Rep. James Talarico

Maddy summaryHJR 204 proposes a constitutional amendment that would prohibit the Texas legislature from restricting an individual's access to abortion or related health care when the individual consults with a licensed physician. If passed, this amendment would directly affect Texans seeking abortion services by preventing future state laws from limiting access to these services. The bill adds a new section to the Texas Constitution stating the legislature may not restrict such care through general law. The amendment would be submitted to voters in the November 2025 election for approval.

Maddy summaryHB 5324 requires the Texas Department of Public Safety to offer driver's license appointment requests within three business days of being made, directly affecting Texans needing to visit driver's license offices. The bill amends the Transportation Code to mandate that the department prioritize public convenience by ensuring appointments are scheduled promptly. This policy change aims to reduce wait times for routine driver's license services. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 5328 requires the Texas Department of Public Safety, in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation, to install non-intrusive advanced x-ray inspection systems at specific Texas-Mexico border crossings. The bill mandates these systems to inspect commercial motor vehicles to improve safety, efficiency, and flow at border crossings, as determined by TxDOT. It also requires coordination with federal agencies installing similar technology. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 5316 establishes an Independent Citizen Redistricting Commission to redraw electoral districts for Texas's U.S. House seats, Texas Legislature, and State Board of Education. The bill requires the commission to be appointed by December 31 each census year and mandates an open public process for drawing district boundaries based on specific criteria. It directly affects all Texas voters by determining how congressional, state senate, house, and education board districts are structured. The commission must ensure transparency, public input, and compliance with redistricting standards, replacing the previous legislative process for these districts.

Maddy summaryHB 5384 would allow Texas classroom teachers to appeal to the state education commissioner if they believe a school district or charter school made an error that prevented them from earning a specific teacher designation or resulted in an incorrect designation. Currently, teachers cannot appeal designation decisions under local optional systems. The bill creates a specific appeal process limited to cases where the teacher claims an administrative error (not their performance) caused the outcome. This applies to teachers in districts or schools using optional teacher designation systems. The bill is pending in the Public Education Committee.

Maddy summaryHB 5423 requires the Texas Education Agency to publish an annual report by January 31 each year detailing public school campus closures from the previous calendar year. The report must break down closures by grade level (elementary, middle, junior high, or high school) and be submitted to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house, and all state legislators. This bill directly affects school districts and open-enrollment charter schools by mandating transparency around campus closures, without changing closure policies or procedures. The report's purpose is to provide lawmakers and the public with clear data on which school levels experienced closures annually. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis constitutional amendment proposal would establish an Independent Citizen Redistricting Commission to redraw Texas legislative, congressional, and State Board of Education districts following each U.S. census. The 14-member commission would include five majority party members, five minority party members, and four at-large members, with requirements for transparency, public input, and adherence to single-member district standards. It aims to replace the current legislative redistricting process by creating a body designed to operate independently of political influence. The bill would revise Article III of the Texas Constitution to implement these changes.

Maddy summaryHB 5296 proposes to update the salary calculation formula for public school employees in Texas by revising the Education Code's salary step factors. It establishes new salary multipliers based on years of experience (0-19 years), adjusting how pay increases are determined for teachers and other school staff. The bill directly affects all public school employees whose salaries are calculated using these step factors under current law. This change modifies the existing pay structure but does not add new funding or create new programs. The bill is currently in the referral stage and has not yet been voted on.

Maddy summaryHB 5367 sets a $999,999 limit on campaign contributions for candidates running for statewide offices (like governor or attorney general) or Texas legislature seats, as well as for committees specifically supporting or opposing those candidates. It directly affects donors and campaign committees by prohibiting contributions exceeding this amount per election cycle. The bill applies only to contributions made on or after its effective date (September 1, 2025, unless passed with a two-thirds vote), with prior contributions governed by older rules. This is a direct policy change to campaign finance limits, not a procedural measure.

Maddy summaryHB 5315 repeals two specific legal restrictions affecting labor unions in Texas: Subchapter B of Chapter 101 in the Labor Code and Section 15.05(e) of the Business & Commerce Code. These provisions previously limited union activities, and their removal takes effect September 1, 2025. The bill directly affects labor unions by eliminating these existing barriers to their operations. It does not create new rights but removes defined restrictions from state law.