Maddy summaryHB 1397 requires the Texas Historical Commission to manage the care, custody, and display of three key historical documents: the "victory or death letter" (William Travis' 1836 letter), the Texas Constitution, and the Texas Declaration of Independence. The bill mandates that the commission designate a secure display location for the victory or death letter at the Alamo complex by December 1, 2027, while continuing to display the Constitution and Declaration at the Capitol Complex under existing arrangements. It also requires collaboration with the Texas Historical Commission and State Preservation Board to develop and publish a formal display plan for all three documents. This law, signed by the governor on June 20, 2025, and effective September 1, 2025, institutionalizes the current practice of displaying these documents while formalizing future display locations.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 1300 defines "organized retail theft" as stealing from a merchant through coordinated actions (e.g., acting in concert with others), multiple incidents within 180 days, or benefiting from such theft. It changes how stolen item value is calculated for sentencing by using the merchant's posted sales price (including tax) instead of market value, and makes it easier for prosecutors to prove cases by allowing indictments to reference merchants and aggregate value ranges rather than listing each item. The bill also establishes price tags as evidence of both value and merchant ownership, streamlining prosecutions. This law directly affects Texas retailers and individuals convicted of organized retail theft, with increased penalties for the offense.
Maddy summaryHB 2012 allows counties with populations over 1.3 million (or adjacent to counties over 4 million) to regulate roadside and parking lot vendors/solicitors in unincorporated areas. It authorizes county commissioners to control food/merchandise sales (including live animals), vendor structures, and money solicitation on public roads or in parking lots. The law applies only to unincorporated areas outside city limits and takes effect September 1, 2025. This directly affects vendors operating in those specific counties' rural or suburban zones.
Maddy summarySB 2398 requires the Texas Education Agency to create a list of nonmedical academic accommodations (like modified assignments or extended deadlines) for public school students diagnosed with a concussion or brain injury. It mandates the agency to develop a standardized form for school districts to use when implementing these accommodations, and to make this form publicly available online for schools, staff, students, and parents. School districts must share the form with relevant staff and families upon receiving a diagnosis or a request. The law is voluntary - districts are not required to provide accommodations - and takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year.
Maddy summarySB 571 updates Texas education law to restrict employment of contract employees who work in public schools and have direct student contact. It prohibits school districts and contractors from hiring individuals with certain criminal convictions (like felonies or misdemeanors listed under Section 22.085) or those identified in a misconduct registry for specific offenses. The bill also expands access to this registry - used to track ineligible employees - to include private schools, non-profit teacher organizations, and school contractors. These changes apply only to new contracts entered on or after September 1, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 2965 (effective September 1, 2025) clarifies the process when a municipality annexes territory from an emergency services district. It requires the municipality to send written notice to the district board within 30 days of annexation, including a service plan if needed. The district board must then approve or disapprove the removal within 30 days; failure to act means the territory is automatically removed. This affects municipalities annexing territory and emergency services districts losing territory, ensuring the municipality can provide equal or better emergency services before the territory leaves the district.
Maddy summarySB 568 amends Texas Education Code sections 8.051 and 29.001 to strengthen special education support in public schools. It requires regional education service centers to provide specific core services, including teacher training on state-mandated subjects and financial literacy, assistance for districts with special education compliance issues, and support for students needing specialized services. The bill also mandates the state education agency to develop a comprehensive system ensuring statewide compliance with federal and state special education laws, focusing on student outcomes and coordinated services. These changes directly affect Texas school districts, regional centers, and students with disabilities by standardizing support and accountability. The bill does not create new funding but reorganizes how existing Foundation School Program funds are administered for special education.
Maddy summarySB 2972 protects free expression at Texas public universities by requiring common outdoor campus areas to be treated as traditional public forums. It ensures students and employees can engage in protests, speeches, and other expressive activities there, as long as the activity is lawful and doesn’t significantly disrupt campus operations. The law permits universities to impose only reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions on these activities, while explicitly excluding commercial speech, threats, defamation, and other unprotected categories. This policy change directly affects all public university students, faculty, and staff in Texas, effective September 1, 2025.
Maddy summaryHB 5686 creates Montgomery County Management District No. 3, a new special district in Montgomery County, Texas, primarily affecting property owners within its boundaries. The bill grants the district authority to issue bonds for infrastructure and services, and to impose assessments, fees, and taxes to fund its operations. Its purpose is to promote economic development, housing, tourism, and public welfare while supplementing - rather than replacing - existing county and city services in the district. The district’s activities must align with Texas Constitution provisions supporting economic diversification and public welfare.
Maddy summarySB 17 restricts certain foreign governments and entities from purchasing or acquiring title to specific types of real property in Texas if such ownership poses a risk to public health, safety, or welfare. It prohibits purchases of agricultural land, commercial, industrial, residential property, mines, minerals, or timber by organizations or governments from "designated countries" (identified by U.S. intelligence as national security risks). Exceptions include U.S. citizens/permanent residents, entities owned by them, homestead properties, and leaseholds under 100 years. The law creates a new Property Code Subchapter H (Sections 5.251-5.254) to implement these restrictions.