Sen. Lois Kolkhorst

Maddy summarySB 867 amends Texas law to require housing finance corporations to follow open meetings and open records laws (Chapters 551 and 552 of the Government Code). This directly affects housing finance corporations by mandating public transparency in their meetings and records. The key provision adds Section 394.0045 to the Local Government Code, applying standard public accountability rules to these entities. The bill does not create a new fee, as its title suggests, but instead modifies governance requirements for existing housing finance corporations. These changes ensure greater public access to the operations of entities managing affordable housing programs.

Maddy summarySB 2031 allows owners of registered breeder deer release sites to remove surrounding fences under specific conditions. To qualify, owners must wait at least five years since the last deer release, notify adjacent landowners, and ensure the site has no significant connection to a facility with chronic wasting disease (CWD). The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department must certify the absence of CWD at strict confidence levels - 95% for sites with no CWD connection or 99% for sites with a trace connection to a CWD facility - based on testing and compliance records. The law takes effect on September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Texas pet stores from selling dogs or cats, with limited exceptions for showcasing animals for adoption through qualified animal control agencies or nonprofit rescue organizations. Pet stores may only host these organizations if they meet strict criteria, such as not breeding animals, not receiving payment for animals, and having no ties to breeders or animal brokers. Violations carry a civil penalty of up to $500 per day for each animal sold in violation. The law applies only to animals obtained by pet stores on or after the effective date.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 13) urges the U.S. Department of State and the International Boundary and Water Commission to ensure Mexico complies with the 1944 Treaty on shared water resources. It specifically addresses Mexico's failure to deliver the required 350,000 acre-feet of water annually (averaged over five years), with a current deficit of 984,814 acre-feet. The resolution highlights how this shortfall harms Texas water users, including municipal, agricultural, and industrial sectors in the Rio Grande Valley, impacting reservoir levels and causing economic losses like the closure of Texas' only sugar mill. As a non-binding resolution, it formally requests U.S. federal agencies to take action but does not change legal obligations.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Texas insurers and insurer holding companies from adopting or including in proxy statements shareholder proposals that restrict fossil fuel insurance, require emissions tracking, or limit insurance for environmental/social causes. It defines "political shareholder proposals" to specifically cover three types of requests: banning fossil fuel-related coverage, mandating emissions tracking (including for insureds or investments), or restricting insurance for entities pursuing environmental/social goals. The law would take effect September 1, 2025, directly affecting all insurers operating under Texas law. It creates a clear prohibition on these specific types of shareholder initiatives without requiring insurer action on broader environmental or social policies.

Maddy summarySB 318 creates an "election integrity division" within the Texas Attorney General's office, directly affecting the AG's office and local election officials (political subdivisions). The division investigates alleged election fraud or violations of the Election Code using available funds, can request state law enforcement assistance, and has authority to issue administrative subpoenas compelling document production or witness testimony from local governments. The bill requires the division to operate under existing or newly appropriated funding and takes effect on September 1, 2025. This establishes a formal state-level investigative mechanism for election-related concerns.

Maddy summarySB 946 prohibits lenders from denying credit to organizations based on non-financial factors like social credit scores, environmental/social/governance (ESG) ratings, diversity initiatives, or associations with specific industries (e.g., fossil fuels, firearms, or free-speech media). It directly affects organizations seeking loans by banning these criteria in credit decisions, requiring lenders to base approvals solely on financial risk metrics. The bill’s key provision explicitly prohibits using subjective value judgments - such as an organization’s DEI practices or industry ties - as reasons to restrict credit. The bill was reported adversely by the Senate State Affairs Committee with a 9-1 vote against it on May 5, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1215 creates a permitting system for placing cultivated (farmed) oysters in natural oyster beds, private oyster beds, or coastal waters in Texas. It requires written approval from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for such placements, replacing a previous blanket prohibition. The bill mandates the department to develop best management practices for reviewing these requests. This directly affects oyster farmers, shellfish businesses, and coastal resource managers who must now seek authorization before placing farmed oysters in designated waters. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Texas Education Code Section 85.24 to expand the Texas A&M University System's board of regents authority over utility systems. It directly affects Texas A&M's operations, specifically allowing the board to construct, acquire, improve, and equip power, water, and sewer systems on university property - particularly in Brazos County. Key provisions include enabling the board to charge for these services to campus buildings (like dorms and athletic facilities), allocate costs to revenue-producing facilities, and issue bonds backed by future service fees to fund projects. The law creates a clear process for financing infrastructure upgrades without requiring new state appropriations.

Maddy summarySB 466 updates Texas law to clarify the definition of a "fetal death certificate" in the Health and Safety Code. It specifies that such a certificate applies to: (1) fetuses weighing 350 grams or more, or at least 20 weeks gestation (if weight is unknown), or (2) any fetus when a family member requests a certificate. This change directly affects hospitals, medical examiners, and families who experience fetal loss, ensuring consistent certification practices. The bill does not create new requirements but standardizes existing procedures for documenting fetal deaths.