Sen. Bryan Hughes

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Texas state agencies, including public universities, to undergo mandatory efficiency audits every six years to evaluate how effectively they use resources like funding, staff, and technology to achieve program goals. The state auditor must select an external auditor (a private firm) to conduct each audit, and the agency being audited must pay the audit costs. Audits must specifically examine whether resources are used efficiently for intended purposes and not diverted elsewhere, while avoiding overlap with existing Sunset Act reviews. The law establishes a schedule for these audits and ensures external auditors operate independently of the agencies they review.

Maddy summarySB 1187 creates a state jail felony offense for Texas delegates or alternate delegates who knowingly cast an unauthorized vote at a federal Article V convention (a meeting to propose constitutional amendments). The bill directly affects individuals appointed to represent Texas at such conventions. Key provisions include criminal penalties for unauthorized voting, with judges required to impose at least 10 days in county jail as a condition of community supervision, and prohibit crediting that time toward any future sentence. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis resolution recognizes March 4, 2025, as "Make Texans Healthy Again Day" and encourages Texans to learn about the national health movement. It cites statistics on chronic disease, obesity, diabetes, mental health challenges, and rising healthcare costs in Texas and the U.S. as context for the recognition. The bill contains no policy changes, funding mechanisms, or direct obligations - it is purely symbolic. It does not affect any specific group or create new requirements.

Maddy summarySB 1219 requires Texas health care facilities to provide patients with written price estimates for nonemergency elective procedures (like surgeries or inpatient admissions) before scheduling. Facilities must deliver these estimates within 24 hours of a patient’s request, detailing the total amount they’ll accept as full payment, and explain factors that may affect final costs. The bill also limits final bills to no more than 5% above the estimate, unless charges result from unforeseen complications or a new diagnosis documented in the patient’s chart. This directly affects patients seeking elective care and healthcare facilities that provide such services, aiming to increase billing transparency.

Maddy summarySB 1269 requires Texas health care providers to offer patients an itemized bill for services and supplies through three methods: electronically via a patient portal, by mail, or as a hard copy obtained in person at the provider's office. Patients can request a copy of this bill at any time after it's first issued and choose their preferred delivery method. The bill updates existing rules under the Health and Safety Code and takes effect September 1, 2025. It directly affects patients receiving health care services and the providers who bill them, focusing on improving access to clear billing information.

Maddy summarySB 1218 modifies Texas trust accounting rules to require trustees to separately allocate certain receipts and disbursements to trust principal or income, even when the distribution rules for both are identical. This change, effective September 1, 2025, allows courts to compel such allocation upon a showing of "good cause," overriding a previous exemption in Section 113.152(b). The bill directly affects trustees managing trust accounts and courts overseeing trust accounting disputes. It ensures detailed financial reporting by mandating clear separation of principal and income transactions in written accountings, as specified in amended Property Code sections. This policy change applies only to accounting demands made on or after the effective date.

Maddy summarySB 1153 prohibits the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) from taking actions that disrupt commerce - such as halting commercial transportation - based solely on astronomical events (e.g., eclipses or meteor showers), unless a state disaster declaration under Government Code Sections 418.014 or 418.108, or a federal disaster declaration by the U.S. president, applies. The bill amends the Transportation Code to explicitly limit the TxDMV’s authority in such scenarios, ensuring that astronomical events alone cannot justify commerce disruptions. It takes effect September 1, 2025. This is a procedural clarification of agency authority, not a new policy.

Maddy summarySB 1221 requires local administrative judges in Texas counties to establish a court security committee. The committee must include the judge (or designee), a sheriff's representative, constable office representatives, a county commissioners court member, judges from non-municipal courts, a justice of the peace, and a county attorney or district attorney representative. Its purpose is to adopt security policies and procedures for county courts. The bill creates the committee structure but does not specify security measures or policies. It affects county court operations by mandating this specific governance framework.

Maddy summaryThis Texas bill (SB 1287) requires health insurers to count certain out-of-pocket cost reductions for covered prescription drugs toward an enrollee’s overall cost-sharing limits (like deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums). It specifically applies when a patient accesses a drug without a generic equivalent or through prior authorization/step therapy, and the drug is classified as an "essential health benefit" under federal law. The rule applies only to health plans delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026. It directly affects Texas Medicaid and private plan enrollees who pay for covered drugs under these specific access scenarios.

Maddy summarySB 1161 requires healthcare providers in Texas to notify parents, guardians, or managing conservators if they restrict access to a child’s online health records (for children 17 or younger). Providers must send email notifications every six months - using the most recent contact address - with the provider’s contact details for accessing records. This applies only to electronic health records for children who received care within the past 48 months. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and does not mandate proof that notifications were received.