Sen. Paul Bettencourt

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Texas' commissioner of state health services to issue a statewide order allowing licensed pharmacists to dispense ivermectin without a prescription. It mandates standardized protocols for pharmacists, requires patient instructions on proper use, and protects pharmacists from criminal, civil, or disciplinary liability when following the order. Pharmacists must also submit annual reports to the state on dispensing volumes. The bill directly affects Texas pharmacists and patients seeking ivermectin without a prescription.

Maddy summarySB 3 provides $294 million in supplemental state funding for disaster relief following a July 2025 flood event in Texas. It allocates funds to match federal disaster aid, support local governments in 27 specific counties (including Travis and Bexar) for flood warning systems and equipment, improve weather forecasting in the Texas Hill Country, and build a swift water training facility for first responders. The bill directs the Office of the Governor to manage these funds over two years, with specific requirements for how each allocation must be used. It directly affects local governments in designated flood-impacted areas and emergency response agencies preparing for future weather events.

Maddy summarySB 14 creates confidential "department files" for law enforcement agencies to track information about licensed employees who hold state-issued law enforcement licenses. These files must include documents about alleged misconduct where evidence was insufficient, but exclude standard personnel records. Agencies must share these files only with the licensing commission during investigations or when hiring new employees, and the files are exempt from public disclosure under Texas law. This policy directly affects law enforcement agencies and their licensed staff by standardizing how sensitive employment-related information is handled and shared.

Maddy summarySB 2 creates a grant program administered by the governor to help municipalities and counties cover the costs of installing outdoor warning sirens in flood-prone areas. The bill defines "flood-prone areas" as regions affected by a specific 2025 flood event and requires local governments to install sirens in locations with a history of severe flooding and high risks to life or property. The grant program must include clear rules for eligibility, application processes, and monitoring of funds to ensure proper use. This legislation amends both the Government Code (to establish the grant) and Water Code (to mandate siren requirements).

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Texas law regarding death investigations by allowing justices of the peace to skip inquests for deaths resulting from natural disasters, provided clear evidence shows the death was caused by disaster-related injuries and not unlawful acts. It directly affects local courts and families seeking death investigations in disaster-impacted areas. The key provision requires justices to verify disaster causation through clear evidence before waiving the inquest, with similar rules applying to autopsy certifications. The bill expires April 1, 2027, and applies to deaths occurring in the justice's county.

Maddy summarySB 8 establishes a new statewide "instructionally supportive assessment program" for Texas public schools, requiring the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to create assessments focused on student growth rather than punitive measures. It mandates that school districts provide parents with one-click access to their child’s test results through a secure parent portal, meeting specific security and privacy standards. The bill also requires districts to adopt local accountability plans with TEA grants and ensures transparency in school performance ratings and interventions. Directly affecting parents, school districts, and the TEA, the law aims to shift accountability toward supporting student learning through accessible data and updated assessment practices.

Maddy summarySB 6 establishes civil liability for the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs, with limited exemptions for medical emergencies (like treating ectopic pregnancies or spontaneous abortions). It directly affects drug manufacturers, distributors, healthcare providers, and internet service providers by removing protections under Texas' Citizens Participation Act and Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Key provisions include authorizing civil lawsuits and "qui tam" actions (whistleblower suits), changing fee-shifting rules in abortion litigation, and limiting state-court jurisdiction over such cases. The bill also grants the Texas Attorney General special legal standing to enforce abortion laws and shifts jurisdiction for certain cases to the Fifteenth Court of Appeals.

Maddy summarySB 4 establishes new boundaries for Texas' 38 congressional districts, defining which counties and specific subdivisions (like portions of Bowie and Harris counties) belong to each district. It directly affects Texas voters by determining which geographic areas elect representatives to the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill specifies exact county compositions and tract details for each district, such as District 1 covering East Texas counties and parts of Bowie County, and District 2 including sections of Harris County. These changes will govern how Texas residents are grouped for congressional elections starting in the next cycle. The bill passed the Texas Senate on August 12, 2025.

Maddy summaryTexas SB 7, the "Texas Women’s Privacy Act," requires public schools, government buildings, and other facilities operated by political subdivisions or state agencies to designate multiple-occupancy private spaces (like restrooms, locker rooms, and showers) for use solely by individuals based on biological sex. Biological sex is defined by physical characteristics at birth, including chromosomes, sex organs, and an unaltered birth certificate. The law allows limited exceptions for accommodations related to disabilities, children, or elderly individuals, but prohibits facilities from designating spaces for use by individuals of the opposite biological sex. Violations authorize civil penalties and a private right to sue. The bill directly affects public facilities and their access policies for all users.

Maddy summarySB 9 amends Texas Tax Code sections to update how local taxing units (like cities, counties, and school districts) calculate voter-approval tax rates when implementing or adjusting sales taxes. It introduces specific formulas that account for new sales tax revenue by adding a "sales tax gain rate" to the calculation, ensuring the voter-approval rate reflects the impact of the new revenue source. The bill differentiates rules based on the taxing unit type, applying multipliers of 1.08 for special districts, 1.035 for small municipalities/counties (<30,000 population), and 1.025 for others. These changes directly affect how local governments determine tax rates that require voter approval when they add or modify sales taxes.