Sen. Brandon Creighton

Maddy summaryHB 5115 increases criminal penalties for election fraud in Texas by elevating the offense from a Class A misdemeanor to a second-degree felony under Election Code Section 276.013. It directly affects individuals who commit specific election fraud acts, such as tampering with ballots, voting for deceased voters, or counting invalid votes. The bill amends the law to impose harsher penalties for these violations, excluding certain scenarios like election officials acting in their official capacity (which remains a state jail felony) or attempted offenses (classified as a third-degree felony). This change applies only to offenses committed on or after its September 1, 2025 effective date.

Maddy summarySB 441 creates civil liability for producing, soliciting, disclosing, or promoting AI-generated intimate visual material without a person's consent and with intent to harm. It specifically targets material that reveals the depicted person's identity (e.g., through facial recognition or unique features) and requires proof of actual harm. The law holds both creators of the material and owners of websites/social media platforms liable if they fail to remove such content after notice. This directly affects individuals whose images are used without consent in AI-generated intimate content, providing a legal path to seek damages for the harm caused.

Maddy summarySB 1856 allows specific electric utilities operating outside ERCOT (in Southeastern Electric Reliability Council areas) to recover costs from multi-state capacity auctions through a special rider on customer bills. The rider must be annually updated and only covers costs not already recovered via base rates, including eligibility criteria for capacity-related expenses. Utilities must apply if they haven't exceeded their authorized return on equity, and the commission requires annual reconciliation to ensure costs are reasonable and prevent over-recovery. This law, effective immediately after the governor signed it on June 20, 2025, directly affects eligible out-of-ERCOT utilities participating in federal-regulated capacity markets.

Maddy summarySB 33 prohibits Texas governmental entities from using taxpayer funds to pay for or facilitate abortion-related services. It bans transactions with "abortion assistance entities" (organizations providing financial help, travel, childcare, or abortion drugs) or abortion providers for abortion procurement. The law specifically prevents government spending on logistical support like travel, lodging, childcare, or food to help individuals access abortion services. This applies to all state and local government entities and takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 510 requires Texas voter registrars (county election officials) to timely complete specific voter registration duties, such as processing registration changes or scheduling hearings. If a registrar fails to meet these deadlines, the Secretary of State may withhold state funds distributed under Chapters 19 or 31. Registrars can regain funds by completing the required duty within 30 days of the funds being withheld. The bill directly affects county election offices and aims to ensure timely voter registration processing. It takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 36 establishes a Homeland Security Division within the Texas Department of Public Safety to coordinate statewide homeland security efforts. The division, led by a chief appointed by the department director, directly affects state agencies, local governments, and private organizations involved in border security operations. Key provisions require the division to develop strategic plans, coordinate border security operations with federal and local entities, manage intelligence collection and analysis, and oversee programs like Operation Drawbridge (border surveillance cameras). The bill mandates regular risk assessments, homeland security exercises, and alignment of state and local preparedness efforts under the division’s leadership.

Maddy summaryHB 3053 prohibits municipalities and counties in Texas from organizing, sponsoring, or participating in firearm buyback programs. The bill specifically bans local governments from creating programs that aim to remove firearms from circulation, reduce civilian firearm ownership, or allow sales without criminal prosecution concerns. This law directly affects local governments by preventing them from implementing such buyback initiatives. The bill takes effect on September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 103 requires Texas comptroller to create and maintain a public database containing detailed information about bonds, taxes, and related projects for all taxing units (like cities, counties, and school districts) in Texas. The database must include bond ballot language, projected tax rates, election results, project uses of funds, and comparisons between adopted and voter-approved tax rates. It also mandates specific data for school district maintenance taxes. The bill includes civil penalties for noncompliance, aiming to increase transparency around local government financial decisions.

Maddy summaryHB 654, known as the Asp-Morgan Act, allows courts to dismiss criminal charges for minor deer hunting violations where antler spread measurements differ by one inch or less from legal limits. It applies to hunters who report the violation to a game warden before leaving the site, avoid keeping the deer carcass, have no prior similar violations, plead guilty, and complete a hunter education course. If they finish the course and avoid further violations during an 180-day deferral period, the charge is dismissed without creating a conviction record. This policy directly affects hunters who make minor measurement errors in deer hunting, offering an alternative to conviction through education rather than punishment.

Maddy summarySB 37 requires Texas public universities to review their general education curriculum and graduation requirements every five years. It mandates that these reviews ensure courses are foundational for education, prepare students for civic/professional life, and avoid teaching specific concepts like "identity politics" or theories claiming systemic racism is inherent in U.S. institutions. The bill also requires governing boards to consider student costs, including additional tuition and time to complete degrees. This law directly affects all 15 public universities in Texas and takes effect September 1, 2025.