Rep. Mike Schofield

Maddy summaryHB 336 allows sheriffs and constables in Texas counties with 1 million+ residents to directly contract with property owners' associations or subdivision owners to provide law enforcement services in specific areas. The bill authorizes sheriffs to serve areas managed by associations or owned by subdivisions, and constables to serve their precincts under similar terms, without requiring commissioners court approval for the contracts. It also prohibits counties from transferring funds allocated to sheriff or constable offices into general county revenue. This bill applies exclusively to large counties and changes how local law enforcement services can be contracted outside traditional county oversight.

Maddy summaryHB 1514 limits Texas local governments' ability to issue bonds for equipment, vehicles, or real estate improvements. It prohibits political subdivisions (like cities, counties, school districts, and special districts) from using bonds to purchase or lease tangible personal property if the asset's useful life ends before the bond matures. The bill also requires that bond terms for real property improvements align with the asset's economic life, capping maturity at 120% of that life. These changes take effect September 1, 2025, to ensure bond financing matches federal tax depreciation rules.

Maddy summaryHB 3704 creates a new criminal offense for notaries public who perform notarizations when the person signing a document did not personally appear before them at the time of notarization. It classifies this as a Class A misdemeanor, but elevates it to a state jail felony if the document involves real property transfer. The bill directly affects Texas notaries public by adding criminal liability for this specific violation, which was previously addressed only through administrative penalties. Key provisions define "personal appearance" as either physical presence during in-person notarizations or using approved video technology for online notarizations. This bill amends Texas Government Code sections related to notary qualifications, disciplinary actions, and criminal penalties.

Maddy summaryHB 4027 creates new rules for depositions in family violence cases. It requires petitioners seeking a deposition to disclose past protective orders or criminal complaints related to abuse, and courts must find by clear evidence the petitioner has no history of violence or harassment before approving such requests. The bill also allows courts to award attorney fees when dismissing cases deemed filed to harass, intimidate, or control an alleged victim of family violence. It directly affects individuals filing for depositions in family violence cases and Texas courts reviewing these petitions.

Maddy summaryHB 3477 allows individuals found in criminal contempt by a court to have all related records removed after 40 years. It directly affects people convicted of criminal contempt who have waited at least four decades since their conviction. The bill requires them to file a petition in the court that issued the contempt finding, and the Department of Public Safety can file on their behalf. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, applying to all contempt cases occurring before, on, or after that date.

Maddy summaryHB 3647 clarifies when appeals can be taken from court decisions regarding government entities' challenges to a court's authority (pleas to the jurisdiction) in specific cases. The bill adds an exception to existing appeal rules, stating that appeals do not apply to orders granting or denying such pleas when the case involves a mandamus action (where someone seeks to force a government official to perform a duty). This directly affects government units (like cities or counties) and individuals or organizations suing them in mandamus cases. The change streamlines the legal process by removing the right to appeal certain jurisdictional decisions in these specific proceedings.

Maddy summaryHB 3113 requires counties in Texas that manually count paper ballots to use ballots designed to be scanned by automatic tabulating equipment. This affects counties currently conducting hand counts of paper ballots, mandating they adopt scannable ballot formats by September 1, 2025. The bill specifies that ballots must be compatible with existing election equipment to ensure accurate processing during elections.

Maddy summaryHB 1475 requires courts to notify the Texas Attorney General before holding hearings on temporary restraining orders in election-related lawsuits filed under the Texas Election Code. This applies specifically to cases seeking emergency court orders to halt election procedures. Courts must provide this notice "as soon as practicable" before the hearing. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and affects only court procedures in election disputes, not voters or election outcomes.

Maddy summarySB 2 establishes a state-funded education savings account program in Texas, allowing eligible families to use public funds for approved educational expenses. The program directly affects Texas families with children who have disabilities or who live in low-income households (at or below 500% of the federal poverty level). The comptroller administers the program, funding accounts with state money that can cover approved education costs like tuition, books, or tutoring. The bill becomes effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor on May 3, 2025. This creates a new state-funded option alongside public schools for participating families.

Maddy summaryHB 2279 amends Texas election law to allow immediate cancellation of a voter's registration when a voter acknowledges they are not a U.S. citizen. It specifically adds a new reason for cancellation under Section 16.031(a)(8), using lists of non-citizens disqualified from jury service (per Sections 18.068 and 62.113 of the Election Code and Government Code) to identify voters who must have their registration removed. The bill requires registrars to send written cancellation notices within 30 days and mandates annual reporting of such cancellations to the secretary of state. This directly affects voters who register without citizenship status, providing a mechanism to remove their registration based on their own acknowledgment of non-citizenship.