Rep. Carl Tepper

Maddy summaryHB 17 would prohibit citizens of designated countries (China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or others named by the governor) from purchasing real property in Texas. It creates criminal penalties for violations, making such purchases illegal under state law. Exceptions apply to U.S. citizens, lawful residents, and businesses owned by them. The law would override existing property rights for these foreign buyers, directly affecting individuals and entities from designated countries seeking to buy land in Texas.

Maddy summaryHB 1783 establishes new requirements for ballot propositions in Texas elections. It mandates that city ballot language must be clear, definite, and neutral to prevent misleading voters, requiring the Secretary of State to review propositions within seven days of submission. If language is found misleading, cities must revise it, with the Secretary of State drafting a final version after three failed attempts. The bill also prohibits corporations and labor organizations from contributing to recall election petitions (while allowing religious organizations to circulate such petitions). These changes directly affect cities, petitioners, and voters involved in local elections and ballot initiatives.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires dog owners whose pets are taken into custody by animal control to microchip and vaccinate the dog with a core vaccine (protecting against distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, and parvovirus) within 30 days for first-time cases or 60 days for repeat incidents. Owners must provide proof of compliance to animal control authorities by these deadlines, with extensions for weekends/holidays. Failure to comply may result in a civil penalty, with higher penalties if the dog is taken into custody again. Exceptions include puppies under four months, service animals, dogs used in breed competitions, and dogs with vet-certified health reasons preventing microchipping/vaccination.

Maddy summaryHB 3677 requires Texas licensing boards for professions like nursing, law, architecture, and healthcare to issue licenses to out-of-state applicants who hold current, active licenses in another state. To qualify, applicants must have held their out-of-state license for at least one year, met similar education/exam requirements, and have no disqualifying criminal history or recent disciplinary actions. The bill applies specifically to 22 licensing authorities, including the Texas Medical Board and State Board of Nursing, but excludes facility licensing. This policy directly affects licensed professionals seeking to practice in Texas without retaking exams or meeting redundant requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 1453 restricts how certain local governments in Texas can issue short-term borrowing instruments (anticipation notes and certificates of obligation). It prohibits these issuers from authorizing such notes to pay for projects if a similar bond proposal for the same purpose was recently rejected by voters within the past five years. The bill applies to municipalities, counties, and specific hospital districts (including those in large counties or created after 2003). Key provisions clarify definitions of "eligible countywide districts" and "public work," but the main change limits short-term borrowing when voter-approved bonds for identical projects have failed.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows student athletes at certain Texas colleges to earn money from their name, image, and likeness (like social media posts or autographs) when not in team activities, and to get legal help for related contracts. Schools cannot block these earnings or require athletes to sign contracts conflicting with team rules, team contracts, or institutional policies. Athletes must disclose NIL deals to their school and cannot earn money for athletic performance, accept payment from their school, or endorse banned products like alcohol, gambling, or tobacco. The bill clarifies student athletes are not employees of their schools based on athletic participation.

Maddy summaryHB 3259 allows cities and counties with populations under 400,000 to choose not to join two state event funding programs: the major events reimbursement program (Chapter 478) and the events trust fund (Chapter 480). If they opt out, they instead receive a portion of state hotel occupancy tax revenue collected in their area, as specified in Tax Code Section 156.2514. This opt-out lasts for four years, requiring written notice to the governor, and during this period, they cannot participate in the event programs or receive related disbursements. After four years, they may revoke the opt-out by notifying the governor before specific deadlines to rejoin the programs.

Maddy summaryHB 2992 amends Texas law to rename the "rural veterinarian incentive program" to the "rural and shelter veterinarian incentive program." It updates definitions to explicitly include shelter medicine (care for stray/abandoned animals) and establishes criteria for "high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter clinics" (averaging 40+ dogs spayed/neutered daily at below-market fees). The bill also clarifies that "rural counties" are defined as those with populations under 150,000. These changes directly affect rural veterinarians, shelter clinics, and veterinary colleges by expanding the program's scope and defining eligibility more precisely.

Maddy summaryHB 3089 exempts real property repair and remodeling services (such as fixing roofs, updating kitchens, or renovating homes) from Texas sales and use taxes. This applies to residential properties but excludes repairs for aircraft, most boats (except pleasure vessels), and motor vehicles. The bill clarifies that contractors must separately itemize labor charges for these exempt services on invoices. Homeowners, contractors, and the residential construction industry directly benefit by avoiding sales tax on these common home improvement services.

Maddy summaryHB 3210 requires state contractors, local governments (political subdivisions), and private employers in Texas to use the federal E-Verify program to confirm employee work authorization. The bill mandates that state agencies cannot award contracts to entities not registered with E-Verify, and contracts must include a certification statement confirming compliance. Contractors must maintain E-Verify participation throughout the contract term, and violations would be referred to the comptroller for action. This policy directly affects businesses and government entities entering into state contracts by making federal employment verification a contractual condition. The bill focuses on implementing existing federal verification requirements through state contract rules.