Rep. Jeff Leach

Maddy summaryThis resolution formally congratulates Officer Dominique Akins of the Allen Police Department for receiving the 2025 Texas Law Enforcement Achievement Award for Valor. It recognizes his actions during the May 6, 2023, Allen Premium Outlets active shooter incident, where he stopped the gunman within four minutes, preventing further casualties. As a ceremonial resolution, it does not create new laws or affect any policies or individuals. It serves solely as an official tribute from the Texas House of Representatives.

Maddy summaryHR 1515 is a procedural resolution that suspends specific House rules to allow a conference committee to finalize Senate Bill 2972. The bill modifies language in Texas Education Code §51.9315(d)(2), clarifying that restrictions on expressive activities at public universities must use content-neutral criteria (removing an unnecessary comma and a redundant "and"). This directly affects public institutions of higher education by ensuring campus speech rules apply equally to all viewpoints without targeting specific content. The resolution does not change the bill's substance but corrects technical wording to align with legislative intent.

Maddy summaryHCR 169 is a procedural resolution instructing the Senate enrolling clerk to correct a technical error in Senate Bill 1's text. Specifically, it directs the removal of incorrect wording in Section 18.83 and replaces it with a clarified reference to Senate Bill 293's provisions. This is a routine administrative correction to the bill's language, not a policy change. The resolution affects only the official bill text, with no new requirements or impacts on citizens or entities.

Maddy summaryHB 5138 shifts responsibility for prosecuting election-related crimes from local prosecutors to the Texas Attorney General's office. It requires law enforcement agencies to report election law violations to the Attorney General and mandates that local prosecutors cooperate with the AG’s office. The bill creates new provisions in the Government Code (Subchapter D) and amends the Election Code to give the Attorney General sole authority to prosecute such offenses, effective September 1, 2026. This directly affects local law enforcement, county prosecutors, and the Attorney General’s office by centralizing prosecution authority for election crimes.

Maddy summarySB 1177 requires fire safety inspections at Texas public and private schools (including charter schools) to include checking all automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for functionality. Inspectors must verify AED pads and batteries have not expired and that the device's status light indicates it is ready for use. After inspections, inspectors must provide a written report to school principals (public schools) or directors (private schools), detailing how and when the report was delivered. The law applies to all schools subject to state or local fire safety requirements and took effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds invasive visual recording (Section 21.15 of the Texas Penal Code) to the list of offenses requiring mandatory sex offender registration. It directly affects individuals convicted of recording someone without consent in private areas, such as bathrooms or changing rooms. The law expands existing registration requirements by including this specific crime under the definition of "reportable conviction" in the Code of Criminal Procedure. The bill was signed into law on May 29, 2025, and takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 5061, the Texas Integrity in State Contracting and Privacy Protection Act, prohibits state agency contractors and vendors from engaging in specific harmful activities. It bans surveillance targeting legislators, their families, state employees, or whistleblowers; intimidation or coercion to silence concerns; and misuse of private information to influence contracting decisions. Contractors violating these rules face administrative penalties enforced by the state auditor’s office. The law applies to all state agency contracts, including those managed by the comptroller or universities, and takes effect on September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 4 restricts Texas public school districts and campuses from obtaining exemptions or waivers for specific requirements, including graduation standards, school accountability measures under Chapters 39 and 39A, health and safety rules, and programs for special education and bilingual students. The bill explicitly prohibits waivers for federal mandates, essential knowledge/skills, class size limits (except as allowed by law), extracurricular activities, and other key areas listed in the legislation. It also changes the appeal process for challenges to the commissioner's decisions, requiring appeals to be filed in Travis County district court with specific procedural steps. This bill directly affects school districts, the Texas Education Agency, and individuals seeking to challenge educational decisions.

Maddy summarySB 618 prohibits public and election officials from altering election procedures without legal authorization. If officials fail to comply after being notified by the Secretary of State, they face escalating daily fines: $1,000 per day for days 3-7 and $5,000 per day after day 7. The bill requires officials to immediately cease non-compliant actions and provides a process for the Secretary of State to investigate violations and refer cases to the Attorney General. These fines, collected into the general revenue fund, directly affect election officials who change procedures without proper legal approval.

Maddy summaryHCR 59 is a ceremonial resolution designating April as "Promise Month" in Texas for a 10-year period ending in 2035. It does not create new laws, funding, or obligations - it is solely a symbolic recognition intended to honor religious and historical perspectives on promises. The resolution references biblical principles and the founding of the U.S. on "Biblical principles," but the designation itself has no legal or policy impact on residents or state operations. This is a procedural, commemorative resolution with no concrete policy changes.