Rep. Eddie Morales

Maddy summaryHB 3332 creates the Maverick County Regional Mobility Authority to manage transportation projects in Maverick County, authorizing the authority to collect fees for this purpose. The bill establishes a three-member board of directors appointed by Maverick County's Commissioners Court, with terms structured to have half the seats expire annually starting in 2027. It specifies that Maverick County is the sole initial member county, with provisions allowing other counties to join later under agreed terms. The authority's fees will fund regional mobility initiatives like road improvements, directly affecting residents and businesses in Maverick County through potential new transportation investments.

Maddy summaryHB 3134 establishes a regulatory framework for "advanced air mobility" in Texas, primarily affecting electric aircraft and vertiports (landing/takeoff sites for air taxis). The bill requires the Texas Department of Transportation to create an office for technical support, develop a statewide strategic plan, identify uniform planning standards for vertiports, estimate electric grid capacity needs, and provide guidebooks to local governments. It specifically applies to aircraft over 300 pounds capable of carrying passengers or cargo, focusing on electric vertical takeoff aircraft and urban air mobility infrastructure. The law aims to enable future air taxi services by standardizing planning and infrastructure requirements across the state.

Maddy summaryHCR 35 is a Texas concurrent resolution urging Congress to change federal tax law. It requests that spaceports be added to the list of facilities eligible for tax-exempt private activity bonds - currently available for airports, docks, and similar transportation hubs. This would allow spaceport projects in Texas (where the state ranks second nationally in spaceport locations and hosts over 2,000 aerospace businesses) to access lower-cost financing for infrastructure development. The resolution does not change state law but formally asks federal lawmakers to amend the Internal Revenue Code to support this change.

Maddy summaryHB 5224 establishes a process for designating certain natural gas facilities as "seasonally critical" during energy emergencies. It requires the Texas Railroad Commission to create rules defining criteria for facilities that must provide critical information during emergencies, with designations limited to specific seasons (e.g., winter heating periods) based on operational needs. Facilities must be prepared to operate during weather emergencies to qualify, and the Public Utility Commission will receive a list of these seasonal designations by March 2026. This affects natural gas producers, transporters, and related infrastructure operators under the Railroad Commission's jurisdiction.

Maddy summaryHB 4329 requires the Texas Water Development Board to study factors affecting the costs of developing drainage infrastructure across Texas, with a report due by January 1, 2027. The study must identify cost drivers like location, materials, and project scale, then compare regional cost differences. The Board must submit a written report to the legislature based on this analysis. The bill expires September 1, 2027, and does not allocate funding or mandate specific infrastructure projects.

Maddy summaryHB 74 creates the Puerto Verde Port Authority District in Maverick County, Texas, as a special district to advance economic development in the area. The bill grants the district authority to issue bonds for infrastructure, impose fees and taxes on properties within the district, and acquire private property through limited eminent domain for port-related projects. It directly affects property owners and businesses in the designated district area by enabling the district to fund and develop port facilities, transportation infrastructure, and economic initiatives. The legislation aims to promote job growth, commerce, and community development in Maverick County under Texas Constitution provisions for special districts.

Maddy summaryHB 1664 modifies Texas law to clarify eligibility for retired or former district court judges to serve as visiting judges. It requires these judges to certify under oath that they were not publicly disciplined (reprimanded or censured) in the past 15 years and did not resign to avoid a misconduct investigation. The bill specifically bars judges who resigned "in lieu of discipline" from being named as visiting judges. These provisions expire on September 1, 2033. The law directly affects retired or former district court judges seeking temporary judicial assignments.

Maddy summaryHB 1033 modifies eligibility rules for a state grant program funding public improvement projects in unincorporated communities. It changes which counties qualify by adding two new criteria: (1) counties on an international border with specific population and adjacency requirements, or (2) counties on an international border that partially contain a national park under 100,000 acres. The bill directly affects unincorporated communities in qualifying counties by determining their access to these grants. It does not create new funding but adjusts which existing counties can apply under the current program. The bill is pending further legislative action after committee approval.

Maddy summaryHB 256 authorizes the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to conduct rapid DNA tests using mouth swabs on individuals detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the Texas-Mexico border who are suspected of falsely claiming family relationships with others detained by CBP. The program requires DPS to destroy biological samples after testing and prohibits creating a DNA database from these tests. Results must be shared with CBP for federal immigration enforcement, and the agreement with CBP must include these destruction and database restrictions. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHJR 144 proposes a constitutional amendment to allow Texas counties or cities to create regional transportation authorities through local law. If approved by voters, this would enable these authorities to build, maintain, and operate transportation projects (like roads or transit systems) across multiple jurisdictions without requiring the standard public notice for local laws. The amendment specifically removes the need for special notice when passing such local laws. This measure must be voted on by Texas voters in the November 2025 election.