Sen. Kevin Sparks

Maddy summaryTexas Senate Bill 88 amends the state's Penal Code to redefine "harmful material" for minors. The bill specifies that harmful material must: (1) appeal to a minor's interest in sex, nudity, or excretion; (2) be patently offensive to adult community standards regarding what is suitable for minors; and (3) lack redeeming social value for minors. This definition directly affects businesses, distributors, and individuals who sell, distribute, or display such material to minors. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and applies only to offenses committed on or after that date.

Maddy summarySB 2421 requires manufacturers of tablets and smartphones made on or after January 1, 2026, to automatically enable a filter blocking obscene material when activating a device for a minor (under 18) during setup. The filter must prevent access to obscene content through browsers or search engines controlled by the manufacturer, and parents/guardians can manage it via a password. Manufacturers violating this face civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation, while non-parents bypassing the filter for a minor may face criminal charges. The law directly affects device manufacturers and aims to protect minors from obscene material on newly activated devices.

Maddy summarySB 87 requires Texas public school districts to obtain written parental consent before students receive human sexuality instruction. This directly affects parents (who must provide consent), school districts (who must secure it), and students (whose participation depends on it). The bill mandates that consent requests must be separate from other notifications and sent to parents at least 14 days before instruction begins. It applies starting the 2025-2026 school year, with immediate effect if passed by a two-thirds vote. The law changes how schools deliver human sexuality education by adding a parental consent requirement.

Maddy summarySB 983 amends Texas Education Code Section 12.104(b) to require open-enrollment charter schools to comply with specific educational requirements related to instruction about human sexuality, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The bill adds this topic to a list of mandated compliance areas for charter schools, alongside requirements for curriculum, safety, and student services. It directly affects public charter schools by imposing new guidelines on how they must structure and provide this specific health-related instruction. The policy change focuses on standardizing educational content for these schools without altering existing state curriculum frameworks.

Maddy summarySB 86 would require Texas public school districts to establish procedures for parents to file complaints about curriculum and receive written responses within 30 days. It prohibits schools from providing instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity to students and mandates that districts notify parents about changes to student health services or support. The bill also allows parents to sue school districts that fail to resolve complaints, with courts authorized to award damages and attorney fees. These provisions directly affect public school students, parents, and school districts across Texas, focusing on parental notification rights and curriculum restrictions. The bill is currently pending in the Education committee after its initial referral.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits most businesses in Texas from selling, offering for sale, or holding for sale obscene devices (as legally defined in the Penal Code), with exceptions for sexually oriented businesses operating under existing Chapter 102 rules. It allows county or district attorneys to sue violators in district court to stop the sale and impose civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation, plus reimbursement for investigation costs. The law directly affects retail businesses selling adult-oriented products, requiring compliance with the new restrictions unless operating as a licensed sexually oriented business. The bill takes effect immediately if passed with a two-thirds vote, or on September 1, 2025, otherwise.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires online sellers of "obscene devices" to verify that buyers are at least 18 years old before completing a sale. Sellers must use one of three methods: checking government-issued photo ID, using third-party age verification services that access public records, or using payment methods restricted to adults (with additional verification). Violating this rule is a Class A misdemeanor and may result in a $5,000 civil penalty per violation. The law applies to online sales occurring on or after September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2950 creates a civil penalty for improper ballot handling ("vote harvesting") in Texas elections. It allows candidates harmed by such activity to sue for damages, including $25,000 per affected vote, plus campaign costs and attorney fees. The bill directly affects candidates who lose elections due to ballot handling by others, regardless of whether the winning candidate knew about the improper activity. Key provisions establish liability for those committing vote harvesting offenses and define specific recoverable costs without criminal penalties.

Maddy summarySB 718 creates the groundwater science, research, and innovation fund within the Texas Water Development Board's administration. The fund will receive state appropriations, investment returns, grants, and other designated revenue to provide grants to groundwater conservation districts. These grants will support specific projects focused on improving groundwater understanding, modeling, use efficiency, recharge, and water quality protection. The Texas Water Development Board will establish application procedures and criteria to evaluate district proposals for funding.

Maddy summarySB 2810 redirects existing Texas Energy Fund resources to support dispatchable power plants (like natural gas or nuclear facilities that can be turned on-demand) that use treated wastewater from oil and gas operations as their primary water source. It specifically targets projects located in regions with high renewable energy generation (like wind/solar-heavy areas), aiming to help these plants compete economically with renewable sources. The bill requires the Public Utility Commission of Texas and state environmental agencies to establish application guidelines within 180 days and evaluate projects based on these criteria.