Sen. Paul Bettencourt

Maddy summarySB 14, titled the Regulatory Reform and Efficiency Act, creates the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office within the governor's office to streamline how state agencies develop and review regulations. The office will help agencies identify unnecessary rules, reduce costs for businesses and individuals, and establish a public online portal for searching regulatory information. This bill directly affects state agencies that create regulations and the public who interact with those regulations. The new office will operate until 2037 unless extended under the Sunset Act, with its work focused on improving regulatory efficiency and transparency.

Maddy summaryTexas Senate Bill 1314 amends the Health and Safety Code to define "e-cigarette product" as any substance containing nicotine (from any source) intended for use in e-cigarettes, regardless of whether it contains nicotine. This definition change directly affects manufacturers, retailers, and users of nicotine-containing e-cigarette products in Texas. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, establishing the legal framework for future regulations on these products. The summary is limited to the definitional provision as no specific prohibition language is detailed in the provided text.

Maddy summarySB 1871 requires each public school campus to designate a behavior coordinator responsible for discipline management and ensuring access to telehealth mental health services. It creates legal immunity for school staff who report safety concerns or remove students from class under specific safety protocols. The bill also clarifies that school districts cannot exempt themselves from core education requirements like curriculum standards or accountability measures. These changes directly affect school staff, students, and campus administrators in Texas public schools. The bill aims to standardize discipline procedures while improving mental health service access without altering existing accountability frameworks.

Maddy summarySB 388 sets a goal that 50% of new electric generation capacity in Texas (after 2026) must come from natural gas power plants, which provide reliable on-demand electricity. It directly affects utilities, power companies, and electric cooperatives operating in the ERCOT grid region. The bill creates a credit system where companies that don’t meet the natural gas requirement can buy credits from others who do, with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality responsible for setting rules on how credits are calculated and used. The law also requires new natural gas projects to meet reliability standards and prioritize sites with economic potential for natural gas development. This is a substantive policy change affecting future energy investments, not a procedural measure.

Maddy summarySB 989 requires applicants for specific court roles - such as masters, magistrates, referees, and associate judges who determine bail eligibility or amount - to submit fingerprints for criminal background checks. Courts must obtain these checks using records from the Texas Department of Public Safety and the FBI before appointing or employing these applicants. The bill also allows courts to contract with the Department of Public Safety to manage the checks and charge applicants for associated costs, while restricting the use of criminal history information solely to evaluation purposes and prohibiting disclosure without consent.

Maddy summarySB 32 would create a $25,000 property tax exemption for businesses owning or leasing tangible personal property (like equipment or tools) used to generate income. This exemption applies to each business location within a taxing unit, with property at the same location being combined to determine eligibility. Businesses leasing equipment would receive the same exemption as if they owned it. The bill affects Texas businesses that use physical assets to produce income, reducing their local property tax burden on those assets.

Maddy summaryTexas Senate Bill 819 establishes a new permit requirement for renewable energy facilities (wind or solar) with a capacity of 10 megawatts or more that connect to the power grid. It directly affects developers and operators of large-scale wind and solar projects, requiring them to apply for a commission permit before construction or significant expansion. Key provisions include submitting facility details, conducting environmental reviews with the Parks and Wildlife Department, holding public meetings within 25 miles of the site, and publishing meeting notices online. The bill does not apply to solar facilities within home-rule municipalities, and permits must be obtained before September 1, 2025, for existing facilities that expand or relocate significantly.

Maddy summarySB 1741 requires all Texas public universities to report foreign funding received from entities outside the U.S. annually, beginning September 2024. It prohibits institutions from accepting gifts, grants, or donations from the Chinese government or entities controlled by it. The bill also mandates that all university researchers complete annual training on identifying espionage risks, protecting intellectual property, and reporting suspicious activity. Universities must establish internal systems for staff and students to report potential espionage or theft. These requirements apply directly to every public institution of higher education in Texas.

Maddy summarySB 2365 would require Texas public school districts and charter schools to adopt policies banning students from using personal wireless devices (like smartphones, tablets, or laptops not issued by the school) during class time. The bill allows exceptions for devices needed for individualized education programs (IEPs), documented medical needs, or health/safety requirements. School boards must implement these policies starting with the 2025-2026 school year. The bill directly affects all public school students in Texas during instructional periods, with limited exceptions for specific educational or safety needs.

Maddy summarySB 532 amends Texas law to increase the minimum and maximum grant amounts for the Young Farmer Grant Program. It raises the minimum grant from $5,000 to $10,000 and the maximum from $20,000 to $35,000. This bill directly affects young farmers in Texas who apply for these grants under the program. The changes apply to grants issued on or after September 1, 2025, while existing grants remain governed by prior law.