Sen. Chuy Hinojosa

Maddy summarySB 436 creates a grant program to help Texas public school districts offset funding losses caused by using the state's standardized property valuation (instead of local district valuations) for school finance calculations. The grants cover the difference between what districts would have received under local property valuations and their actual funding under the state's Foundation School Program for the 2024-2025 tax years, specifically for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years. Grants are capped at $175 million total per school year and prioritize districts with the largest funding reductions. The program expires on September 1, 2027, and does not apply to open-enrollment charter schools.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 242) symbolically recognizes March 16-22, 2025, as National Surveyors Week in Texas. It honors surveyors for their role in infrastructure, property development, and historical contributions to land mapping. The resolution is adopted by the Texas Senate to publicly acknowledge the profession's work, with no new requirements or funding. It directly affects surveyors and the public through ceremonial recognition, not policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes state recognition for the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas under Texas law. It creates a new Chapter 3102 in the Government Code, designating the tribe as a Native American Indian Tribe with substantial governmental authority. The recognition makes the tribe eligible for all state programs, services, and benefits available to other state-recognized tribes, including marketing/sales authorizations. The law takes effect on September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1657 prohibits the transfer of certain semiautomatic rifles (defined as those with detachable magazines and caliber >.22) to individuals under 21 years old. It creates a new criminal offense for violating this prohibition and increases penalties for such violations. The bill includes exceptions for transfers to peace officers or military personnel who are honorably discharged or currently serving. This legislation directly affects firearm retailers, sellers, and individuals under 21 seeking to purchase these specific rifles. The bill is currently in committee referral status (State Affairs).

Maddy summarySB 1658, the "Robb Elementary Firearm Safety Act," regulates the transfer and possession of certain firearms, specifically targeting assault weapons defined in the bill. It creates new criminal offenses for unlawfully possessing these weapons and increases penalties for violations. The bill directly affects individuals transferring or possessing specified assault weapons, as well as people subject to protective orders that prohibit firearm possession. Key provisions include defining "assault weapon" and establishing penalties for violations under Texas Penal Code Section 46.055. The legislation cites Texas's high rates of child firearm homicides (572 children lost to such violence from 2015-2020) as context for the policy changes.

Maddy summarySJR 65 proposes a constitutional amendment to allow Texas lawmakers to legalize and regulate sports wagering on specific events. The amendment would authorize the legislature to permit betting only through four defined entities: existing sports teams as of January 1, 2025; certain professional golf tournaments held in Texas before that date; active Class 1 racetracks as of January 1, 2025; or their designated partners. This change requires voter approval in the November 4, 2025, election, with the ballot phrasing "authorizing the legislature to legalize wagering on certain sporting events." The bill itself does not establish betting rules but enables future legislation to do so.

Maddy summarySJR 66 proposes a constitutional amendment to dedicate specific tax revenues to Texas' water fund. It would require the state comptroller to deposit excess sales tax revenue (above $46.5 billion annually, capped at $500 million) and the first $500 million of insurance premium tax revenue into the Texas Water Fund each year. The amendment mandates that 25% of initial fund allocations and 80% of pre-2043 deposits go exclusively to the "New Water Supply for Texas Fund," which supports water infrastructure projects. This proposal expires August 31, 2043, and requires voter approval in the November 2025 election. It directly affects how Texas allocates tax revenue for water infrastructure planning and development.

Maddy summarySB 1616 requires Medicaid managed care organizations to provide healthcare providers with 60 days' written notice before collecting overpayments and to wait until all appeal rights are exhausted. It prohibits these organizations from reviewing medical necessity decisions or errors in claim documentation not caused by the provider during audits of previously approved services. The bill also establishes a program for contracting recovery audit contractors to identify and recover Medicaid overpayments. These changes take effect September 1, 2025, directly affecting Medicaid managed care organizations and healthcare providers in Texas.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial Senate resolution (SR 210), not a substantive bill. It formally recognizes March 6, 2025, as "Sullivan City Day" at the Texas State Capitol, extending a welcome to Sullivan City residents and officials who planned to visit on that date. The resolution honors the city's history, population (nearly 4,000 residents), and community leaders, but contains no policy changes or legal requirements. It was adopted by the Texas Senate on March 6, 2025, and includes a copy for Sullivan City as a gesture of recognition.

Maddy summarySB 1374 requires Texas public and private schools, as well as colleges, to establish clear protocols for handling epinephrine auto-injectors (used for severe allergic reactions) and respiratory medications like albuterol (used for asthma attacks). The bill mandates that schools ensure at least one trained staff member or volunteer is available per campus to administer these medications during emergencies. It defines the specific medications covered and creates an advisory committee to guide school training and storage practices. Schools must adopt written policies covering medication maintenance, administration, and disposal, with training requirements for personnel. This directly affects all Texas schools and college campuses by standardizing emergency response for life-threatening conditions.