Rep. Trent Ashby

Maddy summaryHB 3000 creates a state grant program to provide financial assistance to qualified rural ambulance service providers in counties with populations of 68,750 or less. Counties may apply for grants of up to $500,000 (for counties under 10,000 people) or $350,000 (for counties between 10,000-68,750 people) to purchase ambulances, with funds restricted solely to ambulance procurement. Grants require counties to maintain ambulance service budgets in the following fiscal year and prioritize counties with greater distance to trauma facilities or limited funding capacity. The program, now law after being signed by the governor on June 20, 2025, aims to ensure adequate ground ambulance services in underserved rural areas.

Maddy summaryHB 3751 transfers a specific 3-acre property at 715 Pine Street in Woodville, Texas (currently used by the Texas Department of Transportation for a maintenance facility) from TxDOT to the Texas Department of Public Safety. The bill requires TxDOT to complete this transfer by November 30, 2025, using a detailed legal boundary description (metes and bounds). It also exempts this transfer from certain provisions in the Transportation Code and Natural Resources Code. The property is identified in Tyler County records as A0657 J. Wheat Block 42 Tract 11.

Maddy summaryHB 4535 requires healthcare providers to obtain written informed consent before administering any COVID-19 vaccine to patients, including parental or guardian consent for minors or individuals lacking decision-making capacity. The law mandates that consent forms include acknowledgment of receiving a standardized information sheet developed by the state health department. This sheet must detail vaccine benefits/risks, accelerated development timeline, availability of long-term studies, manufacturer liability status, and instructions for reporting adverse reactions through the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). The law, effective September 1, 2025, applies directly to healthcare providers and patients receiving COVID-19 vaccinations in Texas.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the Rural Health Stabilization and Innovation Act, creates a State Office of Rural Hospital Finance to develop and implement a strategic plan for rural hospitals in Texas. The plan must include specific strategies to improve access to hospital services - such as enhanced Medicaid reimbursement, hospital rate enhancements, or reduced regulatory costs - and require annual financial vulnerability assessments to evaluate each hospital’s ability to maintain services, meet obligations, and remain operational. The office will submit annual reports to the legislature, governor, and budget board detailing progress on these goals. This law directly affects rural hospitals by mandating participation in this structured program to address financial challenges and sustain healthcare access in underserved communities.

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 summaryHB 4429 designates a specific segment of U.S. Highway 281 in Blanco and Burnet Counties - between State Highway 71 and Ranch Road 962 - as the Muckleroy Family Memorial Highway. The bill requires the Texas Department of Transportation to install markers at both ends of the designated segment and at appropriate intermediate locations along the highway. This is a commemorative designation with no new policy or funding requirements; it solely names the highway segment for recognition. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after receiving gubernatorial approval.

Maddy summaryHB 668 amends Texas law to change how handgun license holders renew their permits. It requires license holders to submit a renewal application form, pay a $40 nonrefundable fee, and sign an informational form on or before their license's expiration anniversary. This applies to all license holders renewing permits expiring before, on, or after the law's effective date. The bill, signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025, took effect immediately and directly affects Texas residents holding active handgun carry licenses seeking renewal.

Maddy summarySB 23 increases the school district homestead tax exemption for elderly (65+) or disabled homeowners from $10,000 to $60,000 of their home's appraised value. This directly affects eligible homeowners who qualify for the exemption and school districts that may lose local tax revenue due to the change. The bill requires the state to provide additional aid to school districts to offset revenue losses from the higher exemption, starting with the 2025-2026 school year. The state aid calculation compares current revenue to what would have been collected under the previous exemption amount. The bill was signed into law on June 16, 2025, and is now effective.

Maddy summaryThis Texas bill (SB 4) increases the homestead exemption for school district property taxes from $100,000 to $140,000 per homeowner, directly affecting residential property owners. School districts will receive additional state aid to offset revenue losses from this exemption increase, calculated as the difference between current local revenue and what would have been available before the change. The compensation mechanism applies starting with the 2023-2024 school year for the initial exemption increase and will extend to future changes proposed for 2025. This ensures school districts maintain funding stability despite reduced local tax revenue from larger homestead exemptions.

Maddy summaryHB 9 creates a property tax exemption for businesses owning tangible personal property (like equipment or inventory) used to generate income. It exempts $125,000 of the appraised value of such property at each location within a taxing unit, regardless of the property's individual value. The exemption applies to all businesses holding income-producing property at a single address, and related businesses operating under a unified enterprise must aggregate their property to calculate the exemption. Additionally, businesses leasing such property receive the full $125,000 exemption for all leased items, even if located across different taxing units.