Rep. Hillary Hickland

Maddy summaryHB 20 establishes a voluntary certification program for disaster relief organizations in Texas, allowing the state attorney general to maintain a public registry of certified groups to help donors identify legitimate charities during disasters. The program requires the attorney general to set eligibility rules, application procedures, and processes for renewal or revocation, though organizations may choose not to participate. Additionally, the bill mandates that the attorney general create and share public educational materials on recognizing and avoiding fraudulent charitable solicitations during disaster situations. This directly affects disaster relief organizations (through optional certification) and the public (via the registry and educational resources).

Maddy summaryHB 18 expands the Texas comptroller’s authority to fund emergency communication systems by adding specific provisions to the state’s funding rules. It authorizes state funds to support early warning systems for natural disasters and interoperable emergency radio systems, including their equipment, operations, and administration. This change directly affects local governments and emergency services providers who deploy these systems. The bill modifies existing funding mechanisms under the Government Code to ensure resources are available for these critical communication tools.

Maddy summaryHB 279 modifies how certain Texas taxing units calculate property tax rates. It applies specifically to junior college districts, hospital districts, and other non-school taxing units with proposed maintenance/operations tax rates of 2.5 cents or less per $100 of property value. The bill temporarily treats "foregone revenue" (revenue lost due to property value changes) as zero for these units until the 2026 tax year, simplifying their rate calculations. This change expires December 31, 2028, and affects how these units determine their voter-approval tax rates under state law.

Maddy summaryHB 4 establishes new congressional district boundaries for Texas voters to be used in the 2026 U.S. House elections. It adopts the PLANC2308 redistricting plan based on 2020 Census data (TIGER/Line Shapefiles) to define district lines. The bill replaces all prior Texas congressional district maps, including those from 2021, and applies to elections starting with the 120th Congress (2026). This is a procedural redistricting bill directly affecting Texas residents' voting districts for federal elections beginning in 2026.

Maddy summaryThe bill HB 257, titled "Relating to a vacancy in the office of senator or representative due to excessive absence," was filed on August 4, 2025. However, the full text of the bill is not available in the provided context, and no specific provisions or mechanisms are described. Without access to the bill's details, a summary of its concrete policy changes or who it directly affects cannot be generated. The context only confirms the bill's title and filing date, not its substantive content.

Maddy summaryHB 247 prohibits lobbyists from representing both a tax-imposing political subdivision (like a city or county) and any private entity or individual under the same contract. This new rule, added to Government Code Section 305.0301, directly affects registered lobbyists who might otherwise serve conflicting interests. The law applies only to contracts entered into after the bill's effective date (91 days post-session), not existing agreements. It targets potential conflicts where a lobbyist could influence policies affecting private businesses while representing local government tax policies.

Maddy summaryHB 248 requires all commercial campgrounds in Texas to obtain emergency safety certification by developing and submitting an approved emergency preparedness plan to the Texas Division of Emergency Management. The plan must mandate that each cabin include communication devices (like satellite equipment or radios) for emergencies without relying on cell towers or landlines, and post clear evacuation procedures at cabin entrances. Campground operators who fail to comply face a $1,000 civil penalty per violation, with each day of non-compliance counted as a separate offense. The Texas Division of Emergency Management will establish the certification program and set specific rules for plan approval by March 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 191 requires owners or operators of commercial campgrounds near flood-prone water bodies to provide written flood risk notices to campers (or parents/guardians for minors) before access and obtain signed acknowledgments. This applies specifically to campgrounds designed for transient guest use, such as those with cabins, RV sites, or tent areas. Failure to comply results in a $1,000 civil penalty per violation, with each additional day of noncompliance counting as a new violation. The bill establishes these requirements through new provisions in Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 762, effective 91 days after the legislative session ends.

Maddy summaryHB 173 prohibits political subdivisions (like cities, counties, or school districts) from using public funds to hire lobbyists or pay nonprofit associations that primarily represent such entities and hire lobbyists. It specifically bans spending public money to: (1) contract with registered lobbyists, or (2) support organizations that hire registered lobbyists for legislative advocacy. Exceptions include activities by sheriffs' associations, employees providing basic information to legislators, or nonprofits offering bill tracking or non-lobbying legislative services. The bill allows taxpayers to seek court injunctions and recover legal fees if a subdivision violates these restrictions.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (not a policy bill) introduced by Representative Hickland to honor Eva Charlotte Hahn of Temple. The resolution commemorates her life, highlighting her journey as a Czechoslovakian refugee who escaped Nazi and communist regimes, contributed to developing the Salk polio vaccine in Australia, and later became a dedicated Temple community member, volunteer, and business owner. It pays tribute to her 59-year marriage, her service on Temple's Desegregation Committee, and her legacy as a mother, grandmother, and civic leader. The resolution has no policy impact - it simply expresses the Texas House's collective remembrance of her life and extends sympathy to her family.