Sen. Chuy Hinojosa

Maddy summaryHB 1105 exempts paramedics employed by Texas cities, counties, or other local governments from tuition and laboratory fees at public colleges when enrolled in emergency medical services courses. This applies only to students maintaining satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or certificate, and does not cover security deposits, additional fees for residents, or graduate-level surcharges. The exemption excludes distance education courses where more than 20% of enrollment exceeds the institution's designated limit. The bill, signed into law by the governor on June 20, 2025, became effective immediately.

Maddy summaryHB 3940 requires Medicaid providers (including hospitals and health care facilities) to annually notify staff about using a mother's Medicaid ID for newborn care claims when the infant hasn't been enrolled. It also mandates that hospitals and providers give new mothers a resource pamphlet during prenatal care or delivery, covering postpartum counseling, shaken baby syndrome prevention, childhood immunization schedules, and newborn screening follow-up. The bill directly affects Medicaid-eligible mothers and newborns in Texas, aiming to simplify access to care during the early postpartum period. These requirements take effect on September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1875 requires the Texas General Land Office, working with the Texas Veterans Commission, to study access barriers veterans face when seeking burial plots in state veterans cemeteries and identify ways to improve cemetery operations (including locations, maintenance, and other needs). The study must be completed by April 1, 2026, with a final report submitted to legislative leaders and committees. This bill directly affects Texas veterans seeking burial services and the state’s veterans cemeteries, though it does not create new laws - only directing a study to inform future action. The bill took effect September 1, 2025, and expires September 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 3161 expands the required contribution rate options for employees in Texas municipal retirement systems, changing the permitted rates from "five, six, or seven percent" to "five, six, seven, or eight percent" of employee compensation. It directly affects Texas municipalities that participate in the Texas Municipal Retirement System, requiring all departments within a municipality to use the same contribution rate unless they had pre-1991 ordinances allowing different rates for different departments. Municipalities with existing multi-rate systems can continue those arrangements until they choose to standardize rates. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryTexas bill SB 1467 requires the Department of State Health Services to create a procedure for sharing specific death information with hospitals licensed under Chapter 241. This information includes the deceased person’s county of residence, date of birth, and full name for each death certificate filed in Texas. The purpose is to help these hospitals participate in the state’s Medicaid managed care program. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and does not change existing death certificate filing requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 2254 allows health insurance companies to contract with primary care physicians or primary care physician groups using value-based payment models (like fixed payments for defined services) or traditional fee-for-service arrangements, without classifying these contracts as insurance. It directly affects insurers and primary care providers (family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics physicians/groups), clarifying that such contracts do not make providers "engaged in the business of insurance." The bill prohibits insurers from reducing fees or forcing participation in these arrangements, requiring equal treatment for providers who choose not to join value-based or capitated payment programs. This changes how insurers and primary care providers structure financial agreements for routine patient care.

Maddy summaryHB 1851 allows the Texas Facilities Commission to transfer surplus motor vehicles and law enforcement equipment from the Texas Department of Public Safety to school districts located in economically disadvantaged areas. The bill requires that school districts receiving this equipment cannot sell it for two years and must use it solely for law enforcement duties by school resource officers or security personnel, as defined in the Education Code. This policy change directly affects school districts in economically disadvantaged communities by providing them with additional law enforcement resources. The bill took effect on September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2655 allows certain nonprofit organizations to operate regional health care programs for employees of small employers without requiring approval from county commissioners courts. These programs must be premium assistance initiatives (not direct health care providers) and aim to reduce uninsured rates, lower health care costs for small businesses, and promote preventive care like managing diabetes or heart disease. The bill amends Texas Health and Safety Code to permit nonprofits to directly govern such programs, replacing the previous requirement for county commissioner court oversight in eligible regions. It directly affects small employers (typically those with fewer than 50 employees) and their workers in participating counties who gain access to these alternative health coverage options starting September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2516, the Chris Larkin ALS Act, requires Texas insurers to offer Medicare supplement plans (Medigap) to people under 65 who qualify for Medicare due to disability, end-stage renal disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It mandates that these individuals receive the same coverage and premium rates as those 65 and older for standard plans (A, B, D), with non-standard plans capped at 200% of the 65+ rate. The bill creates a six-month enrollment window starting when a qualifying individual first enrolls in Medicare Part B, during which insurers cannot deny coverage, charge more for health conditions, or impose waiting periods. This law directly affects Texans under 65 with qualifying medical conditions who rely on Medicare, ensuring equitable access to supplemental insurance without medical underwriting. The bill became effective immediately on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 4623 creates new liability standards for Texas public schools and their employees regarding student sexual misconduct. It holds schools financially responsible if they act with gross negligence or intentional misconduct in hiring or supervising employees who commit sexual misconduct against students or fail to report suspected abuse. The law caps damages at $500,000 per victim in successful claims and requires the employee who committed the act to be named as a defendant. This directly affects public school districts, charter schools, and all professional school employees covered by the definition, including teachers, administrators, and even student interns. The law became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.