Rep. Andy Hopper

Maddy summaryHB 3231 increases criminal penalties for human trafficking in Texas by expanding the definition of the offense. The bill specifically prohibits trafficking children or disabled individuals for forced labor or services without requiring the trafficker to know the victim's age or disability status. It also broadens the offense to include trafficking that results in prohibited acts like prostitution or sexual abuse, and receiving benefits from such trafficking ventures. These changes directly affect traffickers who exploit vulnerable victims, raising penalties for these expanded scenarios under Texas law.

Maddy summaryHB 2879 protects condo owners, tenants, and their guests from penalties like fines or eviction for using justified force (including deadly force) on residential property, as defined under Texas Penal Code Chapter 9. The bill creates an "irrebuttable presumption" that force was justified if the person was acquitted, a grand jury declined to indict, or prosecutors declined to file charges for the same incident. It applies to condominiums (via Property Code Section 82.122) and leased residential properties (via Sections 92.027 and 94.258), preventing associations or landlords from taking adverse action based on legally justified force. The law overrides any conflicting terms in property declarations or leases, regardless of when they were adopted.

Maddy summarySJR 37 proposes a constitutional amendment to explicitly state that non-U.S. citizens cannot vote in Texas. It amends Article VI, Section 1(a) of the Texas Constitution by adding "persons who are not citizens of the United States" as a prohibited voting class. This would clarify existing voting eligibility rules by making citizenship a constitutional requirement, directly affecting non-citizen residents. The amendment must be approved by Texas voters in the November 4, 2025, election to take effect.

Maddy summaryHB 2333 removes time limits for prosecuting felony offenses related to elections in Texas, meaning these crimes can be prosecuted without a deadline. The bill amends Article 12.01 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to include election-related felonies under the list of offenses with no statute of limitations. This directly affects individuals accused of election-related crimes, such as fraud or tampering, by ensuring they can be prosecuted regardless of when the offense occurred. The change applies to any felony offense connected to an election conducted in Texas, as specified in the bill's title.

Maddy summaryHB 2702 prohibits governors from restricting the operations or hours of veteran-focused organizations during a declared state of disaster. Specifically, it amends Texas Government Code Section 418.012 to exclude organizations exempt under IRS 501(c)(19) (which benefit veterans) from operational restrictions in executive orders, except during natural disasters. The law applies only to disaster declarations made on or after its effective date (September 1, 2025, unless passed with a two-thirds vote). It directly affects veteran service organizations that rely on state disaster declarations for operational continuity. The bill does not change existing rules for natural disasters.

Maddy summaryHB 3154 creates the Wise Regional Water District to provide water and wastewater services in Wise County, Texas. It grants the district limited power to acquire private land for infrastructure (eminent domain), authority to issue bonds for funding, and the ability to charge fees to users. The bill directly affects participating governments (like cities and counties) that provide utility services within the district's boundaries, requiring them to contract with the district for infrastructure projects. The district must serve public water and wastewater needs across its defined service area, with specific rules for cost-sharing among participating entities.

Maddy summaryHB 370 amends Texas law to restrict eligibility for funding from the Events Trust Fund. It prohibits funding for events that allow biological males to compete in sports designated for female athletes. The bill defines "biological male" using official birth certificates or government records stating biological sex, requiring statements entered near birth or corrected for clerical errors. This applies only to events seeking trust fund support and does not affect biological males serving as coaches or support staff. The policy change directly affects sports events applying for state funding under the Events Trust Fund.

Maddy summaryHB 3515 regulates parental reunification therapy in custody cases by requiring court orders for such therapy to have both parents' consent. It prohibits courts from mandating therapy that restricts contact with other parents or family members, involves overnight stays together, transfers custody temporarily, uses unsafe transportation, or employs physical force or isolation. Therapy providers must use written contracts detailing their methods, signed by all participants after full disclosure. The bill directly affects courts, therapy providers, and parents in family law cases involving child-parent reunification. The bill is currently pending in committee after being reported favorably on May 8, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1998 lowers the spending threshold requiring competitive procurement for Texas school districts, cities, and counties. It reduces the current $100,000 minimum from which competitive bidding applies to $50,000 for most purchases of goods or services. The bill amends multiple statutes (Education Code §44.031, Local Government Code §§252.021, 252.0215, 262.003, 262.023) to implement this change. It maintains existing exceptions, such as for single-supplier items or construction services. The law directly affects all Texas political subdivisions when making procurement decisions above $50,000.

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.