Maddy summaryHB 4488 abolishes most new state funds and revenue dedications created by the 2025 Texas Legislature by August 31, 2025, unless specifically exempted. It directly affects state agencies that established temporary funds or revenue streams during the 89th Legislature, requiring them to cease using these dedicated resources for specific purposes. Key exemptions include funds created to comply with constitutional or federal law, existing exempt funds, fee increases for designated purposes, and federal or trust funds requiring separate accounting. The law ensures unappropriated money from abolished funds cannot be used for general government purposes, streamlining state fiscal management. The bill became law after passing both chambers and receiving the Governor's signature on June 20, 2025.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 11 would allow Texas public school districts or charter schools (not affiliated with religious organizations) to adopt a policy requiring daily voluntary prayer and Bible/religious text reading periods on school campuses. To participate, students or employees must provide written consent from a parent/guardian or the employee themselves, acknowledging the choice to participate and waiving legal claims related to the policy. The bill prohibits mandatory participation, using public address systems for these activities, or substituting this time for instruction, and requires physical separation for those who opt out. School districts must also follow specific guidelines to accommodate non-participants, and the Texas Attorney General would provide legal guidance and defend districts in related lawsuits.
Maddy summarySB 24 requires Texas public schools to include specific instruction about communist regimes and ideologies in social studies curricula for students in grades 4 through 12. The bill mandates age-appropriate lessons covering historical events like the Holodomor, Cultural Revolution, and Cambodian genocide under the Khmer Rouge, as well as comparative analysis of communist ideologies versus U.S. democratic principles. It also requires teaching modern threats from communist regimes and methods used to spread such ideologies, including propaganda and censorship. This policy directly affects all public school students in the specified grades across Texas. The law became effective immediately upon the Governor's signature on June 20, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 293 updates Texas judicial oversight by requiring public notice of certain judicial reprimands and clarifying misconduct standards. It directly affects judges (including retired judges), the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, and the public by mandating transparency in disciplinary actions. Key provisions include defining "official misconduct" to cover failures to meet court deadlines, violations of judicial conduct rules, and incompetence, while requiring the Commission to maintain public complaint files. The bill also authorizes administrative penalties for misconduct but does not change judicial compensation or retirement benefits. This law, signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025, takes effect January 1, 2026.
Maddy summarySB 1212 amends Texas Penal Code Section 20A.02 to expand the definition of human trafficking offenses and increase criminal penalties. The bill specifically targets traffickers who force victims into labor, services, or prohibited activities (like prostitution or sexual assault), with enhanced provisions for cases involving children or disabled individuals regardless of the trafficker's knowledge of the victim's status. It increases penalties for trafficking that results in sexual conduct or exploitation, including new provisions addressing online promotion of prostitution. This law directly affects individuals convicted of trafficking offenses, particularly those involving vulnerable populations, and became effective September 1, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 10 requires all Texas public elementary and secondary schools to display a specific, standardized version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom starting September 1, 2025. The law mandates a durable poster or framed copy meeting strict size (at least 16x20 inches) and content requirements, including only the exact text listed in the bill. Schools must display this unless they accept a privately donated version meeting the same specifications, and may optionally use district funds to purchase compliant displays. This directly affects every public school classroom in Texas, requiring a physical display of the specified religious text.
Maddy summaryHB 2293 changes how the Sweeny Hospital District board of directors is structured. It requires the seven board members to be elected "at large by place" (meaning from specific geographic areas within the district, not by district), replacing the previous election method. The bill mandates that current directors will draw lots at the first meeting after the law takes effect (September 1, 2025) to assign each to one of seven designated geographic "places" based on their term expiration dates. This directly affects the Sweeny Hospital District board members and the residents they represent in those specific areas.
Maddy summarySB 1737 clarifies and expands the definitions of "custodial officer" and "law enforcement officer" for retirement benefits under Texas' Employees Retirement System. It adds specific categories of correctional and juvenile justice positions to the "custodial officer" definition, including those with direct contact with inmates or youth in facilities. It also clarifies which law enforcement officers, including those from agencies like the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, Parks and Wildlife Department, and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, qualify for retirement benefits. These changes ensure more officers in these roles can receive retirement benefits based on their service. The bill requires agencies to certify these officers to the retirement system.
Maddy summaryHB 5699 allows Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 405 (MUD 405) to exclude specific undeveloped properties from the district through written contracts with property owners. Once excluded, the property no longer receives district services but remains liable for its proportionate share of the district’s existing debt and debt service taxes until fully paid. The bill requires the district to record exclusion orders in Harris County property records and confirms that excluded property owners must pay their share of debt through annual taxes until the obligation is settled. This legislation validates MUD 405’s prior actions and establishes clear terms for territory exclusion without altering the district’s overall governance or service obligations.
Maddy summarySB 1621 strengthens Texas law against child sexual abuse material by expanding prohibited content to include computer-generated images that appear indistinguishable from real children. It creates new criminal offenses for intentionally possessing or accessing visual material depicting children (defined as those under 18 at image creation) or realistic AI-generated child images engaged in sexual conduct. The bill specifically targets digital content, including AI-created images that mimic real children, and increases penalties for these violations. This law directly affects individuals who possess or access such material, whether depicting real children or computer-generated images meeting the defined criteria. The legislation became effective September 1, 2025, after receiving gubernatorial approval.