Rep. Richard Hayes

Maddy summaryHJR 190 proposes a constitutional amendment to limit Texas House members to 12 consecutive years in office and Texas Senate members to 14 consecutive years. The amendment would apply only to future service in the same chamber and not affect current legislators. If approved by voters in the November 2025 election, it would prevent any individual from serving beyond these consecutive term limits. The measure does not alter current terms or apply to service across different offices.

Maddy summaryHB 3455 requires manufacturers of experimental drugs or devices (including those approved for emergency use by the FDA) to provide clear, summary disclosures about potential health risks to purchasers. Purchasers must then give this disclosure directly to end consumers in person, and providers may only sell the product if someone capable of giving informed consent signs the form. Consumers who don’t receive proper disclosure can sue manufacturers for damages, including pain and suffering, punitive damages, and legal fees. The law applies only to cases occurring on or after September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to clarify that Texas's Attorney General has the same authority as county or district attorneys to prosecute criminal violations of election laws. It would amend Article IV, Section 22 of the Texas Constitution to explicitly state the Attorney General shares "concurrent jurisdiction" with local prosecutors for election-related crimes. The amendment directly affects election law violators and defines the legal roles of state and local prosecutors. If approved by voters in November 2025, it would formalize an existing practice without changing election laws themselves.

Maddy summaryHB 17 would prohibit citizens of designated countries (China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or others named by the governor) from purchasing real property in Texas. It creates criminal penalties for violations, making such purchases illegal under state law. Exceptions apply to U.S. citizens, lawful residents, and businesses owned by them. The law would override existing property rights for these foreign buyers, directly affecting individuals and entities from designated countries seeking to buy land in Texas.

Maddy summaryHB 4333, the Equality in Financial Services Act, prohibits large financial institutions from denying or restricting financial services based on a "social credit score" that evaluates protected activities. It specifically bans using such scores to discriminate against consumers for exercising First Amendment-protected rights, including religious practices, political speech, or refusal to disclose lobbying/political activities beyond legal requirements. The law applies to banks with over $100 billion in assets or payment processors handling over $100 billion in annual transactions. Key provisions define "financial services" broadly and require institutions to provide equal access without using these discriminatory scoring systems. The bill directly affects major financial institutions by restricting how they assess consumer risk based on protected conduct.

Maddy summaryThe bill text for HB 4239 is not available in the provided context (only a placeholder note states "This version is not currently available"). Without access to the actual bill language or specific provisions, a factual summary cannot be generated. The title indicates it relates to reducing state agency rules, but no concrete mechanisms, affected parties, or policy details are provided in the available information. For an accurate summary, the full bill text would be required.

Maddy summaryHB 4198 requires Texas school districts to update their library collection policies every five years to prohibit certain materials, including harmful content (per Penal Code), sexually explicit material rated by vendors, and content containing indecent or profane material. The bill mandates that policies must recognize parents as primary decision-makers for student library access, require transparency in cataloging, and prevent removal of materials based solely on ideas or author background. School districts that fail to comply face a civil penalty. This applies directly to all public school districts managing library collections, including classroom and online resources.

Maddy summaryHB 4195 prohibits Texas public schools and universities from entering contracts or accepting money from "foreign adversaries," defined as countries like China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Qatar, or others designated under U.S. law. It specifically bans arrangements involving research partnerships, student exchanges, faculty collaborations, or intellectual property sharing with these entities. Violations could result in fines up to 150% of the contract value, with collected penalties deposited into the state’s foundation school fund. The bill directly affects all public school districts and institutions of higher education in Texas.

Maddy summaryHB 4087 clarifies Texas's existing social media regulation law (H.B. 20) by defining "social media platform" to exclude internet service providers and email services. It specifies that the law applies to platforms acting as common carriers for public forums, not to email or internet infrastructure. The bill aims to ensure social media platforms comply with H.B. 20's requirement to avoid viewpoint-based censorship on public forums. It directly affects major social media platforms operating in Texas, requiring them to follow the existing law's provisions. The bill is currently in the State Affairs committee for review.

Maddy summaryHB 4020 requires property insurance claimants to provide insurers with detailed pre-litigation notices for property damage claims. The notice must include a specific description of property damage, the legal basis for coverage, insurer violations, and supporting documents like repair estimates. Claimants may also request additional time to quantify damages instead of stating an exact amount upfront (via Section 2(b-1)). If insurers fail to comply with these notice rules, they must pay the claimant simple interest (5% above the Finance Code rate) on the claim amount plus reasonable attorney fees. This bill directly affects policyholders filing property damage claims and insurers handling those claims.