Sen. Charles Perry

Maddy summarySB 835, known as Trey's Law, invalidates any nondisclosure or confidentiality agreement that prevents someone from disclosing an act of sexual abuse. The law directly affects survivors of sexual abuse who may have signed such agreements, making those specific clauses unenforceable. Key provisions state that agreements cannot prohibit disclosure of sexual abuse details (defined using existing Texas Penal Code and Family Code offenses), though other settlement terms like payment amounts remain valid. This change applies to all agreements entered into before, on, or after its effective date of September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1558 limits liability for nonprofit organizations contracted by Texas' Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) or single-source continuum contractors providing child welfare services. The bill creates a legal defense if these nonprofits meet specific safety requirements: conducting timely background checks, confirming eligibility to work with children, reporting misconduct, taking disciplinary action for performance issues, and requiring annual child abuse prevention and reporting training for staff. It does not apply to claims involving gross negligence, and nonprofits remain liable for claims authorized under other state or federal laws. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and directly affects nonprofits delivering community-based child welfare services in Texas.

Maddy summaryHB 4630 amends Texas Water Code sections to clarify regulations for artesian water wells. It removes specific provisions (Sections 11.202(d)(e), 11.203, 11.204, and 11.207) and adds Section 11.2011 to define that the new rules apply only to artesian wells drilled outside groundwater conservation districts or similar regulatory areas. This change simplifies oversight for landowners with such wells in unregulated regions by eliminating overlapping rules. The bill took effect immediately upon the Governor’s signature on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies how television and radio broadcasters calculate costs they can deduct from franchise tax. It specifies that broadcasters may include expenses like broadcast rights, depreciation, production costs, and other direct costs related to their programming. The change applies specifically to entities operating under FCC licenses for TV/radio broadcasting, as defined in federal regulations. (This is a clarification of existing tax law, not a new policy change.)

Maddy summaryHB 3112 creates exceptions to Texas's open meetings law and public information law for government cybersecurity activities related to critical infrastructure. It allows government bodies to hold closed meetings and withhold specific cybersecurity information - including incident response plans, system configurations, and insurance details - from public disclosure when protecting facilities like power grids, water treatment plants, dams, or natural gas systems. The law applies only to information directly tied to protecting these critical infrastructure facilities within a government body's jurisdiction. This change aims to prevent exposing vulnerabilities while maintaining transparency for other government operations.

Maddy summarySB 1948 prohibits governmental entities from requiring fire sprinkler systems in specific agricultural facilities, including pole barns, livestock markets, cotton gins, grain storage, and commercial feed mills. It directly affects farmers, ranchers, and agricultural businesses operating these facilities by preventing new fire safety regulations that would mandate sprinkler installations. The law creates Chapter 3001 in the Government Code, explicitly restricting ordinances, rules, or measures that would impose such requirements. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and applies statewide to all covered facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 4623 creates new liability standards for Texas public schools and their employees regarding student sexual misconduct. It holds schools financially responsible if they act with gross negligence or intentional misconduct in hiring or supervising employees who commit sexual misconduct against students or fail to report suspected abuse. The law caps damages at $500,000 per victim in successful claims and requires the employee who committed the act to be named as a defendant. This directly affects public school districts, charter schools, and all professional school employees covered by the definition, including teachers, administrators, and even student interns. The law became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SB 34) requires the Texas A&M Forest Service and West Texas A&M University to jointly study wildfire risks across the state, focusing on combustible material buildup ("fuel loading") in different zones and assessing economic impacts like property loss and mitigation costs. It authorizes an increase in insurance assessments on certain insurers to fund the Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Fund, directly supporting volunteer fire departments. The study will identify high-risk areas and evaluate whether wildfire mitigation investments protect property value. The law, signed by the governor in June 2025, becomes effective September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 713 exempts healthcare providers (including nurses) from certain mandatory reporting requirements when they review cases for the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee. The bill adds Section 34.0085 to the Health and Safety Code, stating that providers do not need to report profession-related conduct they learn about during these committee case reviews. This applies only to information gathered specifically for the committee's review process, not to other situations. The law took effect immediately upon the governor's signature on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 264 prohibits new group self-insurance programs in Texas after September 1, 2025, and requires the dissolution of the Texas self-insurance group guaranty fund and trust fund. It mandates that the fund’s board submit a wind-down plan by December 1, 2025, outlining how remaining funds will be distributed to qualified self-insurance groups and how stakeholders will be notified. Once approved, the fund must distribute leftover money to eligible groups and then cease operations, with the board being abolished 30 days after the commissioner issues the final order. This directly affects the existing self-insurance fund structure and the groups currently using it under Texas workers' compensation.