Sen. Donna Campbell

Maddy summaryTexas Senate Bill 735 requires public school districts and charter schools to report annually on Holocaust Remembrance Week instruction, including lesson materials and activities, by June 1 each year. It creates a grant program to fund school districts and Holocaust museums for developing age-appropriate lesson plans, student field trips, educator training, and bilingual curricula. The bill also mandates regional education centers to collaborate with Holocaust museums for educator training and establishes a four-year pilot program at colleges to train future educators in Holocaust history and remembrance. These provisions directly affect public school students, educators, school districts, and Holocaust museums across Texas.

Maddy summarySB 2857 would create a state-administered prescription drug purchasing pool for certain employers and health insurers. It allows qualified public employers (like local governments and schools) and self-insured private employers to join the pool to purchase drugs at negotiated discounted rates through the Health and Human Services Commission. Participants would still pay for claims through their existing health coverage agreements, as the pool does not replace individual coverage responsibility. The bill establishes rules for enrollment, eligibility, and funding but does not change how health benefits are administered.

Maddy summarySB 1798 prohibits public Texas universities from using state funds - including scholarships, grants, or other financial aid - to support students who are not lawfully present in the United States under federal law. The bill requires university governing boards to certify annual compliance with this rule to the legislature and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and mandates state audits to ensure institutions aren’t violating the restriction. It also establishes penalties, including loss of future funding increases, if violations aren’t corrected within 180 days. The law directly affects undocumented students seeking state-funded financial support at public colleges and universities. The bill does not change tuition rates but targets the use of state money for non-eligible students.

Maddy summarySB 1377 creates a grant program to provide financial assistance to rural counties in Texas with populations of 68,750 or less. Qualified ambulance service providers in these counties can receive grants up to $500,000 (for counties under 10,000 people) or $350,000 (for counties between 10,000 and 68,750 people) to purchase ambulances. Counties must use the funds exclusively for ambulance purchases within five years and cannot reduce ambulance service budgets with this money. The comptroller administers the program, prioritizing counties farther from trauma centers and those with limited ability to fund ambulance services independently.

Maddy summarySB 586 creates a program to recognize historic Texas cemeteries that are at least 50 years old (or exceptionally significant). It requires cemetery owners or applicants to submit applications proving the cemetery's existence, then notifies adjacent landowners and county historical commissions. If approved, the cemetery receives a declaration to file with the county clerk and may display an Official Texas Historical Marker, for which a fee is authorized. The program aims to alert the public and nearby landowners about historic cemeteries' existence without imposing new regulations on property use.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires individuals to submit proof of United States citizenship when registering to vote. Applicants must provide a copy of specific documents, such as a U.S. passport or birth certificate, with their voter registration application. If initial proof is not provided, voter registrars must attempt to verify citizenship using various databases. If citizenship cannot be verified or proof is not ultimately provided, the applicant will only be eligible to vote a limited federal ballot. The bill also creates a state jail felony offense for registrars who knowingly fail to reject applications that do not meet these new requirements.

Maddy summarySB 1490 amends Texas Education Code Section 12.263(b) to change how attendance is calculated for adult high school charter programs. It establishes new attendance rates based on enrollment duration: 100% for students enrolled 75%+ of the year, 75% for 50-75%, 50% for 25-50%, and 25% for 10-25%. This directly affects adult education programs operating under charters by altering the attendance metrics used to determine state funding. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, replacing previous attendance thresholds for funding calculations.

Maddy summarySB 464 prohibits retail stores selling cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vaping devices, or tobacco products from operating within 1,000 feet of any public or private primary or secondary school. This law directly affects retailers near schools, creating a Class A misdemeanor offense for violations. The bill defines "vaping apparatus" broadly to include devices, their components, and related liquids, regardless of nicotine content. It explicitly states local governments may still enforce stricter rules, but this state law sets the baseline requirement.

Maddy summarySB 5 creates the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to accelerate research on dementia causes, prevention, and treatment. The institute will award grants to Texas universities, medical facilities, and research groups to expand dementia-related studies and create jobs. It establishes three committees to oversee funding and research priorities, with the program set to expire on September 1, 2035, unless renewed under Texas law. The bill directly affects Texas research institutions receiving grants and aims to improve dementia health outcomes for state residents. This legislation became law after being signed by the Governor on May 24, 2025.

Maddy summaryHCR 58 is a concurrent resolution designating Dripping Springs as Texas' official "Wedding Capital" for a 10-year period ending in 2035. It directly affects Dripping Springs by granting the city an official title recognizing its established wedding industry, which includes over 3,000 annual weddings, 30+ venues (wineries, ranches, etc.), and supporting businesses like caterers and florists. The resolution, passed by both legislative chambers and signed by the Governor in May 2025, has no new policy requirements - its sole mechanism is the symbolic renaming under Section 391.003(e) of the Government Code. This is a procedural designation, not a law affecting state regulations or funding.