Rep. Richard Hayes

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Texas Employees Retirement System to make a one-time supplemental payment in January 2026 to eligible retirees and beneficiaries. The payment equals the lesser of $2,000 or the retiree’s regular December 2025 annuity amount, added to their existing monthly benefit. It excludes certain disability retirees, elected officials’ families, and other specific categories listed in the bill. The payment is in addition to regular benefits and subject to standard tax withholdings.

Maddy summaryHB 817 clarifies how majority votes are determined in Texas elections for public office. It states that a candidate must receive more than half of the votes as originally cast, prohibiting the use of preferential voting systems (where voters rank candidates) to reassign votes and calculate a majority. This bill directly affects local and state elections requiring a majority vote to win, ensuring results are based solely on initial vote counts. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and amends the Election Code to prioritize original vote totals over ranked-choice reassignment methods.

Maddy summaryHB 5337 requires Texas voters to submit proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. Applicants must provide documents like a U.S. passport, birth certificate, or citizenship papers to county registrars. If proof isn't submitted, voters would only qualify for a limited federal ballot under Chapter 115. The bill creates criminal penalties for failing to provide required documentation and amends election code sections to implement these requirements. This directly affects all new voter registrants in Texas seeking full voting rights.

Maddy summarySB 844 establishes new procedures for Texas municipalities making zoning changes that do not qualify as major overhauls (e.g., not city-wide code updates or new zoning maps). It requires written protests signed by owners of at least 20% of the affected land or 60% of adjacent land within 200 feet to trigger stricter approval rules. If protested, such zoning changes must receive approval from at least three-fourths of the city council. This applies only to smaller, targeted adjustments - not comprehensive zoning changes - as defined in the bill.

Maddy summaryHB 3426 requires the Texas Department of Public Safety to issue digital versions of driver's licenses, commercial driver's licenses, and personal identification certificates. These digital licenses must be accessible via smartphone apps, include all standard license information, and meet security verification standards. The bill specifies that digital licenses will be treated as legally equivalent to physical licenses under Texas law for most purposes. It also authorizes the department to charge a fee for providing this service.

Maddy summaryHB 342 allows Texas counties with populations under 1.2 million (that don't use countywide polling) to combine election precincts under specific conditions. It permits combining precincts with fewer than 500 registered voters to reduce election costs, or for larger counties (250,000+ population) to combine precincts with 500-750 voters. Combined precincts must not exceed 10,000 voters and cannot dilute voting rights for protected groups under federal law. The bill affects county election administrators in smaller Texas counties managing precinct boundaries.

Maddy summaryHB 952 requires all mail-in early voting ballots to include a unique electronic code that election officials can scan to verify authenticity. It mandates that clerks and ballot boards use electronic devices to check these codes against issued ballots before counting, rejecting any ballot with a mismatched code. The bill explicitly prohibits creating records linking individual voters to these codes, ensuring voter anonymity. This change applies to all mail-in ballots processed under Texas election law, taking effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2363 amends Texas law to allow certain licensed peace officers (specifically those under Chapter 1701 of the Occupations Code) to make warrantless arrests outside their regular jurisdiction if they witness an offense. The bill specifically permits arrests for traffic violations under Texas Transportation Code (Subtitle C, Title 7) only when the violation occurs in counties where the officer’s employing city or district is located. This change applies to officers like municipal police or transit authority personnel working beyond their home jurisdiction. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and does not alter arrest authority for most other offenses.

Maddy summaryHB 3632 extends the deadline for returning mail-in ballots in Texas. It allows ballots mailed before election day with a carrier cancellation mark showing delivery by 7 p.m. on election day to be postmarked by 5 p.m. the following day (midnight), instead of requiring arrival before polls close. This change applies to all mail ballots delivered via common or contract carriers. The bill affects voters who mail ballots before election day and directly modifies deadlines in Sections 86.007, 87.022, 87.0221, and 87.023 of the Election Code. It takes effect September 1, 2025, for elections after that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Texas Election Code to require county election offices to create detailed operational plans for central counting stations. The plans must include specific procedures for reconciling votes with voter lists, scheduling logic and accuracy tests for voting machines, staffing details (including party affiliations of judges), ballot security protocols, and public livestream availability. Counties must post these plans online five days before elections and update them if revised, with contact information for key staff remaining confidential. The bill directly affects county election operations and ensures standardized transparency in election processing.