Sen. Bob Hall

Maddy summarySB 141 allows homeowners in Texas to raise up to six chickens on single-family residential lots, preventing municipalities and homeowners' associations from banning this practice. It permits local governments and neighborhood groups to set reasonable rules - like limiting roosters, restricting breeding, or requiring coop distances from homes - but not to prohibit six or fewer chickens. The law applies to new homeowners' association rules created after September 1, 2025, and takes effect immediately if passed with a two-thirds vote, or on September 1, 2025, otherwise. This directly affects residents in areas with existing chicken-raising bans and clarifies the legal boundaries for local regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires election officials in Texas to provide paper ballots to voters who request them when voting in person at polling places or early voting locations. It mandates that precincts have sufficient ballots (based on prior election turnout plus 25%) and the capability to print additional paper ballots if needed. The law directly affects voters who choose to vote in person and request a paper ballot, ensuring they receive one without barriers. It applies to all elections ordered on or after the bill's effective date.

Maddy summarySB 101 amends Texas law to clarify the scope of barbering and cosmetology services. It defines these professions to include hair treatments (like cutting, coloring, and styling), facial care, nail services, and hair weaving, while explicitly excluding certain common practices. The bill specifically states that blow-dry styling (using only mechanical devices and topical products), threading, and wig servicing after initial sale are not considered barbering or cosmetology. This directly affects licensed barbering/cosmetology professionals, salons, and clients by defining which services require licensure versus those that do not. The bill aims to reduce confusion about professional boundaries in the industry.

Maddy summarySB 139 modifies procedures for handling complaints filed with the Texas Ethics Commission. It requires the Commission to dismiss complaints if the respondent corrects the alleged violation (like a filing error) before a final decision, and creates a 90-day window for respondents to challenge jurisdiction in court. The bill also shortens the Commission's deadline to propose settlements or dismiss complaints from 120 to 30 days after receiving a response. These changes apply only to complaints filed on or after the bill's effective date, which is set for September 1, 2025, unless passed with a two-thirds vote for immediate effect.

Maddy summarySB 135 creates the Texas Division of Homeland Security as a permanent state division within the Texas Department of Public Safety, with a chief appointed by the director. The division will conduct border security operations along the Texas-Mexico border, including intelligence gathering, surveillance using drones and cameras, interdiction of illegal border crossings and drug smuggling, and coordination with local, state, and federal agencies. It also authorizes training programs for personnel involved in border security operations. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and directly affects Texas state agencies and personnel responsible for border security.

Maddy summarySB 116 amends Texas law to create a specific statute of limitations for health care liability claims involving certain medical treatments for minors. It sets a deadline of the claimant's 30th birthday for lawsuits related to malpractice in providing puberty suppression drugs, cross-sex hormones, or gender reassignment surgeries to minors. This replaces the standard 10-year statute of repose under Section 74.251 for these specific claims. The bill applies only to claims where the minor was under treatment for gender transition at the time of the alleged malpractice, and only to causes of action accruing on or after September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 97 modifies Texas Parks and Wildlife Code provisions related to deer management. It allows breeder deer with negative disease test results to be released within 14 days (instead of waiting longer), after an epidemiological assessment confirms they pose no disease risk. The bill requires disease testing to use the least intrusive method (not tonsillar tissue) at the destruction site and mandates that notices to permit holders include test results. These changes directly affect deer breeders, wildlife officials, and facilities handling deer subject to disease testing. The law aims to streamline the release process for tested-negative deer while maintaining disease control protocols.

Maddy summarySB 90, the "Right to Treat Act," ensures Texas physicians can prescribe prescription drugs for off-label uses (such as treating conditions not approved by the FDA) without state interference. It prohibits state officials from restricting such prescribing and prevents the Texas Medical Board from disciplining physicians for off-label prescribing if treatment meets the medical standard of care. The bill excludes abortion-inducing drugs from its provisions and explicitly states it does not create legal liability for drug manufacturers or physicians for harm resulting from off-label use.

Maddy summarySB 77 requires polling places using electronic voting systems to provide voters with a paper ballot upon request, which must be printed immediately and scanned after voting. It bans the use of ballot marking devices entirely and prohibits electronic signatures, electronic poll lists, and electronic combination forms in elections. This bill directly affects voters and election officials in Texas counties that use electronic voting systems for elections held on or after September 1, 2025. The law mandates paper ballot access as an alternative to electronic voting, ensuring a physical ballot option for every voter who requests one.

Maddy summarySB 239 prohibits Texas political subdivisions (like counties and cities) from using public funds to hire lobbyists or pay nonprofit associations that primarily represent local governments and employ registered lobbyists. The bill specifically bans spending public money for activities such as lobbying state legislators or funding associations that contract with registered lobbyists. Taxpayers or residents can seek court injunctions to stop prohibited spending and recover attorney fees if they win a related lawsuit. This law applies to all public fund expenditures on or after its effective date, including payments made under pre-existing contracts.