Sen. César Blanco

Maddy summarySB 6 establishes new requirements for large electricity users in Texas, specifically those with a single-site demand exceeding 75 megawatts (or a lower threshold set by the commission). It requires these large users to disclose if they’re pursuing similar electricity service requests elsewhere, while protecting their submitted information from unauthorized sharing. The bill also mandates that utilities (including cooperatives and municipal systems) must pass through reasonable interconnection costs to these large users. This affects major commercial and industrial electricity consumers and their utility providers across Texas’s ERCOT power region.

Maddy summaryHB 163 updates Texas law regarding epinephrine auto-injector policies. It exempts schools, sports organizations, and government entities that already have policies for epinephrine systems under other laws from needing separate rules. The bill allows these entities to adopt their own policies for maintaining, administering, and disposing of epinephrine delivery systems. It takes effect September 1, 2025, and repeals prior sections of the Health and Safety Code related to this matter.

Maddy summarySB 1589 requires contracts between single-source continuum contractors and Texas' Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to include specific provisions for community-based care services. The bill mandates contractors to establish timelines for implementing case management and family reunification services, create standardized training for alternative caregivers, maintain diverse foster care provider networks, and engage local stakeholders. It also allows DFPS to conduct performance reviews after 18 months, imposing financial penalties for unmet goals or offering incentives for exceeding them. This law directly affects contractors providing child welfare services, DFPS, and the children/families in their catchment areas, effective September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3848 allows elevator, escalator, and related equipment inspection companies to submit inspection reports and fees electronically to the Texas Department of Health and Safety. The bill amends state law to include electronic submission as a valid filing method, alongside traditional options like mail or in-person delivery. It specifies that electronic submissions are considered filed on the date they are transmitted through the department's designated system, simplifying the process for businesses. This change, effective September 1, 2025, directly affects inspection service providers required to file these reports and fees with the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Texas law enforcement agencies to report missing children to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children within two hours of receiving a report. The law mandates that agencies immediately begin investigations and enter detailed information about the child and any suspected abductor into multiple national and state databases. Police must also electronically share case details with other law enforcement agencies within 200 miles and inform families that their information has been submitted to these systems. These requirements apply to all law enforcement agencies in Texas regardless of where the child went missing. The bill repeals a duplicate provision to avoid redundancy in existing statutes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Texas to collect de-identified data on veteran deaths from death certificates and submit it to the Texas Veterans Commission. Specifically, it mandates that the state registrar provide details like age, race, cause of death (if suicide or homicide), and occupation, but not medical history unless available. The commission must then produce annual reports by December 1 each year, containing aggregated data, analysis, and policy recommendations for veterans' affairs committees. The first report is due December 1, 2027, with annual reports starting in 2026. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2024 prohibits the marketing, advertising, selling, or offering for sale of e-cigarette products that use cartoon characters targeting minors, mimic products marketed to children (like school supplies or candy), resemble food items, include celebrity imagery, or are shaped like everyday items (e.g., highlighters, headphones, or toys). It also bans e-cigarette products manufactured in China. The law creates criminal penalties for violations and applies to offenses committed on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025. This bill directly affects e-cigarette manufacturers, retailers, and marketers operating in Texas.

Maddy summarySB 1254 regulates professional employer organizations (PEOs) in Texas by requiring them to hold valid licenses to provide payroll and employee benefits services. The bill establishes a 18-month grace period after a license expires during which PEOs may continue serving covered employees, but they lose this status and face penalties if they continue operating beyond that period without renewal. It also expands disciplinary actions against PEOs that provide services without a current license or while their license is expired, suspended, or inactive. This law directly affects PEOs operating in Texas, requiring them to maintain active licensing to legally provide these services.

Maddy summarySB 1313 prohibits tobacco retailers from using specific signs, logos, or designs in advertising or marketing cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or tobacco products. It bans elements like cartoon characters targeting minors, copied trademarks of youth-focused products, symbols marketed to children, celebrity images, and designs resembling candy or juice. Retailers violating this law face a Class B misdemeanor charge. The law applies directly to businesses selling tobacco products and takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 4783 requires Texas state agencies and institutions of higher education distributing opioid overdose reversal medications (like naloxone) to prepare a biennial report every even-numbered year by October 1. The report must assess current distribution needs, establish statewide goals for medication availability, detail funding sources, outline distribution strategies, and recommend improvements for high-risk groups including rural communities, pregnant individuals, and children. It mandates coordination with all relevant agencies and requires submission of the report to the governor, lieutenant governor, and House speaker. The bill, now law after being signed by the governor on June 20, 2025, does not change current policies but creates a structured reporting requirement to inform future opioid overdose prevention efforts.