Rep. Ben Bumgarner

Maddy summaryHB 115 restricts Texas local governments (like cities and counties) from using public funds to hire lobbyists or pay organizations that hire lobbyists to influence state legislation. The bill specifically prohibits spending public money to contract with registered lobbyists or fund associations primarily representing local governments if those associations employ registered lobbyists, with exceptions for sheriffs' associations and certain staff activities. It allows local government employees to provide information to lawmakers, advocate for policies without registering as lobbyists, and cover direct travel expenses for such activities. Taxpayers or residents can sue to stop prohibited spending and recover legal fees if they win the case. The law aims to prevent public funds from being used to directly lobby the state legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 95 establishes minimum training and certification standards for Emergency Management Coordinators in Texas counties with populations over 500,000. It requires these coordinators, appointed by Emergency Management Directors, to meet qualifications set by the Texas Division of Emergency Management. The bill directly affects county emergency management staff in larger jurisdictions who handle disaster response coordination. Key provisions mandate that coordinators' qualifications be defined through division rules, ensuring standardized emergency management capacity across qualifying counties.

Maddy summaryThis resolution urges Governor Greg Abbott to return federal reconciliation funds to Texas taxpayers by implementing property tax relief. The Texas House of Representatives passed this non-binding resolution to formally request the Governor use the funds for property tax cuts, directing the chief clerk to forward a copy to the Governor's office. It does not require legal action or change existing tax policy, as resolutions like this serve only as a formal expression of legislative opinion.

Maddy summaryHB 162 prohibits political subdivisions (like cities or counties) from using eminent domain to acquire property outside their own boundaries. The bill adds a new provision (Section 2206.003) to the Government Code stating that political subdivisions "may not take through eminent domain public or private property located outside the political subdivision's boundaries." This directly affects local governments seeking to acquire land for projects beyond their jurisdictional limits. The law creates a clear restriction on eminent domain use, overriding prior allowances that permitted such acquisitions outside boundaries.

Maddy summaryHB 89 prevents local governments (like cities or counties) from asking voters to approve the same or very similar bond proposal for a specific project within two years after voters previously rejected it. The bill adds a rule to Texas law stating that if voters turned down a bond vote for a particular purpose in the past two years, the government cannot resubmit that identical or nearly identical proposal. This applies only to bond elections ordered on or after the bill's effective date. (Procedural bill; summary limited to 2 sentences.)

Maddy summaryHB 87 prohibits Texas school districts from authorizing new bonds if their existing debt payments (principal and interest) plus the proposed bond would exceed 18% of the district's annual budget. It specifically blocks elections for new bonds when either current debt payments alone surpass 18% of the budget or the combined total of existing and proposed debt would exceed that threshold. The bill applies only to bond elections ordered on or after its effective date (91 days after the legislative session ends), leaving pre-existing election plans governed by current law. This directly affects school districts seeking to issue new bonds for projects like facility construction or improvements.

Maddy summaryHB 302 prohibits Texas school districts from holding bond elections for new debt if existing or proposed bonds would exceed 18% of the district's annual budget. It directly affects school districts by restricting their ability to issue new bonds when debt payments reach this threshold. The law adds a specific 18% budget limit to bond issuance rules under Education Code Section 45.003, applying only to elections ordered after the bill's effective date. This change does not impact existing bond elections or debt already approved before the law takes effect.

Maddy summaryHB 1 requires justices of the peace in counties without a medical examiner to complete state-developed training on managing mass fatality events within one year of election. The training covers autopsy referrals, body identification, missing persons data collection, and multi-agency coordination during disasters. The bill also authorizes the Texas Division of Emergency Management to access criminal history records for emergency manager license applicants and disaster volunteers, with strict limits on disclosure. These provisions directly affect local justices of the peace and individuals seeking emergency management roles.

Maddy summaryHB 18 expands the Texas comptroller’s authority to fund emergency communication systems by adding specific provisions to the state’s funding rules. It authorizes state funds to support early warning systems for natural disasters and interoperable emergency radio systems, including their equipment, operations, and administration. This change directly affects local governments and emergency services providers who deploy these systems. The bill modifies existing funding mechanisms under the Government Code to ensure resources are available for these critical communication tools.

Maddy summaryHB 4 establishes new congressional district boundaries for Texas voters to be used in the 2026 U.S. House elections. It adopts the PLANC2308 redistricting plan based on 2020 Census data (TIGER/Line Shapefiles) to define district lines. The bill replaces all prior Texas congressional district maps, including those from 2021, and applies to elections starting with the 120th Congress (2026). This is a procedural redistricting bill directly affecting Texas residents' voting districts for federal elections beginning in 2026.