Sen. Judith Zaffirini

Maddy summarySB 28 requires Texas municipalities and counties with websites to post localized health and safety alerts on their websites when they receive them from official sources like the National Weather Service or Texas Division of Emergency Management. The bill mandates that each alert must include a geographic display of affected areas, links to current information, projected movement of the event, and specific safety instructions. It applies only to alerts received after the bill’s effective date and does not create new alert systems. This requirement ensures consistent public access to critical emergency information during weather or safety events.

Maddy summarySB 35 requires youth camps located near rivers, creeks, or streams to equip each overnight cabin with specific emergency safety equipment, including radios for communication, life jackets for every camper, first aid kits, and emergency hammers. Camp operators must store this equipment accessibly and post clear, easy-to-understand instructions for its use in each cabin. The executive commissioner will develop implementing rules to enforce these requirements. This bill applies only to camps using cabins for overnight stays and does not affect other camp facilities or locations not near waterways.

Maddy summarySB 29 establishes requirements for court security committees in Texas municipalities and counties. It mandates these committees to develop emergency management plans, set security policies, and recommend resource use for courthouses - comprising a presiding judge, law enforcement rep, municipality representative, and others. The bill also increases criminal penalties for harassing court employees or judges and directs commissioners courts and municipalities to prioritize committee recommendations for security funding. This directly affects local courts, security personnel, judges, and employees by creating structured security planning and strengthening protections against harassment.

Maddy summaryThis Texas bill establishes a process to redistribute excess funds collected by county probate courts. If a county deposits more into the judicial fund than its allocated share under current law, the state comptroller must return the overpayment proportionally to that county. The funds come from fees paid to statutory probate courts, including electronic filing fees and other court collections. Counties affected are those that contributed more than their entitled share under existing funding formulas. The redistribution applies automatically to all counties meeting the criteria, ensuring no county pays more than its fair share.

Maddy summarySB 31 allows divorce cases in Texas to use digitized signatures (like electronic signatures) for waivers of citation, replacing the requirement for handwritten signatures. It amends the Family Code to permit this method and updates the Government Code to recognize electronic signatures for notarization in family law cases. This change applies to all pending divorce cases or new filings after the law takes effect. The bill directly affects individuals filing for divorce who must submit waiver documents, making the process more accessible for digital submission. It does not change divorce laws but streamlines a specific procedural step.

Maddy summarySB 22 requires that residential real estate contracts in a "colonia" (a defined border-area community with 11+ dwellings in close proximity) must provide a Spanish translation upon buyer request, with translations done by a certified Spanish translator. The final binding contract, however, must still be written in English. This law applies only to new contracts entered into on or after the effective date (91 days after the legislative session ends), not to existing contracts. It directly affects buyers and sellers in colonias during residential property transactions.

Maddy summarySB 23 amends Texas law governing the election and term of local administrative district judges in counties with multiple district courts. It sets a two-year term limit for these judges (or the remainder of a term if elected before the second anniversary), prohibits election based on rotation or seniority, and requires the regional presiding judge to break deadlocks if judges cannot agree. The bill also creates an annual court administration conference for regional presiding judges, local administrative judges, and court administrators to discuss court budgets, case statistics, and administrative duties. These changes apply only to elections occurring after the bill's effective date.

Maddy summarySB 24 lowers the threshold for civil cases handled by statutory county courts in Texas from $325,000 to $250,000 for the amount in controversy (excluding interest, damages, and fees). This change directly affects individuals and businesses filing civil lawsuits where the claimed amount falls between $500 and $250,000, shifting these cases to county courts instead of district courts. The bill also requires the Texas Supreme Court to create rules for efficiently resolving these lower-value cases and updates jury size requirements for cases exceeding $250,000. These provisions apply only to cases filed after the bill's effective date.

Maddy summarySB 27 amends Texas law to clarify the jurisdiction of the 2nd Multicounty Court at Law and update juvenile board compositions in Bee, Live Oak, and McMullen Counties. It adds the judge of the 2nd Multicounty Court at Law to each county’s juvenile board (replacing "and" with a comma in the composition language). The bill changes the court’s civil jurisdiction to share authority with district courts (excluding cases exceeding $25,000), but only for cases filed after the law’s effective date. Pre-existing cases remain governed by prior law. The bill takes effect 91 days after the legislative session ends.

Maddy summarySB 2501 would allow indigent parents in certain family court cases - such as those opposing termination of parental rights or custody disputes - to select their own attorney instead of relying solely on a court-appointed one. The bill requires courts to inform these parents of their right to choose a licensed Texas attorney who meets state bar requirements (including good standing and continuing education). It applies to indigent parents opposing cases, including those served by publication or with unknown location. The bill also ensures courts cannot interfere with a parent’s chosen attorney, who must then serve as the parent’s official counsel.