Rep. Helen Kerwin

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 3458 bans pet stores from selling dogs or cats, with limited exceptions for animal control agencies and nonprofit adoption organizations that meet specific criteria. These exceptions require organizations to not obtain animals for compensation, breed them, or have ties to breeders or brokers, and pet stores cannot charge fees or claim ownership for adoption showcases. Violations carry a civil penalty of up to $500 per day per animal sold. The law applies only to animals obtained by pet stores on or after the effective date.

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 summaryHB 3219 would allow Texas pharmacists to dispense ivermectin without a doctor's prescription by requiring the state health commissioner to issue a statewide order. The bill mandates standardized protocols for pharmacists, including providing patient instructions on proper use, and protects pharmacists from liability when acting in good faith. It also requires pharmacists to submit annual reports on dispensing volumes. This directly affects licensed pharmacists and patients seeking ivermectin, changing current requirements that typically require a prescription.

Maddy summaryHB 954 clarifies when counties can cancel subdivisions in areas outside city limits but within a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). It modifies a local government code section to specify that county authority over subdivisions applies only to property outside cities and outside ETJ areas not covered by specific agreements between cities and counties (under Sections 242.001(d)(2) or (d)(3)). This directly affects counties and municipalities in ETJ areas where such agreements exist. The bill does not create new policy but refines existing legal boundaries for subdivision approvals.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 437 requires Texas juvenile detention and correctional facilities to place children based on their biological sex as shown on their official birth certificate or other government records. The bill mandates that facilities use a birth certificate entered near birth without non-clerical modifications, or alternative government records if the birth certificate is unavailable. It directly affects juvenile justice departments and facilities operating under Texas Family Code Chapter 51, requiring them to comply with this placement standard or risk losing facility registration. The law also prohibits fees for obtaining birth certificates for this purpose and directs facilities to consider safety needs under existing federal standards.

Maddy summaryHB 2969 prohibits the Texas State Bar from adopting rules, policies, or penalties that restrict law license applicants or holders based on religious beliefs or burden constitutional rights. It specifically bans limitations on licensing due to sincerely held religious beliefs, or restrictions on free speech (including religious or political views), religious association, or assembly. Exceptions allow rules that serve a compelling government interest narrowly tailored to that purpose, or that address willful bias in court proceedings. The bill enables licensees to challenge violations through administrative hearings or lawsuits under Texas law, but not in cases involving sexual misconduct allegations or criminal prosecution.

Maddy summaryHB 778 requires most health insurance plans in Texas to cover medical expenses related to complications ("adverse effects") from gender transition treatments and procedures to reverse those treatments. It applies to individual, group, and employer-sponsored health plans, including HMOs, nonprofit health plans, and certain government-sponsored coverage. The law specifically mandates coverage for medical/surgical expenses tied to complications or reversals of gender transition procedures, not for standard transition care itself. This affects insurers offering plans under Texas Insurance Code chapters 842-846, 884-885, 941-942, and 1501-1682.

Maddy summaryHB 1674 would ban the production, sale, and use of certain agricultural products containing PFAS chemicals (like pesticides or crop protectants). It directly affects agricultural businesses, manufacturers, and sellers of these products. The bill creates criminal penalties for violations, treating unauthorized PFAS use as a punishable offense. The bill is currently pending in the Environmental Regulation committee after committee hearings. (Note: Full bill text is not yet available; this summary is based on the title and pending status.)