Sen. Judith Zaffirini

Maddy summaryHB 2259 standardizes the instructions printed on early voting ballot application forms in Texas. It requires the Secretary of State to create instructions that fit on a single 8.5x11 inch page in portrait orientation, using Calibri or Aptos font (12-point or larger), with bold print for key items. The bill also mandates that these instructions be provided in all languages commonly used by Texas voters, matching the state's demographic needs. This affects voters applying for early voting ballots and election offices handling these forms, ensuring consistent, clear instructions nationwide. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 4063 requires anyone filing a "unilateral memorandum of contract" (a document signed only by a non-owner claiming rights to buy or lease residential property) to provide their address, a certificate of mailing, and send a copy via certified mail to the property owner at both the property address and any address listed in property records. Property owners who receive such a notice can file an affidavit denying the claim with the county clerk and must then notify the filer via certified mail. The bill establishes clear procedures for filing, notifying owners, and owners' responses to prevent disputes over property rights. It became effective September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1734 requires courts transferring custody cases (suits affecting parent-child relationships) to electronically send specific court files within 10 working days of a transfer order. It mandates sending a transfer certificate, final orders, the transfer order itself, key pleadings, previous transfer records, and cost bills to the receiving court. The law applies only to cases where jurisdiction transfer orders are signed on or after September 1, 2025, leaving prior cases governed by older rules. This procedural change streamlines administrative handling of custody case transfers between courts.

Maddy summaryHB 3073 amends Texas law to clarify when sexual assault occurs without consent, directly affecting all individuals involved in sexual assault prosecutions across the state. The bill adds 12 specific scenarios where consent is legally absent, including when a victim is unconscious, mentally incapacitated, or intentionally drugged by the perpetrator (new point 6), and expands protections for vulnerable groups like patients of healthcare providers, facility residents, and clergy members' spiritual dependents. Key provisions define consent more precisely by listing circumstances where force, coercion, or exploitation negate consent, replacing ambiguous language in the existing Penal Code. This change standardizes how prosecutors must prove lack of consent in court, making it clearer for judges and juries. The law, effective September 1, 2025, is named the Summer Willis Act but focuses solely on legal definitions, not new penalties or programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Texas Estates Code sections to clarify and streamline processes for estate administration. It specifies that court-issued letters testamentary or administration documents (including a clerk's certificate confirming issuance) serve as sufficient proof of a personal representative's appointment and qualification date. It also updates removal procedures for personal representatives, allowing courts to act on their own motion after notifying the representative, rather than requiring a complaint from an interested party first. These changes directly affect estate administrators, courts, and beneficiaries who need to verify representative authority during estate proceedings. The bill became law on June 20, 2025, and takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2073 amends Texas law to clarify that county property tax offices (appraisal districts) may purchase, lease, or construct improvements to real property for their offices. It requires approval from 75% of the taxing units that appoint the district's board for property acquisitions or construction, but not for financing these actions. The bill establishes a process where the chief appraiser must notify taxing unit governing bodies of proposed property actions, giving them 30 days to approve or disapprove. This applies only to proposals notified on or after the bill's September 1, 2023 effective date. The law directly affects county appraisal districts and the taxing units that govern them.

Maddy summaryHB 3909 prohibits the use of wireless communication devices (like cell phones) within 100 feet of voting stations or in rooms where electronic pollbooks are used for voting. It directly affects voters, poll workers, and election officials at polling locations. The bill requires presiding judges to post visible notices about this restriction outside voting areas. The law took effect on September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3619 requires the Railroad Commission of Texas to restore the surface of land to its original topography after plugging or replugging a well, unless the surface landowner declines this service. It also ensures surface owners retain access to their property during these operations and shields them from liability claims related to the plugging process. The law applies to wells plugged or replugged on or after September 1, 2025, directly affecting landowners where oil and gas wells are being decommissioned. Key provisions include mandatory land restoration for natural regrowth and liability protections for landowners, the Commission, and operators acting in good faith under the Natural Resources Code.

Maddy summaryHB 3126 allows school entities that discontinued participation in Texas' uniform group health coverage program for active school employees after September 1, 2022, to rejoin the program under specific conditions. To re-enroll, these entities must submit written notice to the program trustee by December 31, 2025, for participation beginning September 1, 2026, and pay a risk stabilization fee on their premiums for the 2026 plan year. The bill prohibits rejoining entities from discontinuing participation before September 1, 2031, and expires on that date. This bill, signed into law on June 20, 2025, and effective September 1, 2025, directly affects school districts or entities previously enrolled in the program.

Maddy summaryHB 2856 requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to study whether a statewide system of regional online portals could coordinate clinical training placements for students in healthcare programs at Texas colleges and universities. The study must determine how many regions would be needed, the costs of creating the portals, and ongoing maintenance requirements. The board must submit its findings and recommendations to state leaders by December 1, 2026, with the study expiring September 1, 2027. This bill does not implement any new system - it only mandates an analysis to inform future decisions.