Rep. Brad Buckley

Maddy summarySB 413 requires independent school districts in Texas to document each board member's attendance, absence, and vote on every item during meetings. It mandates that school boards post meeting minutes and adopted resolutions on their websites within seven days of the meeting. The bill also requires all board meetings to be recorded and made publicly accessible per state transparency laws. These changes directly affect school board trustees and district administrators by increasing meeting transparency for parents and community members. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 568 amends Texas Education Code sections 8.051 and 29.001 to strengthen special education support in public schools. It requires regional education service centers to provide specific core services, including teacher training on state-mandated subjects and financial literacy, assistance for districts with special education compliance issues, and support for students needing specialized services. The bill also mandates the state education agency to develop a comprehensive system ensuring statewide compliance with federal and state special education laws, focusing on student outcomes and coordinated services. These changes directly affect Texas school districts, regional centers, and students with disabilities by standardizing support and accountability. The bill does not create new funding but reorganizes how existing Foundation School Program funds are administered for special education.

Maddy summaryHB 3254 adds members of the Texas State Board of Education and their dependents to the state employees' group benefits program. It requires Board members to apply directly and pay all premium costs themselves, with no state contribution toward coverage. This change applies to current and future Board members starting September 1, 2025, and does not alter benefits for other state employees. The bill creates a specific eligibility pathway for Board members who previously lacked access to this program.

Maddy summaryHB 20 establishes Texas' Applied Sciences Pathway program, allowing high school students to earn both diplomas and industry certificates through school-college partnerships. It requires courses in 20 specific high-wage, high-growth fields like plumbing, welding, IT, and oil/gas exploration, with a focus on successful job placement rates. Partnerships must offer non-duplicative, progressive coursework leading to both diplomas and certificates in these sectors. The program begins for the 2027-2028 school year, with industries reviewed every five years to match labor market needs.

Maddy summarySB 251 creates a new position for "criminal law magistrates" in Bell County, Texas, to handle specific pretrial matters in criminal cases. These magistrates, appointed by Bell County's Commissioners Court (with qualifications requiring prior experience as a justice of the peace/municipal judge or as a licensed attorney), will have concurrent jurisdiction with local justice courts for criminal cases. Key provisions allow magistrates to set bail, review release conditions, appoint legal counsel, and prioritize cases involving individuals held in county jail - before cases proceed to trial. The bill directly affects Bell County criminal courts and defendants awaiting trial in that jurisdiction.

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 summarySB 17 restricts certain foreign governments and entities from purchasing or acquiring title to specific types of real property in Texas if such ownership poses a risk to public health, safety, or welfare. It prohibits purchases of agricultural land, commercial, industrial, residential property, mines, minerals, or timber by organizations or governments from "designated countries" (identified by U.S. intelligence as national security risks). Exceptions include U.S. citizens/permanent residents, entities owned by them, homestead properties, and leaseholds under 100 years. The law creates a new Property Code Subchapter H (Sections 5.251-5.254) to implement these restrictions.

Maddy summaryHB 14 creates the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office within the Governor's office to support the state's nuclear energy industry. The bill defines "advanced nuclear projects" to include facilities using next-generation reactors (like small modular reactors), fuel cycle operations, and associated technologies. The office will provide strategic leadership, develop public outreach programs, and promote job creation in advanced manufacturing while advancing nuclear energy for reliable power generation. This law directly affects Texas nuclear developers, utilities, and communities involved in nuclear facility projects. The office is authorized until September 1, 2040.

Maddy summaryThis bill, SB 1818, allows military service members, veterans, and military spouses to receive a provisional license while their full occupational license application is processed in Texas. State agencies must issue these provisional licenses immediately upon application submission, valid for up to 180 days or until the final license decision is made. The law requires agencies to adopt implementing rules by December 1, 2025, and takes effect September 1, 2025. It directly affects military-connected individuals seeking to work in licensed professions across Texas.

Maddy summaryHB 100 prohibits Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools from using state funds to purchase or adopt instructional materials that contain obscene or harmful content or appear on the State Board of Education's rejected materials list. The bill requires the State Board to issue a 45-day notice before adding materials to the rejected list, allowing time for revisions. It also bans the use of any instructional materials - whether traditional or open education resources - listed as rejected, while permitting local funds for non-rejected materials. This law applies starting the 2025-2026 school year and became effective immediately after the governor signed it on June 20, 2025.