Rep. Mitch Little

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.)

Maddy summaryHB 3531 allows motor vehicle applicants in Texas to voluntarily disclose their military service status when registering or renewing vehicle registration. It directly affects military members who choose to share this information during the registration process. If disclosed, the Department of Motor Vehicles must include the military status in the vehicle's registration records and in any released records or reports related to that vehicle. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and does not create new requirements or benefits for military members.

Maddy summaryHB 2275 requires that surplus lines insurance contracts (specialized policies for high-risk or hard-to-place coverage) containing arbitration agreements must specify that any arbitration occurs in Texas and follows Texas law. It mandates that both the arbitration process and contract interpretation be governed by Texas statutes, applying only to contracts delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026. Existing contracts before that date remain subject to prior law. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and directly affects insurers writing surplus lines policies in Texas.

Maddy summaryHB 298 requires Texas driver's licenses and personal ID certificates to include a clear indication that the holder is a U.S. citizen. This applies to all licenses issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026. The bill specifies that licenses must also display the holder's full name, date of birth, a full-face photograph, a distinguishing number, and either a residence address or, for certain federal judges or officials, the courthouse address. It does not change existing requirements for non-citizens. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3477 allows individuals found in criminal contempt by a court to have all related records removed after 40 years. It directly affects people convicted of criminal contempt who have waited at least four decades since their conviction. The bill requires them to file a petition in the court that issued the contempt finding, and the Department of Public Safety can file on their behalf. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, applying to all contempt cases occurring before, on, or after that date.

Maddy summaryHB 3362 amends Texas law to require recording of grand jury testimony for accused or suspected persons and establish discovery procedures. The bill mandates that all witness testimony and examinations before a grand jury be recorded via stenographer or electronic device (excluding grand jury deliberations), with unintentional recording failures not invalidating proceedings. It also requires prosecutors to provide accused or suspected persons access to certain documents (like offense reports and witness statements) after notice, while excluding work product of prosecutors and investigators from disclosure. This affects criminal defendants, grand juries, prosecutors, and witnesses in Texas criminal cases.

Maddy summaryTexas House Bill 1544 requires the state treasurer to annually calculate Texas' border security spending from the previous biennium, prepare an invoice for reimbursement from the federal government, and submit it within 30 days of each biennium's start. The bill mandates that invoices must be due 6-8 months after submission, with payments deposited into the general revenue fund if paid on time. If unpaid, the attorney general can sue the federal agency for the amount certified by the treasurer. The bill includes a temporary $20 billion cap on recoverable costs for the 2021-2025 period and expires in 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 3061 increases penalties for certain criminal offenses committed while wearing masks or disguises specifically to hide the offender's identity. It applies to offenses under Texas law covering assault, robbery, public disorder (Title 5, Chapters 28-30, or Sections 42.01/42.02). If proven, the punishment escalates to the next higher offense category, with a minimum 180-day jail term for Class A misdemeanors. Exceptions allow the penalty increase to be avoided if the disguise was for events like Halloween, proven by a preponderance of evidence.

Maddy summaryHB 3741 requires foreign students and employees at Texas public universities to sign a sworn affidavit stating they are not agents of a "foreign adversary" (defined as a nation hostile to the U.S. or Texas). The affidavit must include the exact statement: "I affirm that I am not an agent of a foreign nation hostile to the United States of America or the State of Texas." This applies to all non-citizen, non-permanent-resident students and employees enrolled or hired at public institutions, regardless of when they were admitted or hired. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may create rules to implement the requirement, but the bill itself mandates the affidavit as a direct condition of enrollment or employment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Texas licensing authorities to issue provisional occupational licenses for six months to applicants with criminal convictions who are otherwise qualified for the license, unless they have specific serious convictions listed in the Occupations Code. The provisional license begins upon the applicant's release from incarceration if they were imprisoned. It applies to most occupational licensing fields (like healthcare or trades) but excludes applicants convicted of offenses under Section 53.021(a). The bill provides a pathway for certain applicants to obtain licenses without full revocation of eligibility.