Rep. Salman Bhojani

Maddy summaryHB 37 requires hospitals with maternal care designations to provide bereavement counseling options and perinatal bereavement devices (which delay tissue deterioration for up to 72 hours after pregnancy loss or infant death) to families following intrauterine fetal demise, neonatal death, or stillbirth. The Texas Department of State Health Services must establish a perinatal bereavement care initiative offering hospitals training for staff on compassionate communication and resources like devices with maintenance support. This law directly affects designated hospitals and families experiencing pregnancy or infant loss in Texas. The initiative aims to improve access to supportive care during this difficult time, with the law taking effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 21 amends Texas Local Government Code provisions affecting housing finance corporations that develop or manage low- and moderate-income housing. It defines qualifying residential developments as those where at least 90% of units are intended for households with adjusted gross income below state-defined moderate income levels. The bill also requires these corporations to follow open meetings and public records laws (Chapter 551 and 552, Government Code) and restricts their development to areas within the boundaries of their sponsoring local governments - unless approved by those governing bodies. These changes clarify operational rules and transparency requirements for housing finance corporations serving low- and moderate-income residents.

Maddy summarySB 1080 requires Texas licensing authorities to issue either a full occupational license or a provisional license (valid for six months) to otherwise qualified applicants who have been convicted of certain offenses, instead of automatically denying their applications. The provisional license begins on the date an applicant is released from prison if they were incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. This bill directly affects individuals with criminal convictions seeking occupational licenses (such as for nursing, contracting, or other licensed professions) who meet all other qualification requirements. It aims to reduce barriers to employment by providing a temporary licensing pathway for these applicants.

Maddy summaryHB 1939 creates a 4% credit for Texas school districts that prepay attendance credit costs under the public school finance system. Specifically, districts that elect to pay for attendance credit using a specified payment method and pay the full amount by February 15 each school year receive this credit. The bill directly affects all Texas public school districts required to purchase attendance credit under Chapter 49 of the Education Code. The credit applies after other applicable reductions and takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 455 requires that surplus lines insurance contracts (for risks wholly located in Texas) include arbitration agreements conducted in Texas under Texas law, unless both insurer and policyholder agree to change the venue after the insurer provides written notice and a premium credit for added costs. This applies to new or renewed contracts on or after January 1, 2026, affecting insurers and policyholders purchasing specialized insurance for high-risk properties in Texas. The bill ensures arbitration venues and legal interpretations remain tied to Texas, preventing out-of-state arbitration without financial compensation to policyholders. It becomes effective September 1, 2025, but the new rules apply to contracts delivered after 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1057 increases salary and retirement benefits for certified career or technology education teachers in Texas public schools. The bill amends state law to allow these teachers to count up to five years of relevant work experience in their field (up from two years) toward both their salary step placement and service credit in the Teacher Retirement System. This change directly affects career/tech teachers who have industry experience before teaching, enabling them to advance faster in salary and retirement benefits. The policy takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryHB 112 creates a legal framework for establishing science park districts in Texas counties with populations of 800,000 or more, or adjacent to such counties. It requires property owners to petition the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office to form a district, which would be governed by a board and overseen by the Texas Science Park Commission. The bill aims to support technology companies, scientific research, workforce development, and infrastructure through collaboration between universities, industry, and government. Districts must operate without acting as agents for private interests, focusing on public benefits like strengthening domestic supply chains and innovation ecosystems.

Maddy summaryHB 4582 proposes a reimbursement program for developers who build infrastructure (like roads, water, and sewer systems) for qualifying "attainable housing developments" in specific Texas counties and municipalities. It applies only to developments meeting strict criteria: at least 7 acres with 50+ single-family homes (each 1,000+ sq ft), connected to public utilities, governed by property owner agreements, and offering units to veterans/military, first responders, or school employees. Developers must prove the infrastructure would have been built by the municipality/county otherwise, and comply with federal tenant protections. This bill, currently pending in committee, aims to reduce developer costs for housing projects in targeted high-population areas.

Maddy summaryHB 554 creates a new window for fireworks sales in Texas counties that approve it, specifically allowing sales from June 14 through June 19 (Juneteenth). This directly affects retail fireworks sellers in counties where commissioners courts have approved the sale period. The bill amends existing law to add this Juneteenth window to the list of authorized seasonal sale periods, alongside existing dates like Independence Day and July 4. It became effective immediately after the governor signed it on May 26, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 517 prohibits property owners' associations from fining homeowners for discolored or brown grass/turf during official residential water restrictions. It specifically applies when a municipality or water supplier mandates drought-related watering limits, and the fine ban lasts through the restriction period plus 60 days after it ends. The law directly affects homeowners in communities with property associations and prevents associations from enforcing landscaping fines during water shortages. This policy change takes effect September 1, 2025, and is limited to mandatory drought restrictions, not voluntary conservation efforts.