provide this early registration opportunity on the same basis as other designated student groups. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will develop rules to implement this requirement.

Maddy summaryHB 2851 requires Texas' centralized health education application service (currently used for medical and dental schools) to include nursing school applications starting in fall 2027. It creates an advisory board of nursing program representatives to develop and implement this integration, with a final plan due by January 2026. The bill directly affects nursing schools and prospective nursing students in Texas by consolidating their application process into one online system. The advisory board and related provisions expire September 1, 2027, but the application consolidation applies to the 2027 fall admissions cycle.

Maddy summaryHB 1700 requires Texas health regulatory agencies to create standardized rules for recording patient consent related to telemedicine, teledentistry, and telehealth services. It specifically mandates consistent formats and retention for consent documentation covering treatment, data collection, and data sharing. The rules must address differences between service types (medical, dental, or general telehealth) and include requirements for audio-only consent documentation. This law affects health professionals providing remote care and the agencies that regulate them, taking effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3073 amends Texas law to clarify when sexual assault occurs without consent, directly affecting all individuals involved in sexual assault prosecutions across the state. The bill adds 12 specific scenarios where consent is legally absent, including when a victim is unconscious, mentally incapacitated, or intentionally drugged by the perpetrator (new point 6), and expands protections for vulnerable groups like patients of healthcare providers, facility residents, and clergy members' spiritual dependents. Key provisions define consent more precisely by listing circumstances where force, coercion, or exploitation negate consent, replacing ambiguous language in the existing Penal Code. This change standardizes how prosecutors must prove lack of consent in court, making it clearer for judges and juries. The law, effective September 1, 2025, is named the Summer Willis Act but focuses solely on legal definitions, not new penalties or programs.

Maddy summaryHB 5616 establishes the Texas Presidential Library Promotion Program to support three specific presidential libraries: the LBJ Library, George H.W. Bush Library, and George W. Bush Library. The program provides funding for exhibit renovations, promotes tourism through marketing, and develops a mobile exhibit featuring historical artifacts and educational materials about these presidents. Funding comes from gifts, grants, and legislative appropriations deposited into a dedicated account managed by the Texas Historical Commission. The law aims to enhance these libraries' roles as historical resources that attract visitors and contribute to Texas' cultural and economic landscape.

Maddy summaryHB 2856 requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to study whether a statewide system of regional online portals could coordinate clinical training placements for students in healthcare programs at Texas colleges and universities. The study must determine how many regions would be needed, the costs of creating the portals, and ongoing maintenance requirements. The board must submit its findings and recommendations to state leaders by December 1, 2026, with the study expiring September 1, 2027. This bill does not implement any new system - it only mandates an analysis to inform future decisions.

Maddy summaryHB 2492 modifies Texas law governing detention after bond for individuals arrested in family violence cases. It allows authorities to detain someone for up to 4 hours after bond is posted, with a potential 48-hour extension if a judge determines the violence would continue and the person has prior family violence arrests or used a deadly weapon in past offenses. The bill applies only to arrests occurring on or after September 1, 2025, leaving pre-existing cases under prior law. This creates a specific, time-bound process to prevent immediate release in high-risk family violence situations.