Rep. Richard Hayes

Maddy summaryHB 2587 requires Texas hospitals to report costs of providing care to patients without legal immigration status. Hospitals must ask about immigration status during intake (without affecting care) and submit quarterly data on costs and financial impact to a state agency. The agency then compiles an annual report for lawmakers by November 1, detailing total costs and how these expenses affected hospitals. This applies to all Texas hospitals serving patients who were not lawfully present at the time of care, focusing on transparency about uncompensated care expenses.

Maddy summaryHB 4101 limits funeral service providers' liability for mental anguish damages. It applies only to claimants (like family members with legal rights to a body or remains) seeking emotional distress damages due to mishandled remains. Providers are not liable unless claimants prove three specific conditions: the remains were mishandled, reasonable practices would have prevented it, and the claimant suffered severe emotional distress from their close relationship with the deceased. This creates a clear legal standard for such claims, restricting liability to cases meeting all three criteria.

Maddy summaryHB 2031 prevents landlords from banning tenants from lawfully possessing firearms in specific areas of rental properties. It allows tenants to keep firearms in their rental units, vehicles parked in landlord-provided lots, and areas needed to access their unit or premises. Landlords who violate this law face civil penalties: $1,000-$1,500 for a first offense and $10,000-$10,500 for repeat violations. Tenants must first give landlords written notice of the violation and allow 3 business days to fix it before reporting to the attorney general. The collected penalties fund crime victim compensation.

Maddy summaryThis bill limits late payment fees charged by municipal water utilities in Texas. It caps fees at $5 or 2% of the overdue amount before day 32, $5 or 5% between days 32-41, and $5 or 10% after day 41. Utilities cannot begin charging penalties before 21 days after billing a customer, and penalties end when the full amount is paid. The rules apply only to fees charged on or after the bill's effective date (September 1, 2025, unless passed by two-thirds vote).

Maddy summaryThis bill increases retirement payments for Texas judicial retirees whose benefits are based on retirement or death dates before September 1, 2024. Starting September 1, 2025, the Judicial Retirement System will increase each monthly payment by 7.5%, with a second 7.5% increase applied on September 1, 2026. These adjustments apply only to payments beginning after the bill's effective date (September 1, 2025), affecting current retirees under Plan One or Plan Two of the Judicial Retirement System. The changes are automatic and require no action from beneficiaries.

Maddy summaryHB 3311 amends Texas Estates Code to prioritize child support claims over other debts when settling a decedent's estate. It reclassifies confirmed child support arrears (via court judgment or Title IV-D agency records) as "Class 3" claims, meaning they must be paid before secured debts like tax liens (now "Class 4"). This directly affects families relying on child support payments and estates settling debts after a person's death. The change applies only to estates of individuals who die 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 4870 creates a grant program administered by the Texas Office of Court Administration to provide legal assistance to relative and kinship caregivers. It directly affects low-income caregivers (at or below 400% of the federal poverty level) who are taking legal responsibility for children, such as relatives assuming care or non-parent adults seeking legal authorization. The program funds nonprofits to help with specific legal matters including consent for treatment, authorization agreements, temporary care arrangements, and custody proceedings under Texas Family Code. Grants require contracts ensuring public benefit and allow the Office to adopt rules for eligibility, application processes, and monitoring.

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.