Rep. Drew Darby

Maddy summaryHB 270 requires social media platforms to display warnings on posts soliciting disaster-related donations, informing users about potential scams and encouraging source verification. It creates a state certification program for disaster relief organizations through the Attorney General's office, allowing them to apply for official recognition. The bill also authorizes the Texas Division of Emergency Management to access criminal history records for individuals registering as disaster volunteers. These provisions directly affect social media platforms, disaster relief organizations, and volunteer registrants in Texas.

Maddy summaryHB 271 requires Texas youth camp operators to create and maintain written emergency operations plans covering specific scenarios like natural disasters, lost campers, fires, medical emergencies, and aquatic incidents. The bill mandates that these plans include clear procedures for campers, staff, and volunteers to follow during emergencies, such as sheltering, evacuation, and communication protocols. Camp operators must annually review and update their plans to ensure they remain effective. This law directly affects all youth camp operators in Texas by establishing concrete safety requirements for emergency preparedness.

Maddy summaryHB 269 requires campground entities (owners/operators of campgrounds) to obtain approval from the Texas Division of Emergency Management before constructing or expanding any campground or campground structure within a floodway (an area at high risk of flooding, as defined by federal flood maps). This applies to new construction or expansions starting March 1, 2026, mandating that entities submit detailed plans for review. Approval is required only if plans minimize flooding, ensure safe evacuation routes, provide access for emergency responders, and meet additional division rules. The bill also authorizes administrative penalties for violations and allows affected individuals to file private lawsuits.

Maddy summaryHB 4 establishes new congressional district boundaries for Texas voters to be used in the 2026 U.S. House elections. It adopts the PLANC2308 redistricting plan based on 2020 Census data (TIGER/Line Shapefiles) to define district lines. The bill replaces all prior Texas congressional district maps, including those from 2021, and applies to elections starting with the 120th Congress (2026). This is a procedural redistricting bill directly affecting Texas residents' voting districts for federal elections beginning in 2026.

Maddy summaryHR 28 is a resolution by the Texas House of Representatives to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Glen Cove Baptist Church, founded in 1900. The resolution recognizes the church’s history, including its founding with 24 members, relocation to its current site in 1948, community programs, and its role in establishing a local volunteer fire department in 2008. It does not create new laws or policies - it is purely symbolic, expressing the House’s recognition and including a copy of the resolution for the church. This is a procedural commemorative resolution with no direct policy impact.

Maddy summaryHB 32, the Texas Women's Privacy Act, requires that certain facilities - such as restrooms, locker rooms, and family violence shelters - be designated and used based on biological sex, defined as the physical condition of being male or female at birth as determined by sex organs, chromosomes, and original birth records. The law applies to correctional facilities, family violence shelters, institutions of higher education, local governments (political subdivisions), and state agencies. It authorizes civil penalties for violations and creates a private right of action, allowing individuals to file lawsuits if they believe the law has been breached. The bill does not apply to state agencies as political subdivisions but covers them separately under the law's definition of "state agency."

Maddy summaryThis bill allows the Texas Railroad Commission to designate individuals or entities as the operator of an orphaned oil or gas well if they submit specific documentation proving a legal right to the mineral estate, geothermal energy estate, or geologic space accessed by the well. To qualify, applicants must provide documented proof of their interest (e.g., lease agreements or deeds), a compliance certificate, and pay a $250 nonrefundable fee. It directly affects property owners, leaseholders, or geothermal developers seeking to manage or remediate abandoned wells. The bill clarifies that "geothermal energy conservation wells" are distinct from battery storage resources, focusing specifically on wells used for energy retention to support grid electricity.

Maddy summaryHB 4384 allows gas utilities to defer certain unrecovered costs - like interest on unpaid infrastructure, depreciation, and property taxes - associated with facilities already in service. These deferred costs become "regulatory assets" that must later be recovered through customer rates. The Railroad Commission of Texas will review these costs during rate proceedings and may require refunds if costs are disallowed. This bill directly affects Texas gas utilities by changing how they account for and recover legacy infrastructure costs, without altering current rate structures.

Maddy summaryHB 43 amends Texas law to update the definition of "agricultural business" in the Agriculture Code, explicitly including rural recreational businesses (like hiking or fishing on farmland) and nonprofit land conservation groups. It also revises the composition of the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority's board, requiring the governor to appoint nine members with specific representation: two young farmers/ranchers, two representatives from rural entities (chambers, trade associations), and others with agricultural lending expertise. These changes directly affect entities applying for the Authority's loan and grant programs, such as farmers, ranchers, rural tourism businesses, and conservation nonprofits. The bill became law on June 20, 2025, after passing both chambers unanimously.

Maddy summarySB 1566 allows certain utility providers (like water or electricity companies) to connect services to land in specific subdivisions without needing a special certificate, if the land meets one of four conditions: it has an approved development plan, was first connected before September 1, 1987 (or 1989 for some providers), or was removed from a city's jurisdiction before September 1, 2025. This primarily affects existing utility providers and landowners in areas that were once outside city boundaries but are now part of a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction. The bill removes a requirement for utility providers to hold a certificate of convenience and necessity for these specific historical cases. It does not change rules for new developments or general utility connections.