Sen. Charles Schwertner

Maddy summaryHB 2508 creates a property tax exemption for the residence homestead of a surviving spouse whose veteran spouse died from a qualifying condition or disease. The exemption applies to the full appraised value of the homestead and is available to spouses who have not remarried since the veteran's death. Qualifying conditions are defined under the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022. The exemption takes effect January 1 of the tax year the surviving spouse qualifies and applies regardless of when the veteran died, provided all eligibility criteria are met. This bill amends Texas Tax Code Sections 11.136, 11.42(c), and 11.43(c) to implement the change.

Maddy summarySB 528 establishes new requirements for facilities providing inpatient competency restoration services in Texas. It mandates that these facilities enter into memorandums of understanding with local counties, municipalities, and mental health authorities (Sec. 580.003). The bill also requires facilities to submit annual reports to the Health and Human Services Commission detailing specific metrics, including the number of individuals restored to competency, average treatment duration, and transfer rates after 60 days (Sec. 580.004). These reports must include demographic breakdowns by offense type (misdemeanor/felony) and other relevant factors. The law applies exclusively to facilities contracted with the Commission to restore competency for individuals awaiting trial under criminal procedure law.

Maddy summaryHB 144 requires electric cooperatives, utilities, and municipally owned utilities in Texas to submit detailed plans to the Public Utility Commission for managing and inspecting their distribution poles. Each plan must include specific elements: inspection processes (including third-party vendor training), handling landowner complaints, inspection deadlines for each pole, and a budget. Utilities must submit monthly updates for the first 24 months (after which annual updates may be allowed) and triennial compliance reports. The bill directly affects all entities distributing electricity in Texas by mandating structured pole safety oversight and transparency.

Maddy summarySB 10 requires all Texas public elementary and secondary schools to display a specific, standardized version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom starting September 1, 2025. The law mandates a durable poster or framed copy meeting strict size (at least 16x20 inches) and content requirements, including only the exact text listed in the bill. Schools must display this unless they accept a privately donated version meeting the same specifications, and may optionally use district funds to purchase compliant displays. This directly affects every public school classroom in Texas, requiring a physical display of the specified religious text.

Maddy summarySB 379 prohibits SNAP (food stamp) benefits in Texas from being used to purchase energy drinks, sweetened beverages (like soda), carbonated drinks, candy, potato/corn chips, and pre-packaged cookies. It directly affects SNAP recipients who previously could buy these items with their benefits. The law includes exceptions for milk products, milk substitutes (like almond milk), unsweetened beverages, infant formula, weight-loss drinks, and health-recommended products. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summaryHB 2885 allows specific counties (with 70,000-100,000 residents, containing part of the Colorado River, and bordering a city of 1 million+ residents) and municipalities to hold local elections on legalizing alcohol sales. County commissioners courts or city councils can initiate these votes by resolution or motion to decide if alcohol sales should be permitted in their area. The bill creates a new process under Texas Election Code Section 501.0211, directly affecting eligible communities seeking to change local alcohol regulations. It takes effect September 1, 2025, without altering current alcohol laws but providing a structured voting mechanism.

Maddy summaryHB 1871 increases penalties for attempting to kill a peace officer by reclassifying the offense as a first-degree felony, punishable by 25 years to life in prison. It directly affects individuals convicted of attempting capital murder of a police officer, making them ineligible for parole under Section 508.145(a)(1) of the Government Code. The bill also prohibits such offenders from being released on mandatory supervision under Section 508.149(a). These changes took effect on September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor.

Maddy summaryHB 2607 changes the term lengths for the Walker County Hospital District's board of managers and adjusts lease terms for hospital property. It replaces two-year terms with four-year staggered terms (with two or three members' terms expiring each even-numbered year) and increases the maximum lease term for hospital facilities from 40 to 80 years. These changes directly affect the Walker County Hospital District's governance and its ability to lease property. The bill modifies specific sections of Texas law to implement these terms and lease duration adjustments.

Maddy summaryHB 4464 amends Texas law to clarify workers' compensation coverage for emergency response personnel. It defines "local government employee member" for Texas Task Force 1, intrastate fire mutual aid teams, and regional incident management teams, ensuring their activation service counts as regular employment. The bill specifically removes workers' compensation coverage for non-government members (like volunteers) on these teams. This change updates Education Code provisions to align with Labor Code definitions, ensuring only government-employed responders receive coverage during official activation.

Maddy summarySB 31, titled the "Life of the Mother Act," amends Texas Health and Safety Code to create a specific exception allowing abortions when a physician determines in "reasonable medical judgment" that a pregnancy poses a life-threatening risk of death or serious risk of substantial impairment to a major bodily function. It directly affects pregnant individuals with pregnancy-related conditions that threaten life or major bodily function, removing prior requirements that risks be imminent or that physical damage already occur. The law permits physicians to act proactively to address such risks before symptoms manifest, without needing to wait for documented harm. Signed by the governor on June 20, 2025, it became effective immediately.