Rep. Cole Hefner

Maddy summaryHB 3317 requires health benefit plans and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to include a unique identifier on enrollee ID cards, allowing pharmacists to verify if a plan is regulated by the Texas Department of Insurance. It prohibits denying or reducing claim payments after adjudication unless claims were submitted fraudulently, involved duplicate payments, or resulted from significant non-clerical errors by the pharmacy. The bill also restricts recouping payments to only the dispensing fee, not drug costs or other claim-related amounts. These provisions directly affect pharmacies, pharmacists, and health benefit plans/PBMs operating in Texas, excluding Medicaid, Medicare, and other specified programs.

Maddy summaryThis Texas bill (SB 1101) adds new criminal offenses related to smuggling people. It makes it illegal to transport individuals while hiding from police, help others enter the U.S. illegally by concealing them, or guide groups onto protected lands (like parks or cultural sites) without the owner's consent. The law specifically targets smuggling tactics involving evasion of law enforcement or unauthorized use of protected areas. It applies only to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Texas Capitol Preservation Commission to develop a plan by December 1, 2027, for displaying three specific historical documents in the Capitol Complex: Colonel Travis's 1836 Alamo letter, the Texas Declaration of Independence, and the Texas Constitution. The plan must be published online and shared with relevant legislative committees. The requirement expires September 1, 2031, and the bill takes effect September 1, 2025. It is a procedural measure focused on document display, not substantive policy change.

Maddy summaryHB 3717 establishes a Texas grant program to fund private entities conducting U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug development trials using ibogaine. The program targets organizations (for-profit, nonprofit, or public benefit corporations) that can design and execute FDA trials to seek approval of ibogaine as a medication for treating opioid use disorder, co-occurring substance use disorder, and other neurological or mental health conditions where ibogaine shows effectiveness. Applicants must submit detailed trial designs, team expertise, and FDA approval strategies. The grant covers costs for these trials, aiming to advance ibogaine's potential approval as a treatment option.

Maddy summaryHB 3219 would allow Texas pharmacists to dispense ivermectin without a doctor's prescription by requiring the state health commissioner to issue a statewide order. The bill mandates standardized protocols for pharmacists, including providing patient instructions on proper use, and protects pharmacists from liability when acting in good faith. It also requires pharmacists to submit annual reports on dispensing volumes. This directly affects licensed pharmacists and patients seeking ivermectin, changing current requirements that typically require a prescription.

Maddy summaryHB 4688 modifies Texas law for civil liability cases involving commercial motor vehicle accidents. It restricts when evidence of regulatory violations (like safety rules) can be used in court, requiring such evidence to directly link the violation to the injury and show the rule specifically applied to the situation. The bill also limits claims against employers for driver negligence unless the employer first admits the driver was acting within their job duties at the time of the accident. These changes apply only to cases filed or tried after the bill becomes law.

Maddy summaryHJR 138 proposes amending the Texas Constitution to prohibit the state legislature from imposing taxes based on the carbon content of fuels or emissions of carbon dioxide from goods and services. If approved by voters, it would prevent Texas from enacting any carbon tax policy. The bill failed to pass the Texas Legislature on May 12, 2025, so it did not advance to a voter referendum. This would have directly affected all Texans by blocking a potential state-level carbon tax mechanism.

Maddy summaryHB 2109 requires Texas' state water agency to automatically remove proposed reservoir projects from the State Water Plan if construction hasn't begun within 50 years of their inclusion in the plan. This directly affects reservoir projects listed in the plan for 50 or more years, such as those proposed decades ago without progress. Once removed, these projects cannot be reinstated in future versions of the water plan. The law applies retroactively to projects included in the plan for 50+ years and takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2969 prohibits the Texas State Bar from adopting rules, policies, or penalties that restrict law license applicants or holders based on religious beliefs or burden constitutional rights. It specifically bans limitations on licensing due to sincerely held religious beliefs, or restrictions on free speech (including religious or political views), religious association, or assembly. Exceptions allow rules that serve a compelling government interest narrowly tailored to that purpose, or that address willful bias in court proceedings. The bill enables licensees to challenge violations through administrative hearings or lawsuits under Texas law, but not in cases involving sexual misconduct allegations or criminal prosecution.

Maddy summaryHB 2275 requires that surplus lines insurance contracts (specialized policies for high-risk or hard-to-place coverage) containing arbitration agreements must specify that any arbitration occurs in Texas and follows Texas law. It mandates that both the arbitration process and contract interpretation be governed by Texas statutes, applying only to contracts delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026. Existing contracts before that date remain subject to prior law. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and directly affects insurers writing surplus lines policies in Texas.