Rep. Candy Noble

Maddy summaryHB 3 establishes the Texas Interoperability Council to coordinate statewide emergency communication systems, ensuring police, fire, and medical responders can communicate during crises. The bill creates a grant program administered by the council to help local governments (cities, counties, and emergency districts) purchase interoperable radio equipment and build compatible infrastructure. Key provisions require the council to develop a strategic plan for emergency communications and prioritize funding for equipment that works across different agencies. This directly affects local public safety agencies by mandating new communication standards and providing financial support for system upgrades.

Maddy summarySB 2 allows justices of the peace in counties without medical examiners to skip autopsies for deaths caused by natural disasters (like hurricanes or floods), provided they confirm: 1) the death resulted from disaster injuries, 2) no unlawful act caused it, and 3) no family member is seeking an autopsy. It requires the state to create a training program for these justices on managing mass fatality events, including autopsy decisions, body documentation, and coordinating with agencies. The law expires April 1, 2027, and directly affects local officials handling disaster-related deaths in rural counties. The bill does not impose licensing or fees, as implied in its title but not reflected in the actual text.

Maddy summaryHB 48 creates a nine-member working group under the Texas Division of Emergency Management to study the state's alert notification systems. The group will evaluate current systems used by the Texas Department of Public Safety and emergency management, including how "notification fatigue" (reducing unnecessary alerts that cause people to ignore them) affects their effectiveness. The working group must hold hearings, consult with federal agencies, and submit a report with legislative recommendations by December 1, 2026. The working group expires on January 1, 2027, after completing its study.

Maddy summaryHR 58 amends the Texas House of Representatives' permanent rules to remove a restriction preventing the minority party from appointing a member as vice-chair of standing committees. It also eliminates a separate budget for the vice-chair position. These changes directly affect committee leadership structure by allowing bipartisan appointments for vice-chairs and removing dedicated funding for that role. The bill specifically revises Rule 4, Section 4A (removing the party restriction) and adds Rule 4, Section 6A(c) (ending the separate budget). This is a procedural rule change focused on internal committee operations, not a policy affecting public programs or services.

Maddy summaryHB 66 creates a Texas Disaster Relief and Prevention Matching Grant and Loan Program, funded through a new state account. It provides matching grants to local governments and businesses in declared disaster areas for disaster recovery, infrastructure repairs, and future disaster mitigation. The bill also authorizes loans for these entities and for individuals to repair or rebuild disaster-damaged homes with added mitigation features. Eligibility requires applicants to qualify for FEMA public assistance or SBA disaster loans.

Maddy summaryHB 5 allocates $324 million in supplemental funds from Texas' economic stabilization fund for disaster relief and preparedness. It provides $200 million to match federal disaster aid and support state disaster funds, $50 million for flood warning systems and equipment in 27 counties affected by a July 2025 flood declaration, and $24 million to improve weather forecasting and flood management in the Texas Hill Country. An additional $50 million is contingent on passing related legislation about emergency communication systems. The bill directly affects local governments in designated counties and state agencies managing disaster response.

Maddy summaryHB 2 requires justices of the peace in counties without a medical examiner to complete training on managing mass fatality events within one year of election. The training covers autopsy decisions, body identification protocols, missing persons data collection, interagency coordination, and real-time family notifications. Failure to complete this training is defined as "incompetency" for removal under local government law. The bill also allows the Texas Commission on Fire Protection to access criminal history records for license applicants and employees while restricting disclosure of that information. It authorizes fees related to these requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 122 eliminates certain state-mandated assessment requirements that exceed federal education law. It removes Texas-specific testing mandates for subjects like social studies (grade 8) and end-of-course exams (e.g., Algebra I, English I, English II) that aren't required by federal law. The bill amends education code to ensure only assessments necessary for federal compliance (like the Every Student Succeeds Act) remain mandatory. This directly affects Texas public schools and students by reducing testing burdens in non-federally required subjects. The key change is aligning state assessment requirements strictly with federal minimums.

Maddy summaryHB 64 creates a rule that Texas state senators and representatives lose their seats if absent from all legislative proceedings without approved leave for seven consecutive days when their house is in session. This provision directly affects legislators who miss sessions without permission, triggering an immediate vacancy. The bill specifies that the absence must occur during days the house is meeting, not just calendar days. It would take effect immediately if passed with a two-thirds vote, otherwise 91 days after the legislative session ends.

Maddy summaryHB 186 restricts how local governments (like cities, counties, and school districts) can use public funds for lobbying. It prohibits spending public money to hire registered lobbyists or pay nonprofit groups that represent local governments and employ lobbyists. Exceptions include activities by elected officials, employees providing information to legislators, travel expenses for such activities, and services by associations representing sheriffs or law enforcement. The bill allows taxpayers to sue to stop prohibited spending and recover legal fees if they win. This directly affects local government budget decisions regarding legislative advocacy.