Sen. Charles Perry

Maddy summarySB 2397 establishes a 17-member task force on disability policy in Texas to develop a comprehensive 10-year state plan for disability services. The task force, appointed by the governor with bipartisan representation, includes members with lived disability experience, healthcare professionals, advocacy group representatives, and policy experts. It will form subcommittees to address specific areas like healthcare, education, mental health, and transitional care, and must submit annual reports with recommendations. This bill directly affects state agencies and future disability policy development, requiring the task force to identify resource redundancies, service disparities, and cost-effective solutions to improve care quality and dignity for Texans with disabilities.

Maddy summaryTexas Senate Bill 1314 amends the Health and Safety Code to define "e-cigarette product" as any substance containing nicotine (from any source) intended for use in e-cigarettes, regardless of whether it contains nicotine. This definition change directly affects manufacturers, retailers, and users of nicotine-containing e-cigarette products in Texas. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, establishing the legal framework for future regulations on these products. The summary is limited to the definitional provision as no specific prohibition language is detailed in the provided text.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SB 1874) grants immunity to school district professional employees (like teachers and counselors) from disciplinary actions for specific actions related to student discipline. It protects employees who report violations of student discipline rules to other staff, agencies, or law enforcement, and those who remove disruptive students from class under existing rules (Section 37.002) in good faith. The immunity applies to both school district disciplinary proceedings and actions by the State Board for Educator Certification. This provision is meant to supplement existing legal protections without altering other immunity rights.

Maddy summarySB 1871 requires each public school campus to designate a behavior coordinator responsible for discipline management and ensuring access to telehealth mental health services. It creates legal immunity for school staff who report safety concerns or remove students from class under specific safety protocols. The bill also clarifies that school districts cannot exempt themselves from core education requirements like curriculum standards or accountability measures. These changes directly affect school staff, students, and campus administrators in Texas public schools. The bill aims to standardize discipline procedures while improving mental health service access without altering existing accountability frameworks.

Maddy summarySB 1873 limits out-of-school suspensions for Texas public school students to a maximum of three school days, while allowing in-school suspensions to continue without a time limit. It requires schools to establish a placement review committee that must evaluate a student's educational progress and determine if continued in-school suspension is appropriate at least once every fifteen school days. The bill directly affects students in Texas public schools who face suspensions, aiming to ensure ongoing educational engagement during suspensions. It would take effect for the 2025-2026 school year if passed.

Maddy summaryTexas Senate Bill 1872 would require public school students in Texas to be expelled for engaging in specific serious offenses, including weapons violations, violent crimes (like aggravated assault or murder), sexual offenses (such as indecency with a child), and threats against school staff. The bill expands mandatory expulsion to cover conduct matching elements of certain Penal Code offenses, including those committed on school grounds, during school activities, or within 300 feet of school property. It applies directly to students in Texas public schools who commit these acts, removing discretion for school officials in these cases. The bill focuses on concrete policy changes to school discipline, not broader educational outcomes.

Maddy summarySB 2694 updates rules for the Lubbock Reese Redevelopment Authority, which manages property formerly known as Reese Air Force Base. It requires the authority to collaborate with Texas Tech University on national security research and defines "critical infrastructure" and "national security-related technology" for tax and operational purposes. The bill specifies that property used for such research is presumed to be in interstate commerce for tax purposes under Texas law. This directly affects the authority, Texas Tech University, and businesses operating on the property related to national security projects.

Maddy summarySB 1869 would change Texas law to require the Health and Safety Commissioner to hold a public hearing in Austin and obtain executive commissioner approval before modifying the state's schedules of controlled substances, except for annual updates aligning with federal changes. The bill clarifies that legislative actions on penalty groups (e.g., sentencing levels) do not affect the schedule, and the legislature must directly pass a bill to add, remove, or reschedule a substance. It also mandates that the commissioner annually update schedules to reflect federal modifications and consider factors like abuse potential, public health risks, and scientific evidence when making changes. This procedural bill affects how Texas manages controlled substances schedules, ensuring transparency and aligning with federal processes.

Maddy summarySB 1124 requires Texas prosecutors to provide criminal defendants with specific evidence - such as offense reports, witness statements, and physical evidence - within a reasonable time after the defendant submits a written request. It directly affects defendants in criminal cases by expanding their access to materials relevant to their defense. The bill mandates that prosecutors share documents and items in their possession (excluding attorney work product and privileged communications), while allowing courts to limit overly broad requests if they threaten victim/witness privacy or aren’t reasonably necessary for defense. It does not change core discovery rules but clarifies procedures for sharing evidence and redacting non-relevant portions.

Maddy summarySB 302 requires statutory probate court judges assigned to hear contested matters to order estates and parties to reimburse counties for costs paid to the judge. Specifically, it mandates that judges direct the estate to cover county payments for the judge's compensation and expenses, as specified in Section 25.0022(o-1) of the Government Code. This applies to motions filed on or after September 1, 2025, for judges serving outside their home county, where counties currently pay $25 per day for such assignments. The bill shifts the financial responsibility from county general funds to the probate estate or involved parties. It directly affects counties, probate estates, and parties in contested probate cases.