Sen. Royce West

Maddy summarySB 1923 modifies Texas child support orders to direct payments to the parent with physical custody under specific circumstances. It allows courts to redirect payments when the non-custodial parent voluntarily relinquishes primary care for six months, is incarcerated for 90+ days, or enters certain agreements (like parental safety placement agreements under Section 264.902). The bill requires courts to hold hearings within 30 days for safety placement agreement cases and mandates that unpaid support accrue from the date of the qualifying event. This directly affects parents with physical custody, child support obligors, and family courts handling custody disputes. The law became effective September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 120 amends Texas education law to prioritize college, career, and military readiness for high school students. It adds two new academic goals: requiring graduates to have immediate workforce skills (Goal 5) and ensuring college readiness without remediation (Goal 6). The bill mandates public schools to report de-identified student outcomes - including college enrollment, remedial coursework, and employment data - disaggregated by school district and campus. These reports will inform school accountability ratings and guide funding for career programs like the FAST and R-PEP initiatives. The law directly affects all Texas public high schools, students, and district administrators through updated accountability measures.

Maddy summaryHB 2355 protects the confidentiality of information related to crime victims' compensation applications. It prohibits the attorney general from disclosing applications, supporting documents, or related records to the public or through legal processes like subpoenas, except as allowed under specific exceptions in Texas law. This directly affects crime victims applying for compensation and the attorney general’s office handling those cases. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and does not change eligibility or compensation amounts for victims.

Maddy summaryHB 5436 creates an exception allowing used automotive parts recyclers to purchase certain older vehicles without requiring a title certificate. It applies to vehicles at least 13 years old, purchased solely for parts, dismantling, or scrap, provided they haven't been registered for seven years and recyclers follow specific reporting rules. Recyclers must submit detailed transaction information to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles within three business days and cannot dismantle the vehicle until after this deadline, unless liens are resolved. Violating these requirements constitutes a criminal offense, with the bill establishing new penalties for non-compliance.

Maddy summaryHB 1894 designates November as "Veterans Month" in Texas to celebrate and honor military veterans' achievements and sacrifices. The bill amends the Government Code to establish November as an official month for recognizing veterans, encouraging state agencies and communities to hold appropriate programs and activities. It takes effect September 1, 2025, and directly affects all Texans by creating a formal observance period for veterans' contributions, without changing existing benefits or creating new obligations.

Maddy summaryHB 2294 changes how Texas reimburses child-care providers in the Texas Rising Star Program. It allows providers to receive reimbursement at the state's maximum rate based on their program rating level - not their own published rates - provided this doesn't reduce the commission's target for daily children served in subsidized care. The bill directly affects child-care providers participating in the program and the state commission managing subsidy targets. The key provision ensures providers can be paid more fairly without undermining existing daily child care targets. This law took effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 694 requires the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to notify specific individuals about significant events involving children in their conservatorship. It mandates DFPS to provide a 24-hour notice to parents and their attorneys about medical changes, initial psychotropic medications, or placement changes, and a 48-hour notice before moving a child to a new residential facility. The bill also requires prompt notification (within 48 hours) of significant events to parents, attorneys, foster parents, volunteer advocates, and other designated individuals with a legal interest in the child’s welfare. This law directly affects parents, foster caregivers, child welfare advocates, and DFPS staff by establishing clear timing and recipients for critical notifications. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 15 limits zoning restrictions for small residential lots (4,000 sq ft or less) in certain large Texas municipalities (population over 90,000 in counties over 300,000). It prohibits municipalities from requiring lots larger than 1,400 sq ft, wider than 20 feet, or deeper than 60 feet, and mandates a minimum density of 31.1 units per acre. The bill also bans restrictions on covered parking, parking space limits, building height (requiring at least 3 stories), and excessive open space requirements for small lots. Municipalities may still charge permitting fees equivalent to single-family lot fees but cannot impose other zoning rules inconsistent with these provisions.

Maddy summaryHB 754 requires Texas health care facilities to post bilingual signs (in English, Spanish, and other languages spoken by 10%+ of staff) displaying human trafficking indicators, reporting resources, and a statement that medical assistants must complete trafficking prevention training. It mandates training for medical assistants through the Health and Human Services Commission and prohibits facilities from disciplining employees who report suspected trafficking in good faith. The law also requires facilities to disclose trafficking information to authorities as specified. This bill affects all Texas health care facilities and their medical assistant staff, taking effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2071 requires child protective services to refer suspected abuse or neglect cases involving medical consultations to specific, independent physicians who weren’t previously involved in the case. It mandates that parents or guardians receive all medical records - including imaging and test results - before referrals and ensures independent medical reviews resolve disagreements about injury causes. The bill also prohibits barriers to parents obtaining records for second opinions or additional testing. This directly affects parents, child welfare departments, hospitals, and healthcare providers involved in abuse investigations. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.