Rep. Mitch Little

Maddy summarySB 1283 requires senior retirement communities in Texas (defined as residential communities with 20+ units offering shared amenities) to conduct background checks on all employees and disclose in resident contracts whether vendors must also perform such checks. The law mandates that communities maintain written safety policies addressing criminal activity risks to residents. These requirements apply to all eligible communities except healthcare facilities, boarding homes, and federally regulated housing. The bill became law on June 20, 2025, and takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3214 modifies Texas' master plumber license eligibility requirements by reducing the required journeyman plumber experience from four years to two years. It allows applicants to qualify with either two years of experience or one year of experience plus completion of a nationally recognized apprenticeship program approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. The bill applies only to new license applications submitted on or after September 1, 2025, leaving existing applications and current license holders unaffected. All other requirements - including passing exams and supervision duties - remain unchanged under the revised rules.

Maddy summarySB 835, known as Trey's Law, invalidates any nondisclosure or confidentiality agreement that prevents someone from disclosing an act of sexual abuse. The law directly affects survivors of sexual abuse who may have signed such agreements, making those specific clauses unenforceable. Key provisions state that agreements cannot prohibit disclosure of sexual abuse details (defined using existing Texas Penal Code and Family Code offenses), though other settlement terms like payment amounts remain valid. This change applies to all agreements entered into before, on, or after its effective date of September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 4226 exempts nonprofit food banks and specific housing providers from Texas state sales, use, and rental taxes on motor vehicles they purchase, use, or rent. It directly affects food banks (as defined in Section 162.001) and housing providers serving homeless individuals with disabilities who meet strict criteria (continuously homeless for 1+ year or four homelessness episodes in 3 years). The bill adds new Tax Code sections requiring vehicles to be used "primarily" for the organization's core services. This exemption applies only to vehicles acquired on or after its September 1, 2025 effective date. The law was signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryHCR 149 is a concurrent resolution directing the Texas governor to posthumously award the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to U.S. Navy SEAL Nathan Gage Ingram. The bill specifically recognizes Ingram, a Roanoke native and member of SEAL Team 3, for his heroic actions during a 2024 military operation in Somalia where he lost his life attempting to rescue a fellow SEAL. This resolution does not create new law or affect policy - it formally requests the governor to bestow the state's highest military honor on Ingram in recognition of his "valiant military service" and sacrifice. The resolution was signed by the governor on June 20, 2025, following passage by the Texas Legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 75 requires magistrates in Texas to provide written findings within 24 hours when they determine no probable cause exists for a criminal arrest. This applies specifically to cases involving offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025. The law aims to create a clear, documented record of the magistrate's decision in these initial proceedings. It directly affects magistrates handling pretrial detention hearings for criminal defendants.

Maddy summaryHB 12 requires the State Commission on Governmental Operations to review state agencies that regulate activities through licensing, such as professional or business licensing boards. The bill mandates that these agencies post online notices about the review process and public participation opportunities, and regulatory agencies must also notify licensees and seek their input. The commission must include findings, recommendations, and a 10-year performance analysis for regulatory agencies in its final report. This applies to state agencies in the executive branch with statewide licensing authority (excluding river authorities) and became effective September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2697 modifies Texas criminal procedure to require bail bond companies (sureties) to notify the state prosecutor *before* filing paperwork to surrender a defendant, but only when the defendant faces felony charges. Specifically, the bill adds a new requirement (Section 1(a-1)) that sureties must inform the state attorney handling the case of their intent to surrender the defendant, in addition to existing notification rules. This change directly affects bail bond companies and state prosecutors in felony cases, streamlining communication during bond surrender processes. The policy change takes effect September 1, 2025, with no impact on misdemeanor cases.

Maddy summaryHB 4623 creates new liability standards for Texas public schools and their employees regarding student sexual misconduct. It holds schools financially responsible if they act with gross negligence or intentional misconduct in hiring or supervising employees who commit sexual misconduct against students or fail to report suspected abuse. The law caps damages at $500,000 per victim in successful claims and requires the employee who committed the act to be named as a defendant. This directly affects public school districts, charter schools, and all professional school employees covered by the definition, including teachers, administrators, and even student interns. The law became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summaryHB 2761 amends Texas Penal Code sections to clarify that in trafficking cases involving children or disabled individuals, defendants cannot claim the victim "lacked mental capacity" or "did not complete prostitution" as a defense. It specifically targets prosecutions under Sections 20A.02(a)(7)-(8) (trafficking for prostitution) and 43.01 (prostitution), directly affecting prosecutors and defendants in these cases. The law removes two common defense arguments, ensuring traffickers cannot avoid accountability based on the victim’s mental state or whether prostitution was completed. This change applies only to offenses committed on or after its effective date (September 1, 2025). The bill does not create new crimes but strengthens prosecution pathways for vulnerable victims.