Sen. Brandon Creighton

Maddy summaryHB 517 prohibits property owners' associations from fining homeowners for discolored or brown grass/turf during official residential water restrictions. It specifically applies when a municipality or water supplier mandates drought-related watering limits, and the fine ban lasts through the restriction period plus 60 days after it ends. The law directly affects homeowners in communities with property associations and prevents associations from enforcing landscaping fines during water shortages. This policy change takes effect September 1, 2025, and is limited to mandatory drought restrictions, not voluntary conservation efforts.

Maddy summaryHB 23 allows applicants for property development permits and landowners to hire qualified third parties to review plans or inspect improvements if local government agencies miss 15-day deadlines for approvals or inspections. It requires these third parties to be licensed engineers, International Code Council-certified inspectors, or employees of other government agencies approved for the role. The bill mandates that third-party reviews and inspections follow the same standards as the local agency and must be reported to the agency within 15 days of completion. This directly affects developers, property owners, and local government agencies handling land development approvals in Texas.

Maddy summarySB 2797 modifies discovery rules in Texas criminal cases. It requires prosecutors to provide defendants with written notice of witnesses they plan to use to challenge an alibi at least 10 days before trial begins (or before evidence presentation in non-jury trials). The bill also mandates defendants to disclose witness lists, relevant statements, evidence they intend to use, and expert reports to prosecutors by specific deadlines (30 days before trial or after receiving state disclosures). These changes directly affect defendants, prosecutors, and courts handling criminal trials in Texas.

Maddy summarySB 317 establishes rules for removing, relocating, or altering monuments or memorials on public property in Texas. For state-owned monuments that have stood for 25 years or more, removal or alteration requires a two-thirds vote from both legislative chambers; newer state monuments need approval from the state agency that installed them. For local monuments (on city or county property), those 25 years or older require a voter election for removal, while newer ones need approval from the local governing body. The bill also creates a process where residents can file complaints with the attorney general if local governments violate these rules, potentially leading to court action and a civil penalty.

Maddy summarySB 2363 makes it a third-degree felony to intentionally or knowingly share how an individual voted at a polling place without the voter's effective consent. The bill defines "effective consent" as legally authorized agreement free from force, fraud, or incapacity, and broadly defines "publish" to include oral, written, or electronic communication. It directly affects voters (by protecting their ballot privacy) and anyone who might disclose voting choices, such as poll workers or others with access to polling place information. The law includes an exception for disclosures required by state law in official investigations or proceedings. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires individuals to submit proof of United States citizenship when registering to vote. Applicants must provide a copy of specific documents, such as a U.S. passport or birth certificate, with their voter registration application. If initial proof is not provided, voter registrars must attempt to verify citizenship using various databases. If citizenship cannot be verified or proof is not ultimately provided, the applicant will only be eligible to vote a limited federal ballot. The bill also creates a state jail felony offense for registrars who knowingly fail to reject applications that do not meet these new requirements.

Maddy summarySB 1749 requires county registrars to omit the residence addresses of specific judicial branch personnel from public voter registration lists. It directly affects federal judges (including bankruptcy judges), state judges, court clerks, court administrators, employees of the Office of Court Administration, members of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, and their family members. The bill amends election code sections to mandate this privacy protection while keeping other registration information public. It also creates a notification system for the director to inform relevant agencies about who qualifies for this confidential treatment.

Maddy summarySB 1319 limits public Texas universities to awarding no more than 25% of athletic scholarships in any sports program to international students (citizens of foreign countries) during each academic year. It directly affects all public institutions of higher education in Texas that offer intercollegiate athletics. The bill requires universities to adjust their scholarship allocations to comply with this cap starting with the 2026-2027 academic year. This is a concrete policy change that modifies how athletic financial aid is distributed, without altering other scholarship rules.

Maddy summaryThis is a symbolic resolution (not a law) passed by the Texas Senate. It declares the Gulf of America's importance to Texas and U.S. economic and security interests, affirms Texas' sovereignty over its 10-mile coastal zone, and expresses support for the Trump Administration's policies on energy independence and state rights. The resolution opposes federal actions that would undermine Texas' control of coastal resources and calls for federal-state collaboration on Gulf resource management. It does not create new laws or alter existing policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific segment of Farm-to-Market Road 1097 in Montgomery County - between Interstate 45 and Lake Conroe Hills Drive - as the "Army Specialist Joey Lenz Memorial Highway." It requires the Texas Department of Transportation to install markers at both ends of the highway and at appropriate intermediate locations. The bill is purely commemorative and does not alter road maintenance, funding, or transportation policy. It honors Army Specialist Joey Lenz, with no direct impact on public services or regulations.