Rep. Keith Bell

Maddy summarySB 835, known as Trey's Law, invalidates any nondisclosure or confidentiality agreement that prevents someone from disclosing an act of sexual abuse. The law directly affects survivors of sexual abuse who may have signed such agreements, making those specific clauses unenforceable. Key provisions state that agreements cannot prohibit disclosure of sexual abuse details (defined using existing Texas Penal Code and Family Code offenses), though other settlement terms like payment amounts remain valid. This change applies to all agreements entered into before, on, or after its effective date of September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2294 changes how Texas reimburses child-care providers in the Texas Rising Star Program. It allows providers to receive reimbursement at the state's maximum rate based on their program rating level - not their own published rates - provided this doesn't reduce the commission's target for daily children served in subsidized care. The bill directly affects child-care providers participating in the program and the state commission managing subsidy targets. The key provision ensures providers can be paid more fairly without undermining existing daily child care targets. This law took effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill bars community supervision for individuals convicted of stalking by adding it to a list of offenses where such supervision is unavailable. It specifically targets convictions under Penal Code Section 42.072 (stalking) and explicitly excludes it from eligibility under Article 42A.053 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. As a result, judges must impose prison sentences instead of community supervision for stalking convictions, aligning it with other serious offenses like aggravated sexual assault. The law became effective September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2321 allows the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to temporarily waive enforcement of emissions limits for power plants and backup generators in the ERCOT grid region during declared grid reliability emergencies. When the ERCOT grid operator notifies TCEQ of a reliability issue, TCEQ must exempt these facilities from emissions rules for the duration of the event. Power plant operators must still document emissions exceedances, take reasonable steps to minimize pollution, and submit records to TCEQ. This bill directly affects power plant operators in Texas during grid stress events, providing a temporary exemption from emissions enforcement while requiring transparency and recordkeeping. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 75 requires magistrates in Texas to provide written findings within 24 hours when they determine no probable cause exists for a criminal arrest. This applies specifically to cases involving offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025. The law aims to create a clear, documented record of the magistrate's decision in these initial proceedings. It directly affects magistrates handling pretrial detention hearings for criminal defendants.

Maddy summaryHB 12 requires the State Commission on Governmental Operations to review state agencies that regulate activities through licensing, such as professional or business licensing boards. The bill mandates that these agencies post online notices about the review process and public participation opportunities, and regulatory agencies must also notify licensees and seek their input. The commission must include findings, recommendations, and a 10-year performance analysis for regulatory agencies in its final report. This applies to state agencies in the executive branch with statewide licensing authority (excluding river authorities) and became effective September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 4623 creates new liability standards for Texas public schools and their employees regarding student sexual misconduct. It holds schools financially responsible if they act with gross negligence or intentional misconduct in hiring or supervising employees who commit sexual misconduct against students or fail to report suspected abuse. The law caps damages at $500,000 per victim in successful claims and requires the employee who committed the act to be named as a defendant. This directly affects public school districts, charter schools, and all professional school employees covered by the definition, including teachers, administrators, and even student interns. The law became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summaryHB 1481 requires Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to adopt written policies prohibiting student use of personal communication devices (such as cell phones, tablets, and smartwatches) during the school day on school property or at school events. Exceptions allow device use for students with documented medical needs, individualized education plans (IEPs), or health/safety protocols. Schools may implement either a full device ban or a secure storage system for devices during school hours, and must return confiscated devices or dispose of them after providing parents 90 days' written notice. The law takes effect immediately upon the governor's signature.

Maddy summaryHB 1500 requires Texas' Department of Information Resources to create and deliver a quarterly in-person certification course on procuring information resources technologies. This course is available to state employees holding existing purchasing or contract management certifications (under Sections 656.051 and 656.052) and counts toward their continuing education requirements. The bill also mandates annual training for upper management at state agencies on best practices for purchasing these technologies, though participation is voluntary. These provisions aim to improve procurement standards for state technology purchases by enhancing staff expertise. The law took effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 45 requires law enforcement agencies to submit human trafficking reports to both local prosecutors and the Texas Attorney General simultaneously. If a local prosecutor fails to take action within six months, the Attorney General gains automatic jurisdiction to prosecute the case. This law directly affects law enforcement agencies (which must share reports), local prosecutors (who must act within six months or lose jurisdiction), and the Attorney General’s office (which gains authority to handle unprosecuted cases). The bill amends the Government Code and Penal Code to establish these procedures, applying only to human trafficking offenses committed on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025.