Rep. Drew Darby

Maddy summaryHB 863 creates a statewide database requiring senior independent living communities (residential communities for residents 55+ that operate as housing for older adults) to submit health and safety plans. The database, maintained by a state agency, will include these plans and be accessible to emergency response teams for coordination during crises. Communities that fail to file required plans or violate related rules may face administrative penalties. The database is confidential, and the bill mandates a standard template for health and safety plans to ensure consistency.

Maddy summaryHB 2002 establishes new eligibility requirements for nonprofits seeking state grants to distribute surplus agricultural products. To qualify, organizations must have at least five years of experience coordinating a statewide food bank network, operate a program for collecting and transporting surplus food to low-income communities, and submit a detailed proposal including cost schedules, measurable goals, and evaluation plans. The bill also requires grant recipients to make surplus products available to any food bank operating in five or more Texas counties. This law, effective September 1, 2025, aims to ensure grant recipients have statewide capacity to distribute food efficiently.

Maddy summaryHB 1748 allows courts in Texas counties with 50,000+ residents to appoint non-certified spoken language interpreters for certain court cases. It specifically applies when the required language is *not* Spanish and no certified interpreter is available within 75 miles, or for justice/municipal courts. The bill changes existing rules to expand interpreter appointment options in these scenarios. It takes effect September 1, 2025. This directly affects courts handling non-Spanish language cases in larger counties facing interpreter shortages.

Maddy summaryHB 2618 requires 15 major Texas state agencies - including the Department of Transportation, Public Utility Commission, Texas Division of Emergency Management, and Texas Water Development Board - to develop and publish severe weather adaptation plans every even-numbered year. Each plan must include a vulnerability assessment, specific operational steps for severe weather, budget impact analysis for 2/5/10 years, funding sources, and a statewide monitoring strategy based on current climate science. The bill mandates consultation with the Houston Advanced Research Center and Texas State Climatologist during plan development. This procedural law focuses on preparing state agencies for increased severe weather impacts, not on direct funding or policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 3249 requires the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) to jointly create rules for certifying specific environmental compliance issues to TCEQ during contested cases. The bill mandates that these rules define which issues qualify for certification (particularly those involving TCEQ's discretion) and establish a process for certifying disputes about discovery scope. This procedural change directly affects TCEQ staff, SOAH administrative law judges, and parties involved in environmental enforcement cases handled through administrative hearings. The rules aim to clarify when complex compliance judgments must be reviewed by TCEQ rather than SOAH.

Maddy summaryHB 3746 clarifies that hydrogen is included under the definition of "gas" for existing tax exemptions on certain gas and electricity under Texas law. This bill modifies Tax Code Section 151.317 to explicitly exempt hydrogen from sales and use taxes, directly affecting businesses and consumers using hydrogen in energy applications. The change applies prospectively from September 1, 2025, and does not alter tax liabilities accrued before that date. The bill is procedural, solely updating a tax code definition without creating new exemptions or changing tax rates. It remains pending in committee as of April 28, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1093 modifies Texas Property Code requirements for self-service storage facilities seeking to sell tenant property to recover unpaid fees. It specifies that facilities must advertise sales through one of three methods: publishing in a local newspaper (with a 15-day wait), posting notices at the facility and five other visible locations (10-day wait), or using a public auction website (10-day wait). The bill defines "commercially reasonable notice" as requiring at least three registered bidders for the sale, regardless of location. This law applies only to new or renewed storage rental agreements entered into on or after September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3506 directs Texas to withdraw from the Interstate Mining Compact, an agreement with other states governing mining regulations. The bill requires the governor to notify other participating states and publish the withdrawal in the Texas Register. It also abolishes two state offices - the Texas Interstate Mining Compact Commissioner and the Texas Mining Council - and repeals Chapter 132 of the Natural Resources Code, which governed the state's participation in the compact. The law takes effect immediately if passed with a two-thirds vote, otherwise on September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2584 allows the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to issue permits for land application of treated wastewater from oil and gas operations (called "produced water"). It directly affects oil and gas companies seeking to reuse this wastewater for irrigation or other beneficial purposes on land. The bill requires TCEQ to establish new environmental standards to prevent pollution of surface and groundwater during this land application process. This change applies only to permits filed on or after September 1, 2025, and does not affect existing permit applications.

Maddy summaryHB 3240 establishes the Texas Geothermal Energy Production Policy Council within the state commission to study and recommend policies for geothermal energy development. The council, composed of commission leadership, a University of Texas geology director, and up to 11 industry representatives, will analyze geothermal industry growth, tax incentives, and federal partnerships to develop a state oversight plan. It must make legislative recommendations by 2032, when the council expires. This bill directly affects geothermal energy developers and state regulators by creating a structured process for policy development, without imposing new regulations or funding. The council's work is intended to inform future state oversight of geothermal production, transportation, and storage.