Rep. James Frank

Maddy summaryHB 1955 creates a state grant program to fund early childhood mental health home visiting services for families with high needs, particularly those with trauma histories or low-income backgrounds. The program requires grant recipients to use evidence-based service models and form teams of licensed mental health professionals and care coordinators to improve child mental health, school readiness, reduce abuse/neglect, and support family well-being. Eligible applicants must demonstrate experience providing mental health services to high-risk families and commit to a family-centered care approach. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission will administer the program and may accept external funding to support these services.

Maddy summaryHB 3567 authorizes specific Texas counties (with over 125,000 population, bordering the Red River, and a county seat over 100,000) to impose a 2% hotel occupancy tax on room prices. Revenue from this tax must be used exclusively for tourism-related purposes, including funding sporting events, public spaces like amphitheaters, cultural grants, museum expansions, and up to 10% for administrative costs. The bill expires on September 1, 2030, and applies only to qualifying counties meeting all three population criteria. It does not create new taxes but allows existing counties to adopt this specific tax with defined revenue uses.

Maddy summaryHB 2070 amends Texas Family Code Section 261.002 to require a court finding of abuse or neglect before adding someone to the central child abuse registry. Currently, the Department of Family and Protective Services can add names based on their own findings, but this bill mandates a final court order in a civil, criminal, or juvenile case first. The change applies only to findings made on or after September 1, 2025, with prior cases governed by previous law. This directly affects individuals potentially added to the registry and the Department’s process for doing so.

Maddy summaryHJR 1 proposes a constitutional amendment to allow Texas lawmakers to exempt up to $125,000 of the market value of business-used tangible personal property (like equipment or vehicles) from property tax. It would directly affect business owners who hold such property for income generation, such as small business operators or farmers. The amendment would revise the state constitution to authorize this specific exemption amount, replacing the current exemption structure. If approved by voters in November 2025, this would become a permanent constitutional provision enabling future legislation to implement the tax break. The bill is now headed to the November ballot after passing both legislative chambers.

Maddy summarySB 856 amends Texas labor law to clarify how specific entities can use the skills development fund for workforce training. It directly affects public community colleges, workforce boards, and Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station/Extension Service by allowing them to recover costs for customized training programs when there’s a local labor shortage and wages meet prevailing rates. Key provisions require that training programs address unmet workforce needs and that Texas A&M entities prioritize statewide initiatives or programs unavailable through local colleges. The bill also permits fund use for business networks and consortiums, effective September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 922 requires healthcare providers to wait until the third business day after a sensitive medical test result is finalized before disclosing it electronically to patients or their representatives. Sensitive results include pathology/radiology reports indicating possible cancer or genetic test results. The law, effective September 1, 2025, applies to electronic disclosures via patient portals or email but does not impose penalties for non-compliance. This directly affects doctors, hospitals, and health systems using electronic health records to share patient information.

Maddy summaryHB 4539 allows physicians specializing in ophthalmology (eye care) to dispense certain eye medications (like drops or ointments) directly to their patients without needing a separate pharmacy license. The bill permits these doctors to charge for stocking, storing, and labeling the medications while requiring them to follow standard labeling, packaging, and recordkeeping rules for those drugs. It specifically applies to "nonsystemic dangerous drugs" used in ophthalmic care, meaning medications applied locally to the eye rather than affecting the whole body. The law aims to streamline access to common eye treatments for patients while maintaining safety compliance.

Maddy summaryHB 3784 creates the Texas Commission for Boys and Men to address disparities in well-being affecting boys and male youth across education, workforce participation, family stability, health, and criminal justice involvement. The commission will conduct a systematic study to identify specific needs in these areas, assess state laws that may negatively impact men's success, and make policy recommendations. It will be composed of 11 members appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor, and House speaker, with expertise in relevant fields like education or criminal justice. The bill directly affects all boys and men in Texas by establishing a formal process to evaluate and improve policies impacting their well-being.

Maddy summaryHB 199 adjusts the maximum unemployment benefits an individual can receive in a benefit year in Texas based on the state's unemployment rate. It sets a sliding scale where the maximum benefit amount equals 14 to 27 times the individual's weekly benefit rate, depending on the state's unemployment rate (e.g., 14x for rates ≤6.5%, up to 27x for rates >10%). The bill affects all Texas unemployment insurance recipients during their benefit year, using the previous quarter's U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data to determine the rate tier. The changes apply only to claims filed on or after January 1, 2026, with existing claims governed by prior law.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to create the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and establish a dedicated fund. It directs the transfer of $3 billion from the state's general revenue fund to this new special fund starting January 1, 2026. The fund will provide grants for research, prevention programs, and treatment development related to dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and related disorders. The institute will oversee funding for research institutions, medical facilities, and collaborative efforts across Texas, directly benefiting residents affected by these conditions through expanded research and prevention initiatives.