Sen. Paul Bettencourt

Maddy summarySB 3041 increases criminal penalties for insider trading and misuse of official information in Texas. It classifies offenses as felonies based on the financial gain achieved: third-degree for gains under $150,000, second-degree for $150,000-$300,000, and first-degree for $300,000 or more. The bill directly affects individuals who profit from illegal insider trading or misuse of confidential information. The changes apply only to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2821 prohibits Texas public schools and institutions of higher education from entering contracts or accepting money from "foreign adversaries," defined as China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or other countries designated under U.S. law. It specifically bans agreements involving research partnerships, student exchanges, faculty collaborations, or intellectual property sharing with entities controlled by these governments. Violations could result in civil fines of 5-10% of a school district’s state funding for first offenses, or 20% for repeat violations, enforced by the attorney general. The bill directly affects school districts and universities that receive state funding, requiring them to review existing and future partnerships with foreign entities. It does not apply to general donations from individuals or organizations not tied to designated foreign governments.

Maddy summarySB 2823 limits liability for contractors who design, build, or maintain highways, roads, or traffic safety systems for Texas government entities (like the Texas Department of Transportation or local municipalities). It states these contractors cannot be held liable for injuries or property damage if they were in "material compliance" with contract documents related to the defect causing the harm. The bill does not change liability rules for drivers or introduce new presumptions about impaired driving, as suggested in the title. It would take effect September 1, 2025, if passed. This directly affects government contractors working on public infrastructure projects.

Maddy summarySB 2963 gives Texas's Attorney General new authority to investigate and sue local governments (municipalities or counties) that violate state law. If the Attorney General finds a violation after an investigation, they can file a lawsuit to enforce compliance. During such lawsuits, the bill requires withholding state payments to the local government, prohibits exceeding tax rate limits, and blocks grant funding. This law directly affects local governments by creating specific enforcement mechanisms and shifting the burden of proof to them to demonstrate legal compliance.

Maddy summarySB 2820 amends Texas election law to standardize polling place distribution in certain counties. It requires counties with over 1 million residents to ensure no state representative district has more than one additional polling place compared to another district within the same county. For counties between 120,000 and 1 million residents, commissioners courts must establish early voting locations in each commissioners precinct, with no district exceeding a one-place difference in polling locations. The bill also mandates proportional adjustments for state representative districts spanning multiple counties, based on voter population data from the Secretary of State. These provisions directly affect election administrators and voting access in designated populous Texas counties.

Maddy summarySB 2974 creates new election enforcement roles within Texas's Election Code. It establishes a State Election Marshal appointed by the Secretary of State, who will oversee regional election marshals (one per 1 million residents). These marshals must be licensed peace officers with election law training and will investigate alleged election code violations. The bill directly affects election officials and administrators by adding these new oversight positions and requiring their contact information to be publicly available. The key change is creating a dedicated enforcement structure to address potential election process violations.

Maddy summarySB 2816 requires Texas counties to conduct manual counts of electronic voting system results in a random sample of precincts or polling places where electronic systems were used. It mandates counting at least 1% of such precincts (or three, whichever is greater), with counts starting within 72 hours after polls close and completing by the 21st day after election day. The Secretary of State selects which specific races (up to three offices and three propositions) to count in those locations and must notify counties the day after election day. Counties must post count details online, and the bill takes effect September 1, 2025. This procedural bill directly affects Texas election officials conducting post-election audits.

Maddy summarySB 2973 creates a new property tax exemption for nonprofits in Texas counties with 3.3 million or more residents (like Harris County). It exempts all real and personal property owned by qualifying nonprofits - those organized exclusively for charitable, educational, or scientific purposes - when used to promote agriculture, support youth, or provide community educational programs. The exemption allows incidental uses (such as limited rentals) if the revenue benefits the nonprofit, but explicitly excludes for-profit leases of such property. This change applies only to property used for the specified community purposes, not general nonprofit activities. The bill takes effect January 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 3026 adjusts how Texas school districts calculate property tax rates when state funding changes. It requires school districts to lower their tax rates if state/local funding per student increases above the previous year’s level, ensuring they don’t collect extra revenue beyond the guaranteed funding amount. The bill also clarifies that districts cannot raise maintenance and operations tax rates above a specific cap after making these adjustments. This directly affects school districts (not general taxing units) by linking their tax rates to state funding changes under Education Code. The bill modifies existing tax calculation rules but does not create new taxes or alter voter approval requirements.

Maddy summarySB 2818 requires Texas peace officers to complete a mandatory 2-hour training program on interacting with people with autism spectrum disorder. The training, established by the Peace Officer Standards and Education Commission, covers evidence-based topics including recognizing autism symptoms, communicating without causing stress, de-escalating situations, locating missing individuals with autism, identifying abuse risks, and understanding legal procedures for custody. This bill directly affects all Texas peace officers by adding these specific curriculum requirements to their initial and ongoing training. The law aims to improve officer interactions with individuals on the autism spectrum through standardized, research-informed practices.