Sen. Mayes Middleton

Maddy summarySB 450 restricts lobbying by former Texas state legislators for a specific period after leaving office. It prohibits former legislators from engaging in registered lobbying activities until after the second regular legislative session following their departure, with limited exceptions for non-profits, individuals, low-income groups, or disability groups without compensation. Violating this law would be a Class A misdemeanor. The bill applies only to legislators who cease office on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Texas' central registry for child abuse and neglect findings by establishing specific time limits for maintaining names based on case severity. Names will stay in the registry for 5 years for "Moderate" cases, 15 years for "Serious" cases, 30 years for "Severe" cases (or 15 years if a child returned home), and 99 years for "Near Fatal" or "Fatal" cases. It adds new rules requiring removal of names if a case is overturned through administrative review or court, and mandates removal within 10 business days of such a ruling. The bill also requires the department to remove names when it was named managing conservator due to inability to access mental health services for the child, and directs the commissioner to adopt implementing rules.

Maddy summarySB 418 would limit public junior colleges in Texas to offering no more than five baccalaureate (bachelor's) degree programs at any time. It also requires these institutions to meet two financial thresholds: having at least $6 billion in taxable property valuation in the previous year and receiving a positive financial health assessment from the state education board. The bill directly affects public junior colleges seeking to expand or maintain bachelor's degree programs, imposing new restrictions on program availability and financial eligibility. These changes aim to ensure institutions have sufficient resources to support such programs, while the state board retains oversight authority.

Maddy summarySB 454 creates a legal presumption that firefighters and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) are eligible for workers' compensation benefits for infertility if they regularly responded to fire-related calls or to incidents involving radiation or known carcinogens. This means these workers would automatically qualify for benefits without needing to prove a direct link between their infertility and job duties. The bill defines infertility as the inability to conceive after 12 months of regular, unprotected intercourse. It also requires insurance carriers to provide written notice to employees and the state about their investigation of such claims and the evidence they have before denying benefits.

Maddy summarySB 475 establishes a school safety review process for Texas public school students who commit violent criminal conduct, such as assault. If a principal has reasonable grounds to believe a student engaged in such conduct, they must refer the student to a teacher-led committee or report to law enforcement. The committee then refers the student to either a juvenile diversion program (requiring community service or tutoring) or a school safety referral board composed of teachers, a district attorney, sheriff investigator, and a parent. This process applies directly to students involved in violent incidents after school investigations, with no criminal penalties for the students outlined in the bill text.

Maddy summarySB 518 changes eligibility for community supervision (like probation) and parole for certain repeat offenders convicted of intoxication-related offenses. It specifically removes eligibility for these options for individuals convicted of 19 defined offenses, including repeat drug crimes (e.g., Section 49.04 of the Penal Code), offenses involving violence, or crimes against children or vulnerable victims. The bill applies directly to offenders with prior convictions for these specific intoxication-related offenses. This policy change is a direct modification to existing criminal procedure law, affecting sentencing options for these repeat offenders.

Maddy summarySB 520 establishes a priority system for Texas state agencies to consider public comments on matters they are required to solicit input for. It requires agencies to prioritize comments first from Texas residents directly affected by the issue, then Texas residents not directly affected, then Texas-based businesses/nonprofits, and finally non-Texas individuals or entities. Comments in the lowest priority tier (non-Texas) can be recorded but cannot influence decisions or delay agency actions. Agencies must adopt this policy by December 31, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 329 creates two new judicial districts in Brazoria County: the 490th Judicial District (effective September 1, 2025) and the 491st Judicial District (effective September 1, 2026). Each district is defined as covering the entire Brazoria County, adding to the county's existing judicial structure. This procedural bill reorganizes judicial districts without altering court procedures or substantive laws.

Maddy summarySB 420 would require Texas' secretary of state to order a new election in counties with 2.7 million or more residents if two conditions are met: at least 2% of voting locations run out of ballots during voting hours *and* they don't receive supplemental ballots after requesting them. The bill sets clear standards for when a new election is triggered, focusing on ballot shortages that disrupt voting access. It grants the secretary of state the same procedural authority as a district court to manage the new election process and specifies that costs will be covered by the same fund used for the original election. This bill applies only to elections held on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires state agencies to notify legislative committees or members in writing within 5 business days if they plan to ask requesters to sign confidentiality agreements for public information requests made for legislative purposes. If agencies fail to provide this notice on time or if the agreement isn't signed by the 10th business day after notice, they cannot require the confidentiality agreement. The law applies only to information requests received on or after September 1, 2025. It directly affects how Texas legislative bodies obtain public records from state agencies under the public information law.