Sen. Borris Miles

Maddy summaryHB 1105 exempts paramedics employed by Texas cities, counties, or other local governments from tuition and laboratory fees at public colleges when enrolled in emergency medical services courses. This applies only to students maintaining satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or certificate, and does not cover security deposits, additional fees for residents, or graduate-level surcharges. The exemption excludes distance education courses where more than 20% of enrollment exceeds the institution's designated limit. The bill, signed into law by the governor on June 20, 2025, became effective immediately.

Maddy summaryHB 367 requires Texas public school districts to create a standardized form for verifying excused absences due to students' severe or life-threatening illnesses. The form must be certified by a licensed physician and include specific details: the illness type, confirmation it is serious/life-threatening, the expected absence duration, and a statement that attendance is infeasible during that period. School districts cannot demand additional documentation beyond this form. The bill directly affects students with qualifying illnesses, their parents/guardians (who provide the form), and school districts (which must adopt the form). It standardizes the verification process without changing existing absence policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires commercial bus service operators to notify residents living within one mile of a new bus stop, terminal, or installation at least 90 days before operations begin. The notice must be delivered by mail and include the location's address or description. It applies to all new facilities operated by commercial passenger bus services in Texas and takes effect on September 1, 2025. The law does not restrict bus operations but mandates advance community notification.

Maddy summaryHB 3185 creates Chapter 426 in Texas' Government Code to establish procedures for investigating cybercrimes. It allows prosecutors to issue administrative subpoenas requiring electronic service providers (like internet companies) to produce specific records - such as names, addresses, connection logs, and payment information - during cybercrime investigations, provided there's reasonable cause to believe an account was used in a crime. The bill prohibits providers from disclosing sensitive user data like passwords, in-transit messages, email content, contact lists, or browsing history in response to these subpoenas. This directly affects prosecutors conducting cybercrime investigations and service providers managing user data. The law became effective September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1281 amends Texas Penal Code Section 31.20 to create a new criminal offense for intentionally taking mail without consent when intending to deprive someone of it or steal negotiable instruments. The bill increases penalties based on the scale of the crime: stealing mail from 50+ addressees or 50+ negotiable instruments becomes a first-degree felony, while smaller-scale offenses range from state jail felonies to third-degree felonies. This law directly affects individuals who steal mail from residential or business mailboxes, including packages, letters, or sealed items delivered by carriers. The policy change clarifies and escalates criminal penalties for mail theft to better address thefts targeting multiple victims or financial instruments. The bill was signed into law and takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 500 amends Texas adoption laws to improve access to a child's health, social, educational, and genetic history for prospective adoptive parents. It requires agencies like the Department of Family and Protective Services to compile this information within 45 days after a child's adoption plan is set or parental rights end, and to provide it to adoptive parents within 90 days of their request. The bill mandates redacting sensitive details like social security numbers and protecting identities of biological parents, siblings, or those who reported abuse, while requiring adoptive parents to sign a nondisclosure agreement before receiving confidential details. The law takes effect on September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 4361 requires Texas public institutions of higher education to establish standardized emergency notification procedures that comply with the federal Jeanne Clery Act. It mandates that institutions, in consultation with students, faculty, and staff, adopt clear protocols for timely emergency alerts through required systems. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board must adopt these rules promptly after the bill's effective date. The law took effect immediately on June 20, 2025, after being signed by the Governor. This directly affects all public colleges and universities in Texas, ensuring consistent emergency communication practices.

Maddy summarySB 1141 requires Texas courts to confirm in writing and in open court that the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) provided two specific notices to parents or caregivers before a full adversary hearing in a child welfare case. The court must verify that DFPS informed the person of their right to record the interview (under Section 261.3027) and request an administrative review of DFPS findings (under Section 261.3091), as well as that DFPS provided required information when first contacting them after an investigation began. This requirement applies only to cases filed on or after September 1, 2025. The bill directly affects parents and caregivers involved in DFPS child welfare cases filed under Texas law.

Maddy summaryHB 252 allows certain Texas state agencies to pay employees in positions classified under "Schedule A" (as defined in the General Appropriations Act) twice monthly instead of monthly. Agencies electing this option must comply with the comptroller's requirements for biweekly payroll processing. The bill directly affects state agencies and Schedule A employees by changing their salary payment frequency. It took effect immediately upon the Governor's signature on June 20, 2025. This is a procedural adjustment to payroll timing with no substantive policy changes to compensation amounts.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Texas Water Code to change rules for businesses using general permits to discharge waste into state waters. It requires the state environmental agency to actively authorize a business to resume using a general permit after a denial or suspension, rather than allowing automatic reinstatement. The bill also prohibits the agency from using automatic processes to grant such authorization. These changes apply only to denials or suspensions occurring on or after September 1, 2025.