Rep. Keresa Richardson

Maddy summaryHB 3015 requires that fees paid directly to primary care physicians (such as monthly retainers or membership fees) count toward the insurance deductibles for participants in two specific Texas state health benefit plans: the Employees Retirement System of Texas and the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. This means patients using direct primary care services can apply those fees toward their annual insurance deductible, reducing out-of-pocket costs for care. The law applies to health plans delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, and takes effect September 1, 2025. It does not affect general health insurance plans outside these two retirement systems.

Maddy summaryHB 168 prohibits marriage for anyone under 18 in Texas, eliminating the previous exception that allowed minors to marry with a court order removing the disabilities of minority. The bill amends the Texas Family Code to require county clerks to deny marriage licenses to minors and declare any marriage entered into by a minor void. This change applies to all marriage applications filed and marriages entered into on or after September 1, 2025. The bill directly affects minors under 18 and their families by ending the ability to marry with court approval under prior law.

Maddy summaryHB 2458 adds a new defense for people accused of aggravated assault in Texas. It allows a defendant to claim they threatened to use a deadly weapon if two conditions were met: the threat would have been justified under self-defense law (Chapter 9 of the Penal Code), and they reasonably believed the threat was immediately necessary to defend against another person’s unlawful force or deadly force. This defense only applies to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025. The bill modifies Texas law to clarify when threatening to use a weapon can be part of a valid self-defense claim in aggravated assault cases.

Maddy summaryHB 3637 allows Texas counties to create property tax exemptions for the portion of a home’s value tied to qualifying water conservation systems, such as rainwater harvesting or graywater systems. Homeowners who install these systems would see reduced property taxes, with the exemption applying to all taxing entities (like cities, school districts, and counties) that collect taxes on the property. The county commissioners court must adopt the exemption via order, and it would only take effect for tax years starting January 1, 2026, if voters approve a related constitutional amendment. This policy directly affects property owners installing eligible systems and the taxing units collecting taxes on those properties.

Maddy summaryHB 170 creates civil immunity for individuals who use or threaten to use force or deadly force that is justified under Texas Penal Code Chapter 9 (e.g., self-defense or defense of others). It protects such individuals from civil lawsuits seeking damages for personal injury or death resulting from their justified actions. The bill also requires courts to award defendants who win immunity claims reasonable attorney fees, court costs, and related expenses. It repeals Section 9.06 of the Penal Code and applies only to cases occurring on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 4487 prohibits using bots, multiple accounts, or IP addresses to automate or bypass sales systems for clothing purchases on websites or apps. It targets tactics like circumventing randomized customer selection or sales limits, directly affecting online retailers who must comply with these rules and consumers attempting automated purchases. Violators face a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation, enforced by the Texas Attorney General through lawsuits seeking injunctions or restitution. The law applies only to clothing sales occurring on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2813 requires prosecutors to notify crime victims about court dates when victims request it. Victims must specifically ask for notification, and prosecutors must provide it at least 60 days before scheduled proceedings, or within 5 days if scheduling changes occur, or within 24 hours for emergency court actions. This applies only to criminal cases scheduled on or after September 1, 2025. The bill ensures victims receive timely updates about their case's court schedule without automatic notification.

Maddy summaryHJR 98 is a Texas legislative resolution requesting Congress to call a constitutional convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. It seeks to propose amendments that would impose spending limits on the federal government, reduce federal power over states, and establish term limits for federal officials and members of Congress. Texas formally applies to Congress to initiate this process, with the resolution intended as a continuing application until at least 34 states (two-thirds) support the same purpose. This is a procedural request - Texas has no authority to create new laws, but aims to join other states in advancing this constitutional mechanism.

Maddy summaryHB 1655 prohibits public school employees in Texas from assisting students with social transitioning, defined as helping students change their name, pronouns, clothing, or hairstyles to express a gender identity different from their sex assigned at birth. School districts must adopt a policy banning such assistance, and parents or staff can report suspected violations to the district board, which must investigate and report confirmed violations to the state commissioner. If violations occur, the commissioner may withhold state funding for the affected school year and adjust future funding to recover any payments made during that year. The bill applies starting with the 2025-2026 school year.

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.