Rep. Stan Lambert

Maddy summaryHB 3126 allows school entities that discontinued participation in Texas' uniform group health coverage program for active school employees after September 1, 2022, to rejoin the program under specific conditions. To re-enroll, these entities must submit written notice to the program trustee by December 31, 2025, for participation beginning September 1, 2026, and pay a risk stabilization fee on their premiums for the 2026 plan year. The bill prohibits rejoining entities from discontinuing participation before September 1, 2031, and expires on that date. This bill, signed into law on June 20, 2025, and effective September 1, 2025, directly affects school districts or entities previously enrolled in the program.

Maddy summaryHB 3010 establishes a state program to provide financial grants for rural counties to rebuild critical infrastructure damaged by disasters declared by the governor. It targets counties with populations under 100,000, gross domestic product below $2 billion, poverty rates exceeding 15%, and located in a declared disaster area. The program covers repairs to roads, public schools, hospitals, water treatment facilities, wastewater systems, and airport infrastructure. Grants will be administered by the state division to help these communities restore essential services after disasters.

Maddy summaryHB 2688 amends Texas law governing public retirement systems for firefighters in large municipalities. It lowers the population threshold for municipalities to establish such a fund from 2 million to 1.6 million residents. The bill clarifies "normal retirement age" as either 20 years of service (for pre-2017 hires) or age 50 with 10 years of service (for post-2017 hires). It also updates terminology related to actuarial cost methods used to calculate pension funding requirements. The bill became law on September 1, 2025, affecting firefighters in qualifying Texas cities.

Maddy summaryHB 1094 defines "transportation protection agreements" as contracts covering body transportation over 75 miles to a licensed facility and exempts these agreements from Texas insurance regulations. This bill directly affects funeral service providers selling such agreements and consumers purchasing them, as it removes insurance licensing and oversight requirements. The key provision clarifies that these agreements do not constitute "insurance" under state law, allowing sellers to offer transportation services without meeting standard insurance compliance rules. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 5342 creates a dedicated "988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Trust Fund" to support Texas' 988 crisis services. The fund, managed by the state commission, accepts federal grants, donations, and investment income to cover operational costs like personnel, technology upgrades, and infrastructure improvements for the 988 Lifeline network. It directly affects crisis centers participating in the 988 system and callers seeking mental health support. The bill establishes strict rules for fund use, prohibiting diversion to other state purposes, and requires annual financial forecasting. The law became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3000 creates a state grant program to provide financial assistance to qualified rural ambulance service providers in counties with populations of 68,750 or less. Counties may apply for grants of up to $500,000 (for counties under 10,000 people) or $350,000 (for counties between 10,000-68,750 people) to purchase ambulances, with funds restricted solely to ambulance procurement. Grants require counties to maintain ambulance service budgets in the following fiscal year and prioritize counties with greater distance to trauma facilities or limited funding capacity. The program, now law after being signed by the governor on June 20, 2025, aims to ensure adequate ground ambulance services in underserved rural areas.

Maddy summarySB 1534 requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to study health physics education programs at Texas colleges and universities. The study must identify gaps in training and assess workforce needs in nuclear energy and radiological safety sectors. The board must submit a report by December 1, 2026, with recommendations for addressing identified gaps. This bill directly affects Texas institutions offering health physics education and the state's nuclear/radiological workforce sectors. The report will inform potential future policy actions, but the bill itself does not make immediate changes to programs or funding.

Maddy summaryHB 2306 changes parole eligibility for inmates convicted of specific trafficking offenses involving vulnerable victims. It prohibits parole for individuals serving sentences under Texas Penal Code Sections 20A.02 (regarding child victims), 20A.03, 21.02, 22.021(f), 51.03, or 51.04. The bill amends parole rules to explicitly exclude these trafficking offenses from eligibility, repealing prior provisions that may have allowed parole for such cases. This law takes effect September 1, 2025, applying only to offenses committed on or after that date.

Maddy summarySB 1737 clarifies and expands the definitions of "custodial officer" and "law enforcement officer" for retirement benefits under Texas' Employees Retirement System. It adds specific categories of correctional and juvenile justice positions to the "custodial officer" definition, including those with direct contact with inmates or youth in facilities. It also clarifies which law enforcement officers, including those from agencies like the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, Parks and Wildlife Department, and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, qualify for retirement benefits. These changes ensure more officers in these roles can receive retirement benefits based on their service. The bill requires agencies to certify these officers to the retirement system.

Maddy summarySB 379 prohibits SNAP (food stamp) benefits in Texas from being used to purchase energy drinks, sweetened beverages (like soda), carbonated drinks, candy, potato/corn chips, and pre-packaged cookies. It directly affects SNAP recipients who previously could buy these items with their benefits. The law includes exceptions for milk products, milk substitutes (like almond milk), unsweetened beverages, infant formula, weight-loss drinks, and health-recommended products. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.