Sen. Judith Zaffirini

Maddy summarySB 1036 requires solar retailers and salespeople to register with the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation. It establishes fees for registration and imposes civil or administrative penalties for violations. The bill directly affects companies and individuals selling or leasing residential solar energy systems (intended for home use) to homeowners. Key provisions define terms like "residential solar retailer" and set up a regulatory framework for these transactions, including requirements for controlling persons within solar businesses.

Maddy summaryHB 3000 creates a state grant program to provide financial assistance to qualified rural ambulance service providers in counties with populations of 68,750 or less. Counties may apply for grants of up to $500,000 (for counties under 10,000 people) or $350,000 (for counties between 10,000-68,750 people) to purchase ambulances, with funds restricted solely to ambulance procurement. Grants require counties to maintain ambulance service budgets in the following fiscal year and prioritize counties with greater distance to trauma facilities or limited funding capacity. The program, now law after being signed by the governor on June 20, 2025, aims to ensure adequate ground ambulance services in underserved rural areas.

Maddy summaryHB 1868 requires the Texas Coordinating Board to conduct a study on reducing the semester credit hour threshold for dual credit course funding from 15 to 9 hours under the public junior college finance program. The study must assess student benefits (like faster graduation timelines and cost savings) and evaluate the state's workforce capacity to teach dual credit courses, including instructor numbers, certification barriers, and strategies to expand qualified teachers. It mandates a report with findings and recommendations by December 1, 2026. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on analysis, not implementing funding changes. It became effective June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3697 modifies Texas election code requirements for mail-in ballot applications and related materials. It mandates that the application form must be at least 8x9 inches, printed in 12-point type, and in black text. The bill also requires all balloting materials, including instructions, to use 12-point type and black text. These changes apply only to elections held on or after September 1, 2025, and directly affect voters requesting mail ballots and election offices processing these applications. The bill focuses solely on formatting standards for ballot materials.

Maddy summarySB 1534 requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to study health physics education programs at Texas colleges and universities. The study must identify gaps in training and assess workforce needs in nuclear energy and radiological safety sectors. The board must submit a report by December 1, 2026, with recommendations for addressing identified gaps. This bill directly affects Texas institutions offering health physics education and the state's nuclear/radiological workforce sectors. The report will inform potential future policy actions, but the bill itself does not make immediate changes to programs or funding.

Maddy summaryHB 2240 amends Texas Family Code to clarify when a "later marriage" (entered into while a prior marriage was still valid) becomes legally valid after the first marriage ends. It directly affects individuals in void marriages who later cohabited as spouses and presented themselves as married, allowing their later union to be recognized unless specific conditions are met. Key provisions include requiring putative spouses to file a lawsuit within 30 days of discovering the prior marriage was still valid, and adding a new section allowing suits to declare divorce or annulment decrees void if the court lacked jurisdiction. The bill became effective immediately upon the governor's signature on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 5650 creates Travis County Municipal Utility District No. 40, a new special district to provide utility services (like water, sewer, and drainage) to a defined area in Travis County. The bill grants the district limited eminent domain power to acquire land for utility infrastructure, authorizes it to issue bonds for capital projects, and permits the district to impose assessments, fees, and taxes on properties within its boundaries. This directly affects property owners in the specific territory outlined in the bill, which includes areas designated for utility service improvements. The bill became law on June 20, 2025, after passing both legislative chambers and taking effect immediately without the governor’s signature.

Maddy summarySB 1760 amends Texas Estates Code provisions to streamline guardianship transfers between counties when a person's residence changes. It requires courts to transfer guardianship proceedings to the proper county within 10 working days of a transfer order, with clerks sending all necessary documents electronically via the state's filing system. The bill standardizes the transfer process by mandating specific documents (like court orders, case records, and a bill of costs) be sent to the new county clerk. This directly affects courts, guardians, and individuals under guardianship whose cases move across county lines, ensuring smoother administrative handling without changing the guardianship fee itself.

Maddy summarySB 1946 creates the Family Violence Criminal Homicide Prevention Task Force within Texas' criminal justice division. The task force must include a steering committee with the governor and a family violence advocacy leader, plus 12 task force members representing regional family violence centers, statewide advocacy groups, legal services, key state agencies (like the attorney general's office and health departments), and academic experts. Its purpose is to develop prevention strategies for criminal homicides linked to family violence, as defined by Texas law. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summaryHB 5677 creates the Pura Vida Municipal Management District No. 1 in Mustang Ridge, Texas, to promote economic development, tourism, recreation, and public welfare within its boundaries. The bill grants the district authority to issue bonds for financing projects, impose fees and taxes on properties within the district, and use limited eminent domain to acquire property for district purposes. It explicitly states the district is intended to supplement, not replace, existing city services provided to the area. The district’s creation aligns with Texas Constitution provisions for special districts focused on public purposes like job growth, commerce, and community safety.