Rep. Drew Darby

Maddy summaryHB 1228 allows homeowners to immediately begin emergency repairs on damaged residential buildings if the repairs protect public safety, prevent further damage, or preserve structural integrity. Homeowners must apply for an emergency permit within three business days of starting repairs or when the municipality/county can accept the application. The bill requires cities and counties to permit these immediate repairs and prohibits them from blocking such work. If a local government violates this law, homeowners can sue for damages and recover attorney fees. This directly affects homeowners needing urgent repairs and local governments managing building permits.

Maddy summaryHB 3911 allows oil and gas operators in good standing (those with active leases or mineral ownership) to contract with Railroad Commission-approved well pluggers to plug or replug "orphaned wells" (inactive wells without a responsible operator). The bill requires pluggers to provide 30 days' notice to the well operator and assume physical control of the well, while protecting operators from liability for the plugging work or related damages. It also prohibits using payment or contracting evidence in future lawsuits about well-plugging obligations, making such evidence inadmissible in court. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and directly affects operators, mineral owners, and approved well pluggers.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new position for criminal associate judges in seven West Texas counties (Coke, Concho, Irion, Runnels, Schleicher, Sterling, and Tom Green). It allows district judges to appoint full-time or part-time associate judges to handle specific criminal court matters - such as plea negotiations, bond hearings, pretrial motions, and specialty court cases - only if the county commissioners' court authorizes the position. Associate judges must serve under district court rules, with appointments requiring two-thirds judge approval if serving multiple courts. The bill streamlines case processing in rural counties with limited judicial resources but does not change criminal law or sentencing.

Maddy summaryHB 5200 requires the Public Utility Commission of Texas to ensure the independent organization overseeing ERCOT transmission planning evaluates grid enhancing technologies (like dynamic line rating systems and advanced power flow controllers) and high-performance conductors (modern alternatives to traditional wires) for use in transmission projects. The bill mandates this evaluation to increase transmission capacity, reduce congestion, improve reliability, and lower wildfire risks. It specifically directs the organization to consider technical feasibility and cost-effectiveness, though it allows them to decline recommendations they deem imprudent. This affects how ERCOT’s transmission system is planned and upgraded, directly impacting Texas power grid operators and infrastructure decisions.

Maddy summarySB 1145 allows the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to issue permits for applying treated wastewater from oil and gas operations onto land, directly affecting oil and gas companies seeking to reuse this water. The bill requires TCEQ to establish standards preventing pollution of surface and groundwater during land application. It creates a new permitting process for "produced water" (wastewater from extraction) that has been treated for beneficial use, replacing previous requirements under the Railroad Commission. The law applies only to permits filed on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHJR 35 is a constitutional amendment proposal that would establish the "Grow Texas Fund" and restructure how certain state revenues are allocated. It requires the comptroller to transfer funds from the general revenue fund to three designated accounts: the Economic Stabilization Fund (50%), the State Highway Fund (the remainder), and the new Grow Texas Fund. Specifically, 12% of the amount designated for the Economic Stabilization Fund would be redirected to the Grow Texas Fund, capped at $250 million per state fiscal biennium. This amendment, adopted by the Texas legislature on May 12, 2025, must now be approved by voters to take effect.

Maddy summaryTexas Senate Bill 1147 directs the state to withdraw from the Interstate Mining Compact, effective immediately upon the governor's signature (May 13, 2025). The bill requires the governor to notify other compact states and publish withdrawal notice in the Texas Register. It abolishes two state offices - the Interstate Mining Compact Commissioner and Texas Mining Council - and repeals Chapter 132 of the Natural Resources Code. This bill affects Texas state agencies and officials managing mining-related interstate agreements, ending Texas's participation in the compact.

Maddy summaryThis bill limits late payment fees charged by municipal water utilities in Texas. It caps fees at $5 or 2% of the overdue amount before day 32, $5 or 5% between days 32-41, and $5 or 10% after day 41. Utilities cannot begin charging penalties before 21 days after billing a customer, and penalties end when the full amount is paid. The rules apply only to fees charged on or after the bill's effective date (September 1, 2025, unless passed by two-thirds vote).

Maddy summaryHB 4136 would make certain personal information about university officials confidential under Texas law. Specifically, it exempts home addresses, phone numbers, emergency contacts, and social security numbers of university governing board members, chief executives, and university system leaders from public disclosure requirements. The bill expands existing protections by explicitly including these officials in a list of protected individuals, ensuring their personal details would not be publicly accessible through the Texas Public Information Act. This change directly affects higher education leadership across Texas public institutions.

Maddy summaryHB 2858 would establish a temporary guest worker program in Texas, requiring the governor to seek federal authorization and negotiate a memorandum of understanding with Mexican states. It would allow Texas businesses to hire Mexican temporary workers using U.S. nonimmigrant visas, but only after businesses prove they cannot find sufficient local workers for the position and that hiring won't lower wages or worsen conditions for local workers. The program would mandate that Mexican workers meet federal visa requirements, pass background checks, and demonstrate job-specific skills through standardized testing. This bill failed to advance past the vote stage on May 12, 2025, and remains pending.