Rep. Carrie Isaac

Maddy summaryHB 1158 requires Texas public schools to obtain written parental consent before providing human sexuality instruction to students. The bill mandates that schools give parents a separate, dedicated notice at least 14 days before such instruction begins, prohibiting bundling this request with other consent forms. It directly affects students in public schools receiving human sexuality education and their parents, who must provide written approval. The law applies starting the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryHB 749 requires food service establishments in Texas serving shrimp imported from outside the U.S. to provide customers with a notice about the shrimp's origin. This notice must be displayed either on menus or in a visible area of the establishment. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, but businesses have until March 1, 2026, to comply. It directly affects restaurants and food venues serving imported shrimp, mandating transparency about the shrimp's import source without altering import regulations.

Maddy summaryHCR 33 is a Texas legislative resolution urging Congress to propose a constitutional amendment to permanently maintain nine justices on the U.S. Supreme Court. It requests Congress submit the "Keep Nine" amendment - which would state "The Supreme Court of the United States shall be composed of nine justices" - for state ratification. The resolution directs Texas officials to send copies to Congress and the Texas delegation, asking them to enter it into the Congressional Record. This is a procedural request, not a binding law, and does not change current Supreme Court composition or federal procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 730 standardizes the form parents or guardians use to claim vaccine exemptions for school-aged children in Texas. The bill requires the state health department to create a uniform affidavit form that includes a statement explaining the benefits and risks of both immunizations and remaining unvaccinated. It mandates the department to track how many times the form is accessed annually (without recording personal identities) and report this data to the legislature. This affects parents, guardians, or legal custodians seeking exemptions for children attending public or private schools, effective for the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryHB 717 would protect public school employees in Texas from being prohibited from engaging in religious speech or prayer during work hours, unless a school district or government entity demonstrates a compelling state interest that requires the restriction and uses the least restrictive means possible. The bill specifically prohibits schools from infringing on this right except in narrowly defined circumstances, such as preventing disruption to school operations. This proposed law directly affects all public school employees (teachers, staff, etc.) in Texas school districts and charter schools, but it is still pending in committee and has not become law. The bill would take effect immediately if passed by a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers, otherwise on September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 703 strengthens the secretary of state's authority to enforce election laws by amending Section 31.005 and adding new provisions to Chapter 34 of the Election Code. It creates "state election marshals" who must be licensed peace officers with election law training, appointed by the secretary of state to investigate alleged election code violations in each Department of Public Safety region. These marshals will report to the secretary of state and have powers similar to state inspectors. The bill directly affects election administrators and officials who manage electoral processes, requiring them to correct violations that impede voting rights, delay elections without authority, or breach election code provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires meat, poultry, and shrimp products sold in Texas to include a clear label statement indicating whether the product originated in Texas. It directly affects retailers, restaurants, and distributors selling these food items within the state. The law mandates a simple "origin" notice on all relevant product labels, replacing vague or missing origin information. The requirement will take effect on September 1, 2025, following adoption of implementing rules by the Health and Human Services Commission.

Maddy summaryHB 515 requires Texas public school districts to adopt written policies banning student use of personal electronic devices (like smartphones) during school hours. Students must store devices in lockable containers provided by the district, with exceptions for medical needs requiring written documentation from a healthcare provider. Districts must also report on policy effectiveness to the Texas Education Agency, including impacts on student behavior, mental health, and feedback from students and staff. The law takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryHB 427 would allow drivers who are pregnant to use high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes without needing to have another passenger in the vehicle. This bill directly affects pregnant drivers operating motor vehicles in jurisdictions with HOV lanes, providing them with an exception to standard occupancy rules. The key provision would amend existing transportation law to add pregnancy as a qualifying condition for HOV lane access. The bill was filed in November 2024 and referred to the Transportation committee for further consideration.

Maddy summaryThe bill text for HB 403 is unavailable in the provided context, with a note stating "This version is not currently available, but is coming soon." No specific provisions, mechanisms, or affected groups are described in the given information. The bill's title suggests it relates to housing/placement policies for inmates and children based on biological sex, but the actual policy details cannot be summarized without access to the full bill text or official summary. Since the bill is in early stages (filed November 2024, referred to committee February 2025), no concrete policy changes or voting records are available for description.