Rep. Jay Dean

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific stretch of Farm-to-Market Road 2275 in Gregg County as the Bill Stoudt Parkway, honoring an individual with a permanent name change. The legislation requires the state transportation department to install official markers at both ends of the road and at intermediate locations to indicate the new designation. This change is administrative and affects road signage and official records, without altering the road's physical infrastructure or traffic rules. The bill includes a provision for immediate effect if it receives a two-thirds legislative vote, otherwise it takes effect on September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1810 requires title insurance agents to submit annual statistical reports by May 1 (with a March 1 data call) and title insurance companies to submit reports by June 1 (with a April 1 data call). The Texas Department of Insurance must publish online summaries of all agent data by October 1 and all company data by November 1 each year. The bill affects title insurance agents and companies by establishing specific reporting deadlines and transparency requirements. It does not change how premium rates are set but mandates standardized data collection for public reporting. The changes apply to reports filed on or after January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 4609 modifies Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) rules to clarify legal venue, participation timing, and funding requirements. It requires TMRS-related lawsuits to be filed in Travis County (Section 1), changes department participation start dates to the first month after notice (Section 2), and mandates actuarial verification that new benefit obligations can be funded within a municipality’s budget limits (Sections 3, 4, and 5). The bill also establishes procedures for employees to reestablish canceled retirement credits under specific conditions, including 24 consecutive months of service (Section 4). These changes directly affect Texas municipalities operating under TMRS, their employees, and the retirement system’s administrative processes.

Maddy summaryHB 1431 defines "cell-cultured protein" as food made by harvesting animal cells and replicating them in a growth medium, then adds it to Texas' prohibited acts under the Health and Safety Code. The bill specifically bans the manufacture, processing, possession, distribution, sale, or offer for sale of cell-cultured protein for human consumption within Texas. This targets companies producing or selling lab-grown meat alternatives, making such activities unlawful under existing food safety prohibitions without creating new regulatory requirements. The bill remains pending after being postponed on May 14, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3306 modifies Texas insurance law to exempt indemnity agreements in construction contracts for electric utility infrastructure from certain regulations. Specifically, it adds a new exception (Section 151.105(10)(C)) for agreements related to installing or maintaining electric power systems, including vegetation management for utilities. This exemption applies only to new contracts signed on or after September 1, 2025, leaving existing agreements under previous law. The change directly affects electric utility companies and contractors working on projects like power lines, substations, and grid maintenance.

Maddy summaryHB 2587 requires Texas hospitals to report costs of providing care to patients without legal immigration status. Hospitals must ask about immigration status during intake (without affecting care) and submit quarterly data on costs and financial impact to a state agency. The agency then compiles an annual report for lawmakers by November 1, detailing total costs and how these expenses affected hospitals. This applies to all Texas hospitals serving patients who were not lawfully present at the time of care, focusing on transparency about uncompensated care expenses.

Maddy summaryHB 4688 modifies Texas law for civil liability cases involving commercial motor vehicle accidents. It restricts when evidence of regulatory violations (like safety rules) can be used in court, requiring such evidence to directly link the violation to the injury and show the rule specifically applied to the situation. The bill also limits claims against employers for driver negligence unless the employer first admits the driver was acting within their job duties at the time of the accident. These changes apply only to cases filed or tried after the bill becomes law.

Maddy summaryHJR 138 proposes amending the Texas Constitution to prohibit the state legislature from imposing taxes based on the carbon content of fuels or emissions of carbon dioxide from goods and services. If approved by voters, it would prevent Texas from enacting any carbon tax policy. The bill failed to pass the Texas Legislature on May 12, 2025, so it did not advance to a voter referendum. This would have directly affected all Texans by blocking a potential state-level carbon tax mechanism.

Maddy summaryHB 32 clarifies eviction procedures in Texas by updating Property Code rules. It requires landlords to give tenants at least three days' written notice before filing eviction suits for nonpayment of rent (unless a lease specifies otherwise). The bill also limits courts to deciding actual possession rights - not property title - in eviction cases and prohibits adding counterclaims or third parties to these suits. Additionally, it states only the Texas legislature can change these eviction procedures. This bill directly affects landlords, tenants, and justice courts handling eviction cases.

Maddy summaryHB 1527 creates a tuition and fee exemption for peace officers employed by Texas state or local government at public universities. It applies to students enrolled in qualifying degree programs, including criminal justice, forensic science, cybersecurity, nursing, law, and related fields. To qualify, officers must be enrolled full-time in a qualifying program, maintain satisfactory academic progress, and apply for the exemption at least one week before registration. The exemption takes effect for the 2025 fall semester.