Sen. Lois Kolkhorst

Maddy summarySB 462 requires Texas child-care providers to give priority placement on waiting lists to children of licensed child-care workers who work at least 25 hours per week. This applies to workers employed in licensed facilities (excluding facility owners/directors unless their child is in a separate program). The law mandates that these priority placements must be reviewed annually for eligibility. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, after being signed into law by the Governor on May 28, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1523 temporarily prohibits the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality from authorizing Class V injection wells for aquifer storage projects in specific areas. It directly affects municipally-owned water utilities serving cities with populations of 750,000 or more located in counties adjacent to groundwater conservation districts that have certified environmental risks from such wells. The prohibition applies only where a groundwater district has adopted a resolution identifying Class V wells as posing aquifer risks, and it expires December 31, 2027. This bill creates a time-limited regulatory restriction on water storage projects under defined conditions.

Maddy summaryHB 116 modifies Texas Family Code provisions regarding parental support obligations after a court terminates a parent's rights. It requires financially able parents whose rights were terminated (under specific grounds like abandonment, endangerment, or failure to support) to provide child support until the child turns 18, graduates high school, is adopted, or reaches legal adulthood - whichever occurs first. The bill also clarifies the legal grounds for termination, including cases where parents left children without support for 3-6 months, endangered children's well-being, or abandoned children during pregnancy. This directly affects parents whose rights were terminated under Family Code Sections 161.001(b)(1)(S), (T), or (U), and children in foster care or substitute care. The law took 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 summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 614) formally recognizes the 40 University of Texas System students serving as the inaugural cohort of the Texas Legislative Fellowship Program during the 89th Texas Legislature. The resolution acknowledges their roles supporting legislators and state offices through full-time internships focused on legislative processes, policymaking, and constituent services. It specifically lists each fellow's placement in Senate or House offices and state agency roles. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no policy impact or funding provisions. The resolution was adopted by the Senate on May 28, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 796 would allow the Texas legislature to declare certain federal laws, executive orders, or agency rules unconstitutional if they infringe on state powers under the Tenth Amendment or limit Texas's ability to protect public health, safety, or welfare. The bill creates a process where the legislature could pass a concurrent resolution to declare a federal directive unconstitutional and then prohibit state and local government employees from enforcing it. This would directly affect most state and local officials, including county, city, school district, and charter school employees, but exclude the lieutenant governor, legislators, and their staff. The bill does not create new penalties but establishes a formal legislative mechanism to block state enforcement of federal actions deemed unconstitutional by the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 2884 requires claimants (plaintiffs) and their attorneys in civil lawsuits involving US defense contractors to disclose any funding received from individuals, entities, or governments affiliated with nations under US sanctions or embargoes. Claimants must identify all such funding sources in initial court filings and update disclosures within 10 days if new funding sources emerge during the case. All disclosures must be made under oath and cannot be withheld on grounds of privilege or confidentiality. This law applies specifically to civil actions concerning defense contractor activities, regardless of whether the contractor is a named party.

Maddy summaryHB 1615 creates a new legal framework for the Willacy County Navigation District by adding Chapter 5008 to Texas' Special District Local Laws Code. The bill establishes definitions, board structure (five commissioners with staggered four-year terms), election rules (four single-member districts plus one at-large seat), and administrative procedures for the district. It does not change the district's operational policies or funding but organizes its legal structure by updating references to existing 1953 laws. This technical revision directly affects Willacy County Navigation District operations and governance. The bill passed both chambers in 2025 and was filed without the governor's signature, becoming effective upon filing.

Maddy summaryHB 3225 requires municipal public libraries in Texas to restrict minors (under 18) from accessing sexually explicit materials in sections designated for younger audiences. Libraries must remove such materials from "minor's sections" and obtain legal guardian consent before allowing minors to check out or view these materials. The bill imposes civil penalties for violations, including fines. It directly affects municipal public libraries, minors, and their guardians by changing how libraries manage content access in designated youth areas.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment requiring Texas judges to deny bail to individuals classified as "illegal aliens" charged with felony offenses, if a judge determines probable cause exists. It defines "illegal alien" as someone who entered the U.S. without inspection or violated nonimmigrant visa terms. The amendment would automatically deny bail pending trial for such individuals, without requiring additional proof of flight risk or danger. If approved by voters in 2025, it would become part of the Texas Constitution. (Note: This is a procedural proposal requiring voter approval, not an immediate law.)