Sen. Brent Hagenbuch

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment requiring Texas judges to deny bail to individuals classified as "illegal aliens" charged with felony offenses, if a judge determines probable cause exists. It defines "illegal alien" as someone who entered the U.S. without inspection or violated nonimmigrant visa terms. The amendment would automatically deny bail pending trial for such individuals, without requiring additional proof of flight risk or danger. If approved by voters in 2025, it would become part of the Texas Constitution. (Note: This is a procedural proposal requiring voter approval, not an immediate law.)

Maddy summarySB 18 prohibits Texas municipal libraries from receiving state or public funds if they host events where a person presenting as the opposite gender (e.g., a man presenting as a woman or woman presenting as a man) reads to minors for entertainment, with the gender presentation being a primary component of the event. Libraries hosting such events would lose funding for the fiscal year following the event. The law applies only to events occurring on or after September 1, 2025, and affects municipal libraries receiving state or public funds. It directly targets funding for specific library programming involving gender presentation in children's events. The bill does not restrict library access or content generally, only funding tied to these defined events.

Maddy summarySB 1962 restricts public school districts from seeking exemptions or waivers for specific educational requirements under Texas law. It prohibits waivers for rules covering criminal conduct, federal mandates (like special education programs), graduation standards, accountability measures, class size limits, student safety protocols, and teacher protections. The bill also establishes a new appeal process allowing schools to challenge Texas Education Agency decisions in Travis County district court. This directly affects all public schools and districts operating within Texas's accountability system by requiring strict adherence to these non-negotiable standards.

Maddy summarySB 35 amends the Texas Transportation Code to limit the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to no more than two design-build contracts per state fiscal biennium, down from a previous cap of six. This change directly affects TxDOT's ability to award these types of construction contracts for transportation projects. The bill specifies that TxDOT cannot enter into more than two such contracts in each two-year budget cycle. The legislation does not alter project selection, funding mechanisms, or broader transportation policies - only the numerical limit on contracts. It takes effect on September 1, 2025, unless approved for immediate effect by a two-thirds vote.

Maddy summarySB 1080 requires Texas licensing authorities to issue either a full occupational license or a provisional license (valid for six months) to otherwise qualified applicants who have been convicted of certain offenses, instead of automatically denying their applications. The provisional license begins on the date an applicant is released from prison if they were incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. This bill directly affects individuals with criminal convictions seeking occupational licenses (such as for nursing, contracting, or other licensed professions) who meet all other qualification requirements. It aims to reduce barriers to employment by providing a temporary licensing pathway for these applicants.

Maddy summarySB 1273 establishes the Higher Education Research Security Council to address risks of foreign espionage and interference in academic research at Texas's top research universities. The council, composed of designated security officers from participating "tier one research institutions" (as defined by the Carnegie Classification), will develop security policies, identify best practices, create an accreditation program for secure research, and offer annual training on researcher background checks and security tools. This applies specifically to Texas public and private institutions designated as R1 research universities. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor on May 27, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1271 establishes a process for Texas to accept shared authority with the federal government over U.S. military installations within the state for specific matters. The bill allows the governor to formally agree to concurrent jurisdiction - meaning both Texas and federal authorities can act - on written requests from the U.S. government, provided applications detail the exact subject matters (like juvenile delinquency cases) and land boundaries. It requires applications to include proof of land ownership, specify jurisdiction scope, and outline a termination procedure. This law directly affects military installations in Texas and enables the state to exercise authority over certain local issues that previously fell solely under federal jurisdiction.

Maddy summaryHB 1939 creates a 4% credit for Texas school districts that prepay attendance credit costs under the public school finance system. Specifically, districts that elect to pay for attendance credit using a specified payment method and pay the full amount by February 15 each school year receive this credit. The bill directly affects all Texas public school districts required to purchase attendance credit under Chapter 49 of the Education Code. The credit applies after other applicable reductions and takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 781 creates confidential "department files" for law enforcement employees who hold licenses. These files must include internal documents about alleged misconduct where there's insufficient evidence to prove wrongdoing, excluding standard personnel records. The bill restricts access: agencies can share files only with the licensing commission during investigations or when hiring new license holders, and prohibits disclosure to the public or other agencies under Texas' public information law. It directly affects Texas law enforcement agencies and their licensed employees by making these records private, not subject to public disclosure. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1355 requires distillers and rectifiers (businesses with specific liquor permits) to provide invoices detailing liquor purchases to wholesalers within 30 days of delivery. Wholesalers must pay these invoices within 30 days of receiving the invoice, or the distiller may report the unpaid account to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. The Commission will maintain a public list of delinquent wholesalers and may deny permit renewals, transfers, or cancellations for permit holders with unpaid accounts under this section. This bill directly affects distillers/rectifiers and wholesalers by creating clear payment deadlines and linking permit status to timely payment of liquor purchases.