Sen. Donna Campbell

Maddy summarySB 371 requires Texas public school districts to obtain written parental consent before providing human sexuality instruction to students. The bill mandates that schools must separately notify parents at least 14 days before instruction begins, with this request not bundled with other communications. It directly affects parents of students in Texas public schools and applies starting with the 2025-2026 school year. The law does not change existing curriculum content but adds a consent requirement for this specific instruction.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Texas insurers to offer the same Medicare supplement benefit plans (Medigap) to people under 65 who qualify for Medicare due to disability or end-stage renal disease as they do to those 65 or older. It mandates equal premium rates, prohibits medical underwriting or health-based price discrimination, and creates special enrollment periods (including a 60-day annual window tied to birthdays). The law applies to plans delivered, issued, or renewed on or after September 1, 2025. It directly affects disabled or ESRD patients under 65 enrolled in Medicare Part B who previously faced limited access to supplemental coverage.

Maddy summarySB 2871 allows Texas public school districts to excuse high school juniors and seniors (grades 11-12) from class for up to two days during their junior year and four days during their senior year to visit accredited colleges or universities. This is specifically to help students explore college options and determine their interest in attending higher education. School districts must create policies for approving such absences and verify visits through procedures like signed forms or attendance records. The law takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summarySB 2971 prohibits real estate brokers from denying access to or discriminating against individuals in multiple-listing services, brokers' organizations, or related housing services based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin. It specifically includes filing ethics complaints related to public concern or religious speech as a form of prohibited discrimination. The law applies only to complaints filed with the Texas Workforce Commission after its effective date of September 1, 2025, leaving prior complaints governed by existing law. This bill directly affects real estate brokers and housing-related service providers operating in Texas.

Maddy summarySB 2962 sets a sunset date for a municipality's authority to remove territory from an emergency services district, requiring this power to expire on September 1, 2025. The bill modifies several Texas codes to ensure that when municipalities disannex territory (remove it from an emergency services district) before the deadline, the same legal procedures apply as if the territory had been annexed under full municipal authority. It repeals Section 775.0235 of the Health and Safety Code and clarifies that existing provisions for disannexation will follow the same rules as annexation. This bill directly affects Texas municipalities seeking to change emergency services district boundaries. The law takes effect on September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2479 allows hospitals to obtain a single license covering both their main facility and an accredited mobile stroke unit. The bill requires the mobile stroke unit to be accredited by a healthcare organization approved by Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). This change directly affects hospitals operating mobile stroke units, streamlining their licensing process. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and requires the Health and Human Services Commission to adopt implementing rules after the effective date.

Maddy summarySB 2525 allows residents in areas annexed by large Texas cities (population 500,000+) between March 2015 and December 2017 to vote on disannexation. The bill requires municipalities to hold a public election for these specific areas on the first uniform election date after September 1, 2025. It applies only to annexations finalized during that period where the area had a population greater than zero at the time of annexation. The bill creates a procedural mechanism for communities to reverse annexation decisions made under certain historical circumstances. It does not change general annexation rules but provides a limited election process for defined areas.

Maddy summarySB 2625 (Texas Health and Safety Code §171.063) restricts who may provide abortion-inducing drugs by requiring that only a physician physically present in Texas can administer them during an in-person examination. It mandates a follow-up visit within 14 days to confirm pregnancy termination and assess blood loss. The bill also applies to out-of-state physicians providing abortion-related consultations, adding new restrictions under the Occupations Code. These provisions directly affect physicians, patients seeking abortion care, and out-of-state medical professionals. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2026 would require payment networks (like Visa or Mastercard) to exclude state/local taxes and separately listed tips from the total amount used to calculate swipe fees for electronic payments. This directly affects merchants who pay these fees, as it prevents networks from charging fees on taxed amounts or tips. The key provision mandates that payment networks must deduct tax and tip amounts before calculating swipe fees for each transaction. The bill also authorizes civil penalties for noncompliance, aiming to ensure merchants aren’t overcharged on taxed or tipped transactions.

Maddy summarySB 1459 requires Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to adopt written policies prohibiting student possession of personal communication devices (like phones, tablets, or smartwatches) during school hours on campus, with specific exceptions for devices needed for individualized education plans, medical needs, or legal requirements. Schools must allow device use during instruction or non-instructional periods like lunch, and policies must be developed through public meetings with notice and comment periods. The bill also mandates schools establish monitoring plans to track policy effectiveness, provide policies to parents online, and requires the Texas Education Agency to create a model policy. This law applies starting the 2025-2026 school year.