Sen. Paul Bettencourt

Maddy summarySB 2522 clarifies municipal and county authority in areas outside city limits (extraterritorial jurisdiction) and unincorporated county land. It requires cities that annex areas for limited purposes (like specific infrastructure) to disannex those areas and release them from city jurisdiction using established petition or election processes. The bill also restricts cities from regulating land use, building density, lot sizes, or development density in these areas unless state law specifically authorizes it. This directly affects cities, counties, and property owners in unincorporated areas and ETJ zones by defining what local governments can or cannot regulate.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 395) formally recognizes the ninth class of Governor William P. Clements Jr. Scholars, a group of 20 Texas students participating in the Clements Legislative Study Program. The program, hosted by the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute, provides conservative students with hands-on experience in public policy and leadership through direct work with Texas legislators. The resolution commends these students for their dedication to public service and extends "sincere best wishes for success" without creating any new laws, policies, or funding requirements. As a commemorative resolution, it serves solely as an expression of recognition by the Texas Senate.

Maddy summaryHJR 2 proposes a constitutional amendment that would prohibit Texas from imposing state taxes on property transferred after someone's death, including estate, inheritance, or gift taxes. It specifically prevents new taxes on these transfers or increases to existing taxes that were in place before January 1, 2025. Exceptions include taxes on motor vehicle gifts, certain property taxes (ad valorem), and taxes already authorized under existing law. This amendment requires voter approval in the November 2025 election and would affect anyone transferring property through wills, inheritances, or gifts after the amendment takes effect.

Maddy summarySB 111 requires Texas school districts to report monthly on special education lawsuits where legal fees exceed $10,000. Districts must post on their websites and submit to the state agency details including the lawsuit's general subject matter and total fees incurred. The state agency must then compile and publicly post aggregated statewide data and district-specific information. The bill was reported adversely by the Education Committee on May 7, 2025, with a 10-1 vote, meaning it did not advance to the full legislature.

Maddy summarySB 2260 requires developers of multifamily residential developments receiving specific tax exemptions (under Texas Local Government Code sections 303.042, 392.005, or 394.905) to annually disclose detailed information by April 30. This includes development addresses, owner details, unit counts, appraised values, tax exemption amounts, and affordability data like income-restricted unit breakdowns and housing voucher participation. The disclosures must be submitted to the county appraisal district via certified mail. The bill directly affects developers of tax-exempt multifamily housing by mandating transparency about their properties' financial and tenant characteristics.

Maddy summarySB 1809 creates a new criminal offense in Texas for fraudulently using, possessing, or tampering with gift cards, their packaging, or digital redemption data. It specifically targets individuals who intentionally alter physical or virtual gift cards, steal or misuse unique redemption information, or use counterfeit cards to obtain goods or services. The law directly affects fraudsters and protects cardholders, card issuers, and gift card sellers by criminalizing acts like altering card data, possessing stolen redemption codes, or knowingly using fake cards. Key provisions define "counterfeit gift cards" and prohibit actions such as tampering with packaging or transporting unactivated cards to retail stores for fraudulent purposes. This law became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor.

Maddy summaryHCR 35 is a Texas concurrent resolution urging Congress to change federal tax law. It requests that spaceports be added to the list of facilities eligible for tax-exempt private activity bonds - currently available for airports, docks, and similar transportation hubs. This would allow spaceport projects in Texas (where the state ranks second nationally in spaceport locations and hosts over 2,000 aerospace businesses) to access lower-cost financing for infrastructure development. The resolution does not change state law but formally asks federal lawmakers to amend the Internal Revenue Code to support this change.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts how local governments in Texas can use property tax revenue. It prohibits municipalities, counties, and local government corporations from using tax revenue from property tax elections (Chapter 26, Tax Code) to repay bonds or other public debt obligations, including transfers to other entities for that purpose. The law specifically bans dedicating, pledging, or using this tax revenue for payments on public securities like bonds. The restrictions apply only to bonds issued on or after the bill's effective date (September 1, 2025, unless passed with a two-thirds vote).

Maddy summarySB 1454 modifies rules for municipal housing authorities in Texas. It requires housing authorities to have a written agreement with water/sewer districts to pay fees instead of receiving tax exemptions for multifamily developments served by those districts. The bill also restricts housing authorities to operate only within their municipality's boundaries (or within five miles, excluding other municipalities), and mandates joint approval from local governments for projects outside their primary area. These changes apply only to new housing contracts entered after the law takes effect, while existing projects remain under prior rules. The bill directly affects municipal housing authorities and service districts providing water, sewer, or drainage.

Maddy summarySB 2010 prohibits Texas political subdivisions (like cities and counties) from establishing or operating guaranteed income programs - defined as direct cash payments, gift cards, or similar financial assistance to individuals - unless explicitly authorized by federal law. The bill bans the use of state or local public funds to support such programs, even if federally permitted, and exempts only short-term work-conditioned programs requiring employment or training. Existing programs in effect before the bill's effective date may continue until January 1, 2026, or their expiration. This legislation directly affects local governments seeking to implement unconditional cash assistance initiatives.