Sen. José Menéndez

Maddy summaryThis resolution formally commemorates Edgewood Independent School District's 75th anniversary and sends an official copy to the district as a gesture of recognition. It acknowledges the district's history, including its founding in 1905, growth to serve nearly 10,000 students across 18 campuses, and its role in educating generations of students in San Antonio. The resolution contains no policy changes or funding provisions - it is purely ceremonial. It was adopted by the Texas Senate on August 15, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 13 requires Texas cities and counties (political subdivisions) to offer credits against water and wastewater impact fees to builders and developers who implement eligible water conservation or reuse projects. These credits apply to facilities or systems that reduce per-unit water consumption, decrease wastewater treatment needs, minimize stormwater infrastructure demand, or exceed standard water efficiency requirements. Political subdivisions must establish fair procedures for calculating, applying, and reviewing these credits. The law takes effect January 1, 2026, directly benefiting developers who invest in qualifying water-saving infrastructure.

Maddy summarySB 3 provides $294 million in supplemental state funding for disaster relief following a July 2025 flood event in Texas. It allocates funds to match federal disaster aid, support local governments in 27 specific counties (including Travis and Bexar) for flood warning systems and equipment, improve weather forecasting in the Texas Hill Country, and build a swift water training facility for first responders. The bill directs the Office of the Governor to manage these funds over two years, with specific requirements for how each allocation must be used. It directly affects local governments in designated flood-impacted areas and emergency response agencies preparing for future weather events.

Maddy summarySB 2 creates a grant program administered by the governor to help municipalities and counties cover the costs of installing outdoor warning sirens in flood-prone areas. The bill defines "flood-prone areas" as regions affected by a specific 2025 flood event and requires local governments to install sirens in locations with a history of severe flooding and high risks to life or property. The grant program must include clear rules for eligibility, application processes, and monitoring of funds to ensure proper use. This legislation amends both the Government Code (to establish the grant) and Water Code (to mandate siren requirements).

Maddy summarySB 43 exempts certain local water management districts from needing permits from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to build or maintain small dams and reservoirs. Specifically, it applies to "qualified local sponsors" (like districts created under Texas Constitution Article III or XVI) operating dams with normal storage under 200 acre-feet for erosion, floodwater, and sediment control. The bill allows these entities to construct, maintain, and divert water for repairs without TCEQ permits, while ensuring the exemption continues even if their federal USDA agreement ends. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality must adopt implementing rules by April 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Texas law regarding death investigations by allowing justices of the peace to skip inquests for deaths resulting from natural disasters, provided clear evidence shows the death was caused by disaster-related injuries and not unlawful acts. It directly affects local courts and families seeking death investigations in disaster-impacted areas. The key provision requires justices to verify disaster causation through clear evidence before waiving the inquest, with similar rules applying to autopsy certifications. The bill expires April 1, 2027, and applies to deaths occurring in the justice's county.

Maddy summarySB 67 amends Texas law to clarify and expand the Texas Division of Emergency Management's (TDEM) authority to declare a local state of disaster for cities or counties. It requires TDEM to monitor for conditions requiring such a declaration (e.g., imminent harm to residents) and first attempt to notify local officials. If local leadership does not respond within a reasonable time, TDEM's administrative head may declare the disaster without waiting for local approval. This change aims to accelerate emergency responses during crises when local officials are unavailable, while specifying that declarations expire once the governor or local leaders become available.

Maddy summarySB 54 establishes comprehensive regulations for cannabis in Texas, creating new rules for businesses that cultivate, sell, or transport cannabis products. It requires occupational licenses for cannabis businesses, imposes taxes on cannabis products, and creates a process to expunge certain past cannabis-related records from criminal files. The bill also defines cannabis and cannabis beverages (excluding hemp products), sets restrictions on cannabis beverages (like no alcohol or caffeine), and creates new criminal penalties for violations. This legislation directly affects cannabis businesses, consumers, and individuals with prior convictions for decriminalized cannabis offenses.

Maddy summarySJR 3 proposes a constitutional amendment to create an independent redistricting commission that would draw district boundaries for Texas's U.S. House, Texas Senate, and Texas House of Representatives elections. Currently, the Texas legislature draws these district lines, but this amendment would transfer that responsibility to the commission. The commission would have sole authority to establish and adjust district maps for these three elected bodies after each census, removing the legislature's direct role in redistricting. The amendment requires voter approval to become part of the Texas Constitution.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment that would restrict when the Texas legislature can redraw election districts for both the Texas state legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives. It would require redistricting to occur only during specific, defined timeframes: when the legislature is constitutionally required to act, or within a 120-day window after the federal census is released. Exceptions allow redistricting within one year if courts invalidate districts, but not during periods when the Legislative Redistricting Board has exclusive authority. The amendment must be approved by voters in the November 2026 election to take effect.