Rep. Mary González

Maddy summaryHB 3695 limits copayments for physical therapy visits under certain health plans. It prohibits health maintenance organizations and preferred provider plans from charging enrollees a higher copayment for a physical therapist visit (without a referral) than for a primary care physician visit. The law applies to plans delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, and takes effect September 1, 2025. This directly affects Texas enrollees who use physical therapy services without needing a physician referral.

Maddy summaryHB 4442 would require Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to offer an elective mindfulness course for all students in middle school, junior high school, and high school. The course must teach specific techniques to enhance focus, manage stress, improve emotional regulation, and build self-awareness and compassion. High school students would be able to count this course toward their elective credit requirements for graduation. The bill would take effect for the 2026-2027 school year, unless it receives a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers, in which case it would take effect immediately.

Maddy summaryHB 1930 amends Texas Water Code provisions to update qualifications for board members of certain municipal utility districts. It requires all directors to be at least 18, Texas residents, and either landowners in the district or qualified voters. For districts in counties bordering Mexico with a city over 500,000 population, the bill removes the land ownership requirement, allowing directors to qualify solely as voters. Current board members serving before the effective date (September 1, 2025) are exempt from the new rules. The bill applies only to new appointments or elections after that date.

Maddy summaryHB 178 requires Texas public school districts to include "ethnic studies, world geography, or world history" as one of the three required social studies credits for high school students, alongside existing mandates for U.S. history, government, and economics. It directly affects all Texas public school students in grades K-12 by modifying the social studies curriculum structure under the foundation high school program. The bill adds ethnic studies as a specific, mandatory option for fulfilling the social studies credit requirement, while maintaining other existing subject requirements. This change applies to all Texas public school districts offering grades K-12.

Maddy summaryHB 4642 establishes state standards for Texas counties that send prisoners to out-of-state correctional facilities. It requires counties to ensure these facilities meet state safety and operational standards before transferring inmates, prohibits transfers of prisoners with violent histories (including deadly weapon use or escape records) or positive medical screening results without a commission waiver, and mandates counties to review prisoner records, medical information, and facility inspection reports. Counties must also provide detailed incident reports for major events like escapes or deaths at the receiving facility. The bill directly affects counties managing prisoner transfers and the eligibility of specific prisoners for out-of-state confinement.

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 464 establishes a grant program to help counties address illegally dumped scrap tires. The bill creates a dedicated fund (using state appropriations, federal grants, and interest) to award grants to counties for three specific purposes: prosecuting violations of existing scrap tire disposal laws, educating the public about illegal dumping, and removing existing illegally dumped tires from waterways, public rights-of-way, and public land. Counties would use these grants to directly tackle tire litter that harms the environment and public spaces. The program becomes effective September 1, 2025, following its passage on May 10, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 5537 would allow certain psychologists with specialized certification to prescribe medications, expanding their current practice scope. The bill amends Texas' Occupations Code to clarify that prescribing falls under the "practice of psychology" for psychologists certified under Subchapter H-1. It specifically targets psychologists who meet training and certification requirements for medication management. The bill also authorizes a fee related to this new prescriptive authority. This measure is currently pending in the Public Health committee as of May 2025.

Maddy summaryHR 1031 is a commemorative resolution honoring Mary Helen VanDeaver of Clarksville, Texas, who passed away on March 27, 2025, at age 93. The resolution, adopted by the Texas House of Representatives on May 9, 2025, pays tribute to her life and legacy, including her work as a seamstress, business owner, and active member of her community and church. It extends sympathy to her family, including her three children, six grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren, and directs the House to adjourn in her memory. As a non-substantive memorial resolution, it does not create policy changes or affect any specific laws or individuals beyond the tribute itself.

Maddy summaryHB 175 creates optional certifications for child-care providers enrolled in Texas’s Rising Star Program, allowing them to improve their program rating. One required certification focuses on including children with disabilities alongside typically developing peers. Providers earning these certifications receive an extra payment, capped at the amount for a two-star-rated provider. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.