Sen. Bob Hall

Maddy summarySB 120 requires hospitals to grant temporary privileges to physicians not on their medical staff when a patient has an existing relationship with that physician and requests care from them. It limits hospital liability for damages arising from care provided by such physicians, stating hospitals cannot be held liable for this care under the law. The bill directly affects hospitals, patients seeking care from specific physicians, and physicians not affiliated with a hospital's medical staff. This policy change would take effect September 1, 2025, if not passed with immediate effect.

Maddy summarySB 89 amends Texas Penal Code sections 43.24 and 43.25 to change legal defenses for criminal cases involving material or conduct deemed harmful to children. It removes "scientific or educational" justifications as a defense while adding new ones: (1) if the defendant was a law enforcement or judicial officer acting in their official duties, and (2) if the conduct was between spouses, for legitimate educational/medical/judicial purposes, or involved a defendant within two years of the child's age. The bill applies only to offenses committed on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025, leaving prior cases governed by older law. It directly affects defendants charged with these offenses and prosecutors seeking to prove them.

Maddy summarySB 132 limits public health directives issued during a state of disaster or disease outbreak by requiring them to be no stricter than U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) directives for undocumented immigrants. It applies to governors issuing state-level directives under Texas Government Code and local health authorities under Health and Safety Code. The bill mandates that any new public health order cannot impose more restrictions on the general public than ICE applies to undocumented immigrants. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, unless passed with a two-thirds legislative vote for immediate implementation.

Maddy summarySB 94 modifies Texas school immunization rules to help students with exemption requests. It requires schools and colleges to admit students who haven’t obtained required vaccines or submitted exemption affidavits if parents/guardians provide documentation showing they’ve requested the affidavit from the Department of State Health Services. The bill adds a new requirement for the health department to issue a standardized receipt confirming such requests, regardless of how they’re submitted (online, in person, or by mail). This applies to elementary/secondary schools, colleges, and childcare facilities under Texas law. The policy change directly affects students needing vaccine exemptions and their families seeking school enrollment.

Maddy summarySB 124 requires Texas hospitals to adopt written policies ensuring specific patient rights, including respectful care, choice of physician, unrestricted visitation, access to prescribed medications (including off-label use), and end-of-life care options. It directly affects all Texas hospitals providing medical, rehabilitation, mental health, or chemical dependency services. The bill mandates hospitals to implement these policies and establishes administrative penalties for noncompliance. Key provisions include protecting terminally ill patients' access to investigational treatments and requiring hospitals to honor patient decisions about care, as outlined in the proposed new subchapter of the Health and Safety Code.

Maddy summarySB 78 requires the Texas Secretary of State to establish security rules for election data, including encryption standards and strict access controls limiting sensitive data to only necessary personnel. It mandates appointing a dedicated cybersecurity expert to implement protections, conduct biennial security assessments of election systems, and provide mandatory training for all staff handling election data. In case of a breach, the bill requires immediate notification to state leadership, restricted system access during investigations, and written alerts to affected individuals if personal data is compromised. The law directly affects state election offices, county election officials, and all personnel with access to election systems or data.

Maddy summarySB 114 requires all postmortem testing of deer for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Texas to be conducted exclusively by the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. It mandates that test results must be interpreted by at least two employees of this specific lab, ensuring standardized analysis. The law directly affects deer hunters, wildlife managers, and state agencies involved in CWD surveillance by centralizing testing protocols. The bill takes effect on September 1, 2025, replacing previous testing requirements under the state wildlife code.

Maddy summarySB 96 requires healthcare providers to provide written vaccine information, maintain detailed records of administered vaccines, document and report serious health reactions, and share vaccine excipient summaries with patients. It also protects healthcare practitioners who grant health exemptions - affidavits stating immunizations pose significant health risks - by prohibiting officials from questioning or sanctioning them for issuing such exemptions. The bill mandates that schools, childcare facilities, employers, and healthcare providers must accept these health exemptions without challenge. This directly affects healthcare providers (through new documentation requirements) and patients seeking exemptions for health reasons. The law focuses on transparency in vaccine administration and safeguarding medical exemptions for individuals with specific health concerns.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Texas Medical Board to comply with public information requests made by Texas legislators, committees, or state agencies under Government Code §552.008. It permits the Board to redact patient health information protected by federal HIPAA rules (unless the patient authorized disclosure) and other personally identifiable details except names. The Board must also include a written notice with each response warning that improper use of confidential information violates state law. The bill repeals an existing section of law (Occupations Code §154.055) related to these requests.

Maddy summarySB 110 (Relating to accommodating a voter unable to enter a polling place) requires that any person assisting a voter who cannot enter a polling place must exit their vehicle and remain outside it, unless the voter specifically selects them under existing election rules. The bill directly affects voters with mobility challenges who need in-person assistance at polling locations and the individuals who accompany them. It amends Texas Election Code Section 64.009 to clarify that accompaniers cannot remain inside vehicles during the voting process. The law takes effect September 1, 2025. This is a procedural change to voting assistance protocols, not a new benefit or funding measure.