Rep. Brian Harrison

Maddy summaryHB 179 repeals the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and its associated fund, effective December 1, 2025, contingent on voter approval of a related constitutional amendment. The bill directs the comptroller to transfer all funds previously allocated to the institute to the Texas Education Agency to reduce the state's property tax compression percentage for school districts. This transfer would use the funds for property tax relief, specifically targeting the reduction of the compression percentage under Education Code Section 48.255. The bill has no effect if voters reject the constitutional amendment.

Maddy summaryHB 180 repeals the creation of the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, established under Chapter 483 of the Government Code. The bill directs the comptroller to transfer all funds previously allocated to this office to the Texas Education Agency. This transfer aims to reduce the state's compression percentage for education funding under Section 48.255 of the Education Code to the lowest possible rate. The legislation directly affects the eliminated office and the Texas Education Agency, with concrete policy changes focused on reallocating resources and adjusting education funding mechanics.

Maddy summaryHJR 25 proposes a constitutional amendment to repeal Texas' Dementia Prevention and Research Institute and its dedicated fund, redirecting $3 billion to the Texas Education Agency for property tax relief. If approved by voters, this would eliminate state funding for dementia, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's research while using those funds to reduce property tax rates. The amendment requires voter approval in the November 2025 election.

Maddy summaryHB 172 prohibits Texas state agencies from promoting "diversity, equity, and inclusion" (DEI) or LGBTQ-related content in their operations. It requires all state agency actions - including policies, employment practices, communications, curricula, and contracts - to treat people equally regardless of race, color, or national origin, while mandating that all actions comply with the "biological reality" of only two sexes (male/female). The bill invalidates any agency action violating these requirements, including DEI initiatives or content related to LGBTQ identities. This directly affects all state agencies, contractors, and programs receiving state funding or oversight.

Maddy summaryHB 170 requires Texas public universities and colleges to certify compliance with diversity, equity, and inclusion requirements before spending state funds. The bill allows institutions to continue highlighting support for first-generation, low-income, and underserved students in grant applications and accreditation processes, while exempting academic instruction, research, student organizations, admissions, and data collection from its provisions. Institutions must submit annual compliance reports to the legislature and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, testify about their compliance at legislative hearings, and undergo state audits every four years to ensure proper use of state funds. This bill directly affects all public higher education institutions in Texas by establishing reporting, testimony, and audit requirements for funding related to DEI initiatives.

Maddy summaryHB 171 prohibits Texas public universities from offering degree programs, minors, or courses focused on LGBTQ studies or diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The bill requires all academic programs to align with a definition of biological sex as "male" or "female" at conception, banning any content promoting "differential treatment" based on race, color, or ethnicity. It mandates annual state audits to ensure compliance, with non-compliant institutions facing withheld state funding and potential penalties for faculty violating the policy. This bill directly affects all 15 public universities in Texas, restricting curricular content and requiring adherence to specific biological sex definitions in academic programs.

Maddy summaryHB 139 repeals Texas' Moving Image Incentive Program, which provided financial incentives to film and video production companies. The bill directs the state comptroller to transfer any remaining funds from this program to the Texas Education Agency. These funds will be used to reduce the state compression percentage in education funding - the factor determining how much state money is added to school district budgets - to its lowest possible level. The repeal would take effect on September 1, 2025, unless passed with a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers, in which case it would take effect immediately.

Maddy summaryHB 54 would allow cities, counties, and school districts (political subdivisions) to seek voter approval for bonds on a project that voters previously rejected in a bond election within the last five years. Currently, such projects might be barred from being proposed again for a longer period, but this bill would permit re-proposal after only five years. The key provision removes a restriction preventing these local governments from presenting the same bond issue for a vote during this five-year window. This change directly affects communities seeking to fund public projects after recent voter opposition.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to ban ad valorem taxes (property taxes based on value) in Texas after January 1, 2031. It would prevent local governments and school districts from levying these taxes on real or personal property after that date, while requiring the state to guarantee repayment for school district bonds issued before November 4, 2025, that relied on such taxes. The amendment must be approved by voters in the November 4, 2025 election to take effect. This directly affects all local taxing entities and school districts that currently rely on property taxes for funding.

Maddy summaryHB 43 would establish new rules for calculating property tax rates (based on property value) by local governments and require a specific approval process for tax rates exceeding the level previously approved by voters. The bill mandates that taxing units, such as cities, counties, or school districts, must follow a defined procedure - potentially including public votes - to raise property taxes above the voter-approved limit. This directly affects local governments that collect property taxes and the voters who have the right to approve tax increases beyond existing caps. The bill also includes minor adjustments to related laws to ensure consistency with these new requirements.