Rep. Mary González

Maddy summaryHB 4361 requires Texas public institutions of higher education to establish standardized emergency notification procedures that comply with the federal Jeanne Clery Act. It mandates that institutions, in consultation with students, faculty, and staff, adopt clear protocols for timely emergency alerts through required systems. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board must adopt these rules promptly after the bill's effective date. The law took effect immediately on June 20, 2025, after being signed by the Governor. This directly affects all public colleges and universities in Texas, ensuring consistent emergency communication practices.

Maddy summaryHB 519 exempts small-scale beekeepers (producing under 2,500 pounds of honey yearly) from being classified as "food service establishments" and prohibits local health departments from regulating their honey production or packaging. It requires these beekeepers to label honey with net weight (in both systems), their name/address, and a statement noting the product was packaged in a facility not inspected by Texas health authorities. The bill also classifies honey from such operations as a "raw agricultural commodity" under state law. This directly affects small beekeepers selling directly to consumers at farms, markets, or events, reducing regulatory burdens while maintaining labeling transparency.

Maddy summarySB 1171 adds hazardous duty pay eligibility for specific employees in the Texas Juvenile Justice Department's Office of Inspector General, including investigators, inspectors general, security officers, and apprehension specialists. It requires these employees to have at least 12 months of service and routine direct contact with youth in residential facilities or under supervision to qualify. The bill also mandates that these roles be classified as "Schedule C" positions under state pay guidelines, effective September 1, 2025. This directly affects approximately 100+ employees in that office, changing their compensation structure to include special pay for high-risk duties. The law does not alter existing pay for other departments or central office staff.

Maddy summaryHB 33, titled the "Uvalde Strong Act," requires Texas public and charter schools to comply with additional safety and operational requirements related to active shooter incidents and emergencies. It amends the Education Code to mandate adherence to existing rules covering student data systems, criminal background checks, discipline practices, health/safety protocols, bullying prevention, and staff reporting obligations. The bill directly affects all public and charter schools by expanding their compliance obligations under current safety frameworks. It does not create new rules but requires schools to follow more existing provisions related to emergency preparedness and student safety. The law took effect on September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summaryHB 4464 amends Texas law to clarify workers' compensation coverage for emergency response personnel. It defines "local government employee member" for Texas Task Force 1, intrastate fire mutual aid teams, and regional incident management teams, ensuring their activation service counts as regular employment. The bill specifically removes workers' compensation coverage for non-government members (like volunteers) on these teams. This change updates Education Code provisions to align with Labor Code definitions, ensuring only government-employed responders receive coverage during official activation.

Maddy summarySB 840 establishes new rules for zoning certain mixed-use and multifamily residential developments in Texas. It defines "mixed-use residential" as projects with at least 65% residential space and "multifamily residential" as developments with three or more dwelling units. The law applies only to cities over 90,000 population located in counties over 300,000 population, limiting municipal authority to regulate these projects under Chapter 218 of the Local Government Code. It does not affect existing rules for short-term rentals or water quality protections.

Maddy summarySB 57 requires Texas public schools to include disability-specific accommodations for students with disabilities in their emergency planning. It mandates that school committees or teams developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or Section 504 plans must identify each disability requiring accommodations during mandatory drills or emergencies and specify the exact accommodations needed. Schools must then share this information with administrators responsible for emergency planning. The bill also requires school districts to incorporate these accommodations into their multihazard emergency operations plans. This law directly affects students with disabilities and ensures their safety needs are addressed in school emergency procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 107 establishes a statewide sickle cell disease registry under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 52B. It requires hospitals and other treatment facilities to submit patient data to the state health department, creating a centralized database of all sickle cell disease cases in Texas. The registry must include case records and additional relevant information to aid in treatment and research, with strict confidentiality protections for patients under federal privacy laws. The department will analyze the data, publish findings for medical professionals and the public, and submit annual reports to the legislature. This affects all Texas healthcare facilities treating sickle cell disease patients and ensures patient data is securely managed for medical advancement.

Maddy summaryHB 1211 creates a tuition and fee exemption for students who were under the conservatorship of Texas' Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) at specific points in their lives. It applies to former foster youth who were under DFPS conservatorship on their 18th birthday, during high school graduation, or on the day of adoption (after Sept. 1, 2009), and who enroll in a public Texas college as undergraduates or in dual credit courses by their 25th birthday. The exemption covers tuition and fees charged by public institutions of higher education, including dual credit courses. This policy takes effect September 1, 2025, for the 2025 fall semester.

Maddy summaryHJR 7 proposes a constitutional amendment to dedicate a portion of Texas' state sales and use tax revenue to the Texas Water Fund. It would require that this dedicated revenue be allocated exclusively to water infrastructure projects, with new rules allowing temporary suspension during declared disasters. The bill would amend the state constitution to establish this dedicated funding stream, replacing current flexible allocation methods for water fund money. This proposal was reported adversely by the Senate Finance Committee with a 14-0 vote against in May 2025.