Rep. Jeff Leach

Maddy summaryHB 1610 adds new chapters (5A, 9A, 49A, 50A) to Texas' Code of Criminal Procedure focused on family violence cases. It establishes specific duties for peace officers (like prioritizing victim protection regardless of relationship), prohibits delays in criminal prosecutions based on civil proceedings, and bans referrals to mediation in criminal cases. The bill affects law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and courts handling family violence allegations by clarifying procedural requirements. It reorganizes existing law without changing substantive penalties or creating new offenses, primarily streamlining how family violence cases are investigated and prosecuted.

Maddy summaryHB 1620 is a procedural bill focused on administrative maintenance of Texas law, not policy changes. It updates the state's legal codes by codifying laws omitted from existing codes, correcting minor errors, and aligning references across statutes without altering substantive rules. For example, it revises the Agriculture Code to reflect prior legislative updates (like H.B. 2308) while preserving the original law's meaning. This bill affects how legal references are organized but does not change any rights, obligations, or regulations for citizens or businesses. It became law automatically on September 1, 2025, after passing both chambers and being filed without the governor's signature.

Maddy summaryHB 37 requires hospitals with maternal care designations to provide bereavement counseling options and perinatal bereavement devices (which delay tissue deterioration for up to 72 hours after pregnancy loss or infant death) to families following intrauterine fetal demise, neonatal death, or stillbirth. The Texas Department of State Health Services must establish a perinatal bereavement care initiative offering hospitals training for staff on compassionate communication and resources like devices with maintenance support. This law directly affects designated hospitals and families experiencing pregnancy or infant loss in Texas. The initiative aims to improve access to supportive care during this difficult time, with the law taking effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 21 amends Texas Local Government Code provisions affecting housing finance corporations that develop or manage low- and moderate-income housing. It defines qualifying residential developments as those where at least 90% of units are intended for households with adjusted gross income below state-defined moderate income levels. The bill also requires these corporations to follow open meetings and public records laws (Chapter 551 and 552, Government Code) and restricts their development to areas within the boundaries of their sponsoring local governments - unless approved by those governing bodies. These changes clarify operational rules and transparency requirements for housing finance corporations serving low- and moderate-income residents.

Maddy summaryHB 1615 creates a new legal framework for the Willacy County Navigation District by adding Chapter 5008 to Texas' Special District Local Laws Code. The bill establishes definitions, board structure (five commissioners with staggered four-year terms), election rules (four single-member districts plus one at-large seat), and administrative procedures for the district. It does not change the district's operational policies or funding but organizes its legal structure by updating references to existing 1953 laws. This technical revision directly affects Willacy County Navigation District operations and governance. The bill passed both chambers in 2025 and was filed without the governor's signature, becoming effective upon filing.

Maddy summaryHB 748, known as Trey's Law, prohibits the enforcement of confidentiality clauses in agreements that prevent disclosure of sexual abuse. The bill makes any provision in settlement, employment, or other agreements that blocks someone from sharing details about sexual abuse (including the act itself, identity of victims/perpetrators, or related facts) void and unenforceable. However, it does not restrict confidentiality around other settlement terms, such as payment amounts. For agreements signed before the law's effective date (September 1, 2025), parties must first obtain a court declaration confirming the clause's enforceability to avoid being voided.

Maddy summarySB 1080 requires Texas licensing authorities to issue either a full occupational license or a provisional license (valid for six months) to otherwise qualified applicants who have been convicted of certain offenses, instead of automatically denying their applications. The provisional license begins on the date an applicant is released from prison if they were incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. This bill directly affects individuals with criminal convictions seeking occupational licenses (such as for nursing, contracting, or other licensed professions) who meet all other qualification requirements. It aims to reduce barriers to employment by providing a temporary licensing pathway for these applicants.

Maddy summarySB 552 amends Texas law to explicitly disqualify individuals classified as "illegal aliens" from receiving community supervision, including deferred adjudication. It defines "illegal alien" as someone who entered the U.S. without inspection or failed to maintain nonimmigrant status. The bill adds this as a new eligibility barrier in multiple sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure (e.g., Article 42A.053(c), 42A.056, 42A.102(b), and 42A.551). This change directly affects non-citizens convicted of crimes who meet the defined "illegal alien" criteria. The law applies only to offenses committed on or after the bill’s effective date.

Maddy summaryHB 1939 creates a 4% credit for Texas school districts that prepay attendance credit costs under the public school finance system. Specifically, districts that elect to pay for attendance credit using a specified payment method and pay the full amount by February 15 each school year receive this credit. The bill directly affects all Texas public school districts required to purchase attendance credit under Chapter 49 of the Education Code. The credit applies after other applicable reductions and takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2392 requires principals of Texas public or private K-12 schools (or their designated staff) to notify local law enforcement within 72 hours when they reasonably believe certain serious offenses occurred on school property, at school events, or during school activities. It specifically covers offenses like weapons possession, drug use, violent conduct (including deadly conduct and terroristic threats), and other criminal acts listed in Texas law that could lead to student expulsion or serious criminal charges. The law applies only to incidents occurring on or after September 1, 2025, and does not require notification if the principal believes an activity does not constitute a crime. This policy change aims to ensure law enforcement is promptly informed of specific safety threats on school grounds.