Sen. Paul Bettencourt

Maddy summarySB 2859 prohibits individuals or entities that contribute to political committees supporting bond issuances from receiving money from bond proceeds, such as payments for goods or services under bond-related contracts. It directly affects donors to political committees that campaign for bond measures, blocking their access to funds generated by those bonds. The bill adds Section 253.008 to the Election Code, creating a new restriction that applies only to contributions made on or after its effective date (September 1, 2025). This policy change aims to prevent conflicts of interest by separating political contributions from financial benefits tied to bond funding.

Maddy summarySB 2817 designates a specific segment of State Highway 249 in Montgomery County as the "Paul P. Mendes Memorial Parkway." This bill requires the Texas Department of Transportation to install markers at both ends of the highway segment and at appropriate intermediate locations along the route. The designation is purely ceremonial and adds to any existing highway designations, with no substantive policy changes or financial impact. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2975 amends Texas election law to require additional identification details on voter registration applications, including Texas driver's license numbers or the last four digits of a Social Security number. It also changes the process for suspending or terminating county elections administrators, requiring a higher vote threshold (four-fifths of the election commission) and approval by the commissioners court. The bill directly affects voters who must provide these new details and election administrators whose employment protections are modified. These changes aim to clarify registration requirements and administrative procedures under the Election Code.

Maddy summarySB 2822 changes how school boards are elected in large Texas districts. It requires school districts in counties with 3.3 million or more residents to elect four board members at-large and five from single-member districts. The bill also adds a provision allowing parents to exempt students from school uniform requirements due to religious or philosophical objections. Additionally, it makes teacher grades final unless they are arbitrary, erroneous, or violate district policy, with no appeal process for such grade determinations. These changes directly affect school districts in populous counties and their students, parents, and board members.

Maddy summarySB 2951 allows sheriffs and constables in Texas counties with 3.3 million or more residents to contract directly with local entities for law enforcement services. Specifically, sheriffs may partner with county residents, businesses, property associations, or landowners to provide services in areas they own, lease, or manage, primarily serving residents and visitors there. The bill prohibits county commissioners courts from blocking these contracts or restricting terms, giving sheriffs and constables full authority to negotiate agreements. This change applies only to large-county law enforcement structures and does not create new services or funding.

Maddy summarySB 2478 requires local governments (cities, counties, school districts) to obtain a 75% supermajority vote from their governing bodies to adopt property tax rates exceeding the current "no-new-revenue" level (where tax revenue would not increase from the previous year) or to issue tax bonds. The bill mandates that votes on such tax rate increases must be recorded separately from budget votes and includes specific disclosure requirements: the ordinance must prominently state if taxes will exceed last year’s level, and the taxing unit’s website must display the estimated tax impact on a $100,000 home. This replaces a previous 60% threshold for non-school districts and applies to all taxing units, including school districts under separate Education Code rules. The legislation aims to increase transparency and community oversight for tax increases that generate new revenue.

Maddy summarySB 2485 expands Texas' open meetings law to require more government entities to broadcast and archive their meetings online. It adds new covered entities like school districts with 10,000+ students, large municipalities (50,000+ population), and certain special districts to the existing list. The bill mandates these bodies must stream meetings live on their websites and maintain accessible archives. This applies to 15 specific types of boards and commissions, including water supply corporations, workforce boards, and housing authorities, as defined in the amended law.

Maddy summarySB 2679 allows sheriffs and constables in Texas counties with populations over 1.2 million to directly contract with local governments (like cities or school districts), property owners' associations, or landowners to provide law enforcement services in specific areas. It specifically removes the commissioners court's authority to block or restrict these contracts, letting law enforcement officials set contract terms without approval. The bill directly affects large-county sheriffs, constables, local governments, and private property associations that may enter these agreements. It applies only to counties exceeding 1.2 million residents, as defined in the bill text.

Maddy summarySB 2518 limits special districts and their created corporations from acquiring, developing, or leasing multifamily housing or property outside their district boundaries after September 1, 2025. It specifically prohibits these entities from granting leases that would exempt private tenants from property taxes. The bill includes an exception allowing districts to exercise restricted powers only to fulfill existing debts, bonds, or obligations. This law takes effect on September 1, 2025, unless passed with a two-thirds vote for immediate implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how certain Texas taxing units (like hospital districts and junior college districts) calculate the tax rate voters can petition to reduce. It requires officials to use a specific formula from Section 26.076 to determine the "petition election tax rate" and mandates that all calculations must match certified property values in the county appraisal roll. Voters in these units can then petition for an election to lower the adopted tax rate to the calculated petition rate. The bill updates tax code procedures to standardize these calculations and ensure accuracy in the process.