Maddy summarySB 8 establishes a new statewide "instructionally supportive assessment program" for Texas public schools, requiring the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to create assessments focused on student growth rather than punitive measures. It mandates that school districts provide parents with one-click access to their child’s test results through a secure parent portal, meeting specific security and privacy standards. The bill also requires districts to adopt local accountability plans with TEA grants and ensures transparency in school performance ratings and interventions. Directly affecting parents, school districts, and the TEA, the law aims to shift accountability toward supporting student learning through accessible data and updated assessment practices.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 53 establishes a regulatory framework for hemp-derived consumable products (including edibles and beverages) and the hemp-derived cannabinoids they contain. It requires businesses to obtain occupational licenses and permits, pay associated fees, and comply with new standards, with criminal penalties for violations and civil penalties authorized for non-compliance. The bill also imposes taxes on these products and sets a January 1, 2027, effective date for regulations overseen by a new state agency. This applies directly to businesses producing, selling, or distributing hemp-based consumable products in Texas.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment that would restrict when the Texas legislature can redraw election districts for both the Texas state legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives. It would require redistricting to occur only during specific, defined timeframes: when the legislature is constitutionally required to act, or within a 120-day window after the federal census is released. Exceptions allow redistricting within one year if courts invalidate districts, but not during periods when the Legislative Redistricting Board has exclusive authority. The amendment must be approved by voters in the November 2026 election to take effect.
Maddy summarySB 34 creates a new exception to Texas abortion restrictions for pregnancies resulting from sexual assault, as defined in specific Penal Code sections (including aggravated sexual assault and offenses under Section 25.02). It specifies that patients do not need to file police reports, provide forensic evidence, or have the alleged assault prosecuted to access this exception. The bill also repeals Chapter 6-1/2, a law regulating abortion in Texas. These changes directly affect individuals seeking abortion care in cases of sexual assault and clarify that the exception does not alter other abortion laws or allow lawsuits against patients.
Maddy summarySB 33 adds specific exceptions to Texas abortion restrictions for certain medical conditions. It allows abortions when a physician determines they are necessary due to a lethal fetal anomaly or a life-limiting diagnosis where the fetus cannot survive outside the womb without extraordinary medical interventions. The bill also requires physicians performing abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy (or when the age is unknown but likely 20+ weeks) to use the method most likely to allow fetal survival, per medical judgment. These changes apply to physicians following the specified medical exceptions, not to general abortion access.
Maddy summarySB 21 amends Texas law to give county and district attorneys authority to enforce human trafficking awareness requirements in hotels and motels (commercial lodging establishments). It requires prosecutors to provide written notice to lodging operators who violate these rules, giving them 30 days to fix the issue before facing civil penalties. The bill allows attorneys to sue for penalties or to obtain court orders requiring compliance, with penalties paid to the county where the lawsuit was filed. This applies specifically to enforcement actions by local prosecutors, not to creating new prevention requirements for lodging operators.
Maddy summarySB 650 requires retailers selling alcohol to verify customer age by scanning driver's licenses or ID cards with electronically readable information. It applies to all retail alcohol sales except on-premises sales at package stores. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, but businesses have until September 1, 2027, to comply, with no penalties for violations before that date. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission must adopt implementing rules by September 2027.
Maddy summaryHB 449 would have made it a crime to create or share deepfake sexual media without the depicted person's consent, targeting AI-generated content that falsely shows real people in explicit situations. It defined "deep fake media" as computer-altered videos appearing authentic, and prohibited distributing such content showing a person's private body parts or sexual conduct. The bill applied only to offenses occurring after its effective date (September 1, 2025), and would have governed cases involving non-consensual deepfake content. However, the bill was vetoed by the Governor on June 22, 2025, so it never became law.
Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution (HCR 108) urges the U.S. Department of Commerce to maintain the Tomato Suspension Agreement, which prevents a 17.09% tariff on Mexican tomatoes entering the U.S. It directly affects Texas tomato importers, growers, and businesses in the Rio Grande Valley - particularly those in Pharr and Laredo - where Mexican tomatoes contribute over $1.5 billion annually and support 32,000 jobs. The resolution cites that terminating the agreement would cause an estimated $4.5 billion in economic losses for Texas and threaten the closure of many produce warehouses. It does not change laws but formally requests the U.S. Department of Commerce to preserve the existing trade arrangement.
Maddy summarySB 646 creates a program to repay education loans for mental health professionals working in underserved areas of Texas. It defines eligible professionals as psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, social workers, and other licensed providers who complete 1-3 consecutive years of practice in a state-designated mental health shortage area and provide services to Medicaid recipients. The bill requires applicants to apply through the Texas State Board of Examiners and specifies that repayment assistance is tied to service in designated shortage regions. This policy, effective September 1, 2025, aims to address workforce shortages by reducing education debt for providers serving Medicaid patients in underserved communities.