Sen. José Menéndez

Maddy summaryThis bill gives day-care centers, group day-care homes, and family homes the opportunity to immediately correct minor violations (that don’t endanger children) after an inspection, preventing those issues from being recorded in official reports. It requires the state commission to create a public registry tracking violations for which employees are found responsible, including the employee’s name, address, facility details, violation date, and description. Employees must receive written notice of violations with their right to request a 30-day hearing to challenge the finding, or the violation will be added to the registry if they don’t respond.

Maddy summarySB 2464 creates a state grant program to fund school safety and mental health initiatives for Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools. The bill requires grantees to: (1) partner with nonprofits or state emergency centers to support staff in identifying student mental health needs, (2) hire a wellness coach or safety officer for staff, and (3) provide an online resource platform for school employees. Each eligible school entity may receive up to $100,000 per grant, with the Texas Education Agency administering the program through specific application and compliance rules. The program takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2461 requires the Texas Education Agency and Legislative Budget Board to study state funding for health coverage provided to active school employees through the uniform group coverage program. The study must evaluate cost increases since the last state contribution hike and model two funding options: an across-the-board increase or a tiered increase based on employee tenure (5, 10, or 20+ years). The agencies must submit a report with findings and recommendations to the legislature by September 1, 2026. This bill does not change current funding levels but mandates a review to inform future decisions. It expires September 1, 2027, and is currently in the Finance Committee.

Maddy summarySB 2473 prohibits Texas state agencies from using automated employment decision tools (like AI hiring systems) to assess job applicants without meeting specific requirements. It requires agencies to disclose to applicants when such tools are used, explain how they evaluate applicants, and ensure the tools don’t discriminate based on protected classes like race or gender. The bill mandates agencies to take steps to mitigate bias in these tools and takes effect September 1, 2025. This directly affects state agencies hiring for positions and job applicants seeking state employment.

Maddy summarySB 2465 requires the Texas Education Agency and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to study standardizing high school transcripts across public schools. The study will assess the feasibility of a statewide transcript format to speed up and improve accuracy when sending transcripts to colleges, while examining issues like processing time differences between public/private schools, errors with the National Student Clearinghouse's SPEEDE system, and problems with Texas's TREx transcript system. It does not create new standards but mandates a report by September 2026 with recommendations for potential legislative action. The bill expires September 2027, meaning this study is the only immediate action required. This affects public schools, colleges, and students by potentially improving transcript transmission processes in the future.

Maddy summarySB 2472 would implement a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for certain retirement benefits paid by the Texas Employees Retirement System, effective starting in January 2026. The adjustment applies to standard retirement payments, disability retirement, death benefits for beneficiaries, and alternate payee annuities, but only for individuals receiving these benefits as of December 2025. To qualify, recipients must be alive on the adjustment date and meet specific eligibility dates (e.g., retirement before September 1, 2024, for standard retirement benefits). The bill excludes benefits based on service in the elected class or under other specified circumstances.

Maddy summarySB 2474 creates a 5% property tax credit for owners of real property used to operate a grocery store or healthy corner store located in a designated food desert. A "food desert" is defined using U.S. Census data showing high poverty rates (20% or more) or low median income (80% or less of area median), combined with limited access to grocery stores (more than 1 mile in urban areas or 10 miles in rural areas). The credit applies annually to property taxes until the census tract no longer qualifies as a food desert under updated Census data. Property owners must apply to their local chief appraiser to receive the credit.

Maddy summarySB 2468 allows Texas courts to conduct certain uncontested civil hearings electronically - such as preliminary matters, agreement approvals, or witness testimony - when all parties agree and the court approves. It permits methods like videoconferencing or teleconferencing, provided the technology can record the proceedings visually and audibly. This bill directly affects parties in civil cases where hearings are uncontested and the court chooses to use electronic means. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and does not change substantive legal requirements.

Maddy summarySB 2470 requires Texas pharmacies (Class A and E) to include specific information on prescription drug labels, such as pharmacy contact details, dispensing date, prescriber name, patient/animal owner information, usage instructions, and quantity. It mandates that labels also provide accessible digital information about potential side effects and contraindications via free mobile apps or assistive technology. Pharmacists must offer large-print data sheets containing all label information and side effect details upon patient request. These requirements apply to prescriptions dispensed on or after March 1, 2026, with rules to be adopted by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy by January 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 2467 requires the Texas School Safety Center to study emergency response maps submitted by Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools under existing law. The study will analyze map types, identify best practices for map content, assess creation costs, and gather input from schools, law enforcement, and mapping experts to improve consistency. The center must submit a report with recommendations to state leaders by September 1, 2026, and the requirement expires September 1, 2027. This bill does not change current map submission rules but mandates a review to potentially standardize future requirements.