Sen. Charles Perry

Maddy summarySB 1461 amends Texas law to clarify the Health and Human Services Commission's Office of Inspector General's (OIG) authority. It allows the OIG to contract directly with qualified experts for reviewing investigations without competitive bidding, streamlines information sharing with state/local government entities for oversight purposes, and prohibits the OIG from conducting fingerprint-based background checks on Medicaid providers already confirmed licensed and in good standing. The bill directly affects the OIG's operational procedures, Medicaid providers, and government entities receiving shared oversight information. These changes aim to improve efficiency in investigations while limiting unnecessary background checks for eligible providers.

Maddy summaryThis is a commemorative resolution (SR 235), not a bill with policy changes. It formally recognizes the 100th anniversary of the Woman's Forum of Wichita Falls, a women's community organization founded in 1925. The resolution, adopted by the Texas Senate on March 11, 2025, expresses the Senate's appreciation for the group's century of service, community engagement, and cultural contributions. It has no legal effect or direct impact on any individuals or policies.

Maddy summaryThis resolution, adopted by the Texas Senate on March 11, 2025, formally congratulates Monterey High School's girls' basketball team for winning the 2025 UIL 5A Division 2 state championship. It acknowledges their 37-5 season record, championship game victory over Liberty Hill High School (64-35), and recognition of key players like MVP Aaliyah Chavez. The resolution extends the Senate's best wishes to the players, coaches, and staff, and directs an official copy be presented to the team as a token of appreciation.

Maddy summarySJR 66 proposes a constitutional amendment to dedicate specific tax revenues to Texas' water fund. It would require the state comptroller to deposit excess sales tax revenue (above $46.5 billion annually, capped at $500 million) and the first $500 million of insurance premium tax revenue into the Texas Water Fund each year. The amendment mandates that 25% of initial fund allocations and 80% of pre-2043 deposits go exclusively to the "New Water Supply for Texas Fund," which supports water infrastructure projects. This proposal expires August 31, 2043, and requires voter approval in the November 2025 election. It directly affects how Texas allocates tax revenue for water infrastructure planning and development.

Maddy summarySB 1487 allows health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and preferred provider plans to directly contract with advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) for patient care, without requiring the physician who supervises the APRN to also be contracted with the plan. It specifically permits insurers to designate APRNs as preferred providers even if their supervising physician isn't designated. The bill removes current barriers for APRNs to serve as contracted providers in health insurance plans, expanding access to care. It does not change medical practice supervision rules, as explicitly stated in the bill text. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1546 ensures that Texas farmland owners whose land is partially taken for public projects (like roads or utilities) via eminent domain can maintain the lower agricultural property tax rate on the remaining land. Specifically, it clarifies that the agricultural tax appraisal status does not end if a portion of the land is taken for a right-of-way, as long as the remaining land qualifies for agricultural appraisal. This prevents property tax increases on the unaffected portion of farmland after partial takings, applying to all qualifying agricultural land regardless of the size of the taken area. The bill takes effect January 1, 2026, affecting agricultural landowners across Texas.

Maddy summarySB 1399 defines "treated product" as waste processed for beneficial use (e.g., filtered or refined oil/gas waste). It changes ownership rules: when waste is transferred for treatment, the recipient owns it until the treated product is transferred for use. The bill also exempts parties who process waste for beneficial use from legal liability for harm caused by subsequent use of the treated product or its byproducts. This directly affects oil/gas waste handlers, treatment facilities, and companies using treated products. The bill focuses on clarifying ownership and limiting liability for waste processing activities.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 172) formally recognizes March 5, 2025, as "Wichita Falls Day" at the Texas State Capitol. It extends a welcome to a visiting delegation from Wichita Falls, Texas, to celebrate the city's history and community. The resolution contains historical background about Wichita Falls' founding, growth, and contributions but does not create any new laws or policies. It is a purely ceremonial action with no direct impact on residents or state regulations. As a procedural resolution, it has no legislative effect beyond the recognition event.

Maddy summarySB 1859 amends Texas law to clarify definitions for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), including nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, and clinical nurse specialists. The bill establishes specific regulatory terms in the Occupations Code, such as defining "professional nursing" and the role of the Texas Board of Nursing. While the bill title references payment provisions for APRNs in government employee health plans, the provided text only includes the definitions section and does not detail payment mechanisms. This summary is based solely on the regulatory definitions contained in the bill text.

Maddy summarySB 1034 requires retail public utilities providing water or sewer service in Texas to adopt specific cybersecurity measures. Key provisions include prohibiting direct internet connections for critical operational systems (like SCADA), mandating employee identity verification before network access, and requiring annual cybersecurity training for relevant staff. Utilities must also conduct security assessments and comply with rules developed by the utility commission and the Department of Information Resources. The bill directly affects water and sewer utilities by imposing new operational cybersecurity standards to protect critical infrastructure.