Sen. Charles Perry

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates the requirement for electric utilities to seek a certificate amendment when building short electric transmission lines connecting to existing facilities. Specifically, it exempts lines under five miles (to load-serving points like neighborhoods) or two miles (to generation points like power plants) from needing this certificate change. The law requires utilities to obtain written landowner consent for affected properties and purchase all necessary rights-of-way before construction. It directly affects utilities building such short transmission lines and landowners whose property may be crossed by these lines. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2728 requires Medicaid providers (including hospitals and clinics) to annually receive written notices about using a pregnant woman's Medicaid ID for newborn claims until the baby is enrolled. It also mandates that healthcare providers give new mothers a bilingual resource pamphlet at delivery containing specific health information. The pamphlet must include prevention tips for shaken baby syndrome (with coping techniques and symptoms), immunization schedules, newborn screening follow-up details, SIDS prevention guidelines, and postpartum counseling resources. This bill directly affects Medicaid providers and new mothers by streamlining billing processes and ensuring access to critical health information for newborn care.

Maddy summarySB 2408 amends the Trinity River Authority of Texas statute to implement recommendations from the Sunset Advisory Commission. It changes the board composition from 24 to 25 directors, specifying exact county allocations (e.g., 3 from Tarrant, 4 from Dallas, 1 from each of 16 other areas, and 3 from "Area-at-Large") and adjusting initial term lengths. The bill also modifies the Sunset review schedule, requiring periodic reviews every 12 years starting September 1, 2037, while preventing the Authority's abolition under the Texas Sunset Act. These changes directly affect the Authority’s board members and governance structure. The bill is currently pending governor approval after recent legislative action.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires new members of the Angelina and Neches River Authority board to complete mandatory training before voting or attending meetings. The training covers the authority's operations, budget, applicable laws, ethics policies, and open-government requirements. It also specifies grounds for removing board members (though the full details are truncated in the provided text). The policy directly affects new board appointees and aims to standardize board member knowledge and conduct.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Texas Water Code sections to require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to produce biennial reports on brackish groundwater desalination. The reports must evaluate progress, identify barriers to projects, assess the state's role in development, and estimate funding needs. The bill also directs the TCEQ to designate specific brackish groundwater production zones with strict criteria, including water quality standards (≤1,000 mg/L total dissolved solids) and restrictions to protect areas like the Edwards Aquifer and certain conservation districts. These provisions directly affect state water agencies and local districts planning desalination projects, aiming to expand brackish groundwater use while avoiding conflicts with existing water sources.

Maddy summaryTexas Senate Concurrent Resolution 50 urges Congress to reform the federal guest worker program (H-2A and H-2B visas). It highlights that the H-2B visa cap is consistently reached early each year, causing labor shortages in critical sectors like agriculture, construction, and hospitality, and pushing some employers toward undocumented workers. The resolution requests Congress streamline the program to prevent these shortages without undermining U.S. worker wages or conditions.

Maddy summaryThis is a commemorative resolution (SR 455) passed by the Texas Senate to honor William "Bud" D. Howell of Lubbock, who died on November 4, 2023, at age 94. The resolution recognizes his life, including his service in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War, his 30+ years as a Texas game warden, and his family. It extends condolences to his wife, stepdaughter, sister, and other relatives. As a symbolic tribute, it does not create new laws or affect policy. The Senate adopted the resolution on April 29, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1891 changes how Texas water and sewer utilities (Class A, B, C, or D) select the time period, called a "test year," used to set their rates. Utilities must now choose a 12-month period starting no later than 18 months after filing for a rate change and ending no earlier than 18 months before that filing. The test year can include past, future, or combined data, ensuring a standardized timeframe for rate calculations. This applies to all rate proceedings starting September 1, 2025, and requires rates to allow a reasonable return on investment while preserving utility financial health.

Maddy summarySB 1868 establishes new regulations for kratom products in Texas. It requires kratom processors and retailers to test products for contaminants like heavy metals and pesticides before sale and to label them with clear use instructions and serving sizes. The bill also increases civil penalties for noncompliance and creates new criminal offenses related to kratom violations. These rules directly affect businesses that manufacture, distribute, or sell kratom products within the state.

Maddy summarySB 14, titled the Regulatory Reform and Efficiency Act, creates the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office within the governor's office to streamline how state agencies develop and review regulations. The office will help agencies identify unnecessary rules, reduce costs for businesses and individuals, and establish a public online portal for searching regulatory information. This bill directly affects state agencies that create regulations and the public who interact with those regulations. The new office will operate until 2037 unless extended under the Sunset Act, with its work focused on improving regulatory efficiency and transparency.