Rep. Cody Harris

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 summaryThis bill requires the Texas Capitol Preservation Commission to develop a plan by December 1, 2027, for displaying three specific historical documents in the Capitol Complex: Colonel Travis's 1836 Alamo letter, the Texas Declaration of Independence, and the Texas Constitution. The plan must be published online and shared with relevant legislative committees. The requirement expires September 1, 2031, and the bill takes effect September 1, 2025. It is a procedural measure focused on document display, not substantive policy change.

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 summaryHB 3717 establishes a Texas grant program to fund private entities conducting U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug development trials using ibogaine. The program targets organizations (for-profit, nonprofit, or public benefit corporations) that can design and execute FDA trials to seek approval of ibogaine as a medication for treating opioid use disorder, co-occurring substance use disorder, and other neurological or mental health conditions where ibogaine shows effectiveness. Applicants must submit detailed trial designs, team expertise, and FDA approval strategies. The grant covers costs for these trials, aiming to advance ibogaine's potential approval as a treatment option.

Maddy summaryHB 3219 would allow Texas pharmacists to dispense ivermectin without a doctor's prescription by requiring the state health commissioner to issue a statewide order. The bill mandates standardized protocols for pharmacists, including providing patient instructions on proper use, and protects pharmacists from liability when acting in good faith. It also requires pharmacists to submit annual reports on dispensing volumes. This directly affects licensed pharmacists and patients seeking ivermectin, changing current requirements that typically require a prescription.

Maddy summaryHB 4688 modifies Texas law for civil liability cases involving commercial motor vehicle accidents. It restricts when evidence of regulatory violations (like safety rules) can be used in court, requiring such evidence to directly link the violation to the injury and show the rule specifically applied to the situation. The bill also limits claims against employers for driver negligence unless the employer first admits the driver was acting within their job duties at the time of the accident. These changes apply only to cases filed or tried after the bill becomes law.

Maddy summaryHJR 138 proposes amending the Texas Constitution to prohibit the state legislature from imposing taxes based on the carbon content of fuels or emissions of carbon dioxide from goods and services. If approved by voters, it would prevent Texas from enacting any carbon tax policy. The bill failed to pass the Texas Legislature on May 12, 2025, so it did not advance to a voter referendum. This would have directly affected all Texans by blocking a potential state-level carbon tax mechanism.

Maddy summaryHB 3798 prevents Texas municipalities from banning the removal or charging fees for three specific tree removals: diseased or dead trees, trees posing immediate threats to people or property, and Ashe juniper trees on residential properties. The bill directly affects homeowners in Texas cities where Ashe juniper trees (common in Central Texas) are present on residential land. It amends the Local Government Code to require municipalities to allow removal of Ashe juniper trees on homes without requiring permits or imposing mitigation fees. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 437 requires Texas juvenile detention and correctional facilities to place children based on their biological sex as shown on their official birth certificate or other government records. The bill mandates that facilities use a birth certificate entered near birth without non-clerical modifications, or alternative government records if the birth certificate is unavailable. It directly affects juvenile justice departments and facilities operating under Texas Family Code Chapter 51, requiring them to comply with this placement standard or risk losing facility registration. The law also prohibits fees for obtaining birth certificates for this purpose and directs facilities to consider safety needs under existing federal standards.

Maddy summaryHB 4097 requires Texas municipalities to complete annual financial audits and file the results by the 180th day after their fiscal year ends. If a municipality misses this deadline, it cannot adopt a property tax rate higher than its "no-new-revenue tax rate" for the current and subsequent tax years until it complies. This applies to all cities and towns required to conduct audits under state law. The bill imposes a direct financial penalty by restricting tax increases for noncompliant municipalities, effective September 1, 2025. It does not create new audit requirements but adds enforcement for existing obligations under Local Government Code Section 103.001.