Rep. Mitch Little

Maddy summaryHB 1772 increases penalties for drivers who disregard warning signals at railroad grade crossings. Specifically, it raises fines from $50-$200 to $100-$400 for operators who ignore a flagger’s warning at a crossing. The bill directly affects drivers who violate railroad crossing safety rules, particularly those ignoring flagger instructions. The change applies to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3134 establishes a regulatory framework for "advanced air mobility" in Texas, primarily affecting electric aircraft and vertiports (landing/takeoff sites for air taxis). The bill requires the Texas Department of Transportation to create an office for technical support, develop a statewide strategic plan, identify uniform planning standards for vertiports, estimate electric grid capacity needs, and provide guidebooks to local governments. It specifically applies to aircraft over 300 pounds capable of carrying passengers or cargo, focusing on electric vertical takeoff aircraft and urban air mobility infrastructure. The law aims to enable future air taxi services by standardizing planning and infrastructure requirements across the state.

Maddy summarySB 487 protects the confidentiality of identifying information for victims of specific crimes, directly affecting individuals who experience stalking (under Penal Code §42.072), invasive visual recording (§21.15), or indecent assault (§22.012). The bill amends Texas law to require that courts and law enforcement safeguard victims' personal details, such as addresses or contact information, from public disclosure in legal proceedings. It explicitly defines "victim" in the criminal procedure code to include those subjected to these offenses or part of the same criminal episode. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor on May 13, 2025.

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 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 summaryThis bill limits late payment fees charged by municipal water utilities in Texas. It caps fees at $5 or 2% of the overdue amount before day 32, $5 or 5% between days 32-41, and $5 or 10% after day 41. Utilities cannot begin charging penalties before 21 days after billing a customer, and penalties end when the full amount is paid. The rules apply only to fees charged on or after the bill's effective date (September 1, 2025, unless passed by two-thirds vote).

Maddy summaryHB 3658 requires Texas-licensed insurance adjusters to complete at least one hour of continuing education each licensing period focused on building codes. This education must cover damage assessment, policy coverage interpretations involving building codes, and reconstruction standards for insured losses. The bill mandates that the Texas Department of Insurance develop or certify these courses to be offered through multiple formats (classroom, online, self-paced). The law applies directly to insurance adjusters renewing their licenses under Chapter 4101 of the Insurance Code and takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 256 authorizes the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to conduct rapid DNA tests using mouth swabs on individuals detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the Texas-Mexico border who are suspected of falsely claiming family relationships with others detained by CBP. The program requires DPS to destroy biological samples after testing and prohibits creating a DNA database from these tests. Results must be shared with CBP for federal immigration enforcement, and the agreement with CBP must include these destruction and database restrictions. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.

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 summarySB 1727 restricts probation options for certain juvenile offenders in Texas. It prohibits community supervision (probation) for teens aged 17+ who commit a felony while under the Texas Juvenile Justice Department's (TJJD) custody, in a TJJD halfway house, or in a secure juvenile facility. The bill also redefines "habitual felony conduct" to require prior felony adjudications and expands when prosecutors may refer serious juvenile cases (like murder, sexual assault, or aggravated robbery) to grand jury instead of juvenile court. These changes primarily affect teens facing felony charges during active juvenile detention or supervision. The law aims to limit probation for repeat or serious offenses committed while under state juvenile justice supervision.