Rep. Carl Tepper

Maddy summaryHB 214, the Texas Women's Privacy Act, requires certain facilities like restrooms, locker rooms, and shelters to be designated for use based on biological sex (male or female). It directly affects correctional facilities, family violence shelters, institutions of higher education, and political subdivisions (e.g., cities, school districts). The bill prohibits the use of multiple-occupancy private spaces (like shared restrooms) by individuals whose biological sex differs from the space’s designated sex, while allowing single-occupancy spaces for individual use. Violations may result in civil penalties or private lawsuits for affected individuals.

Maddy summaryHB 186 restricts how local governments (like cities, counties, and school districts) can use public funds for lobbying. It prohibits spending public money to hire registered lobbyists or pay nonprofit groups that represent local governments and employ lobbyists. Exceptions include activities by elected officials, employees providing information to legislators, travel expenses for such activities, and services by associations representing sheriffs or law enforcement. The bill allows taxpayers to sue to stop prohibited spending and recover legal fees if they win. This directly affects local government budget decisions regarding legislative advocacy.

Maddy summaryHB 52, titled the Texas Women's Privacy Act, requires certain facilities - including restrooms, locker rooms, shelters, correctional facilities, and colleges - to be designated for use based on biological sex (male or female) as defined by reproductive anatomy. The bill authorizes civil penalties for violations and allows private lawsuits to enforce compliance. It specifically applies to "multiple-occupancy private spaces" like shared restrooms and "family violence shelters," but excludes state agencies. The law defines "female" as individuals with a reproductive system for egg production and "male" as those with a system for sperm production.

Maddy summaryHB 167 restricts local governments (like cities, counties, and school districts) from using public funds to hire lobbyists or pay nonprofits that lobby on their behalf. It prohibits spending taxpayer money to contract with registered lobbyists or support organizations representing local governments that employ lobbyists, though exceptions exist for direct communication by government employees or advocacy by elected officials. The bill allows reimbursement for travel expenses related to permitted activities and lets taxpayers sue to stop violations and recover legal fees. It directly affects how local governments allocate public funds for legislative advocacy efforts.

Maddy summaryHB 115 restricts Texas local governments (like cities and counties) from using public funds to hire lobbyists or pay organizations that hire lobbyists to influence state legislation. The bill specifically prohibits spending public money to contract with registered lobbyists or fund associations primarily representing local governments if those associations employ registered lobbyists, with exceptions for sheriffs' associations and certain staff activities. It allows local government employees to provide information to lawmakers, advocate for policies without registering as lobbyists, and cover direct travel expenses for such activities. Taxpayers or residents can sue to stop prohibited spending and recover legal fees if they win the case. The law aims to prevent public funds from being used to directly lobby the state legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 95 establishes minimum training and certification standards for Emergency Management Coordinators in Texas counties with populations over 500,000. It requires these coordinators, appointed by Emergency Management Directors, to meet qualifications set by the Texas Division of Emergency Management. The bill directly affects county emergency management staff in larger jurisdictions who handle disaster response coordination. Key provisions mandate that coordinators' qualifications be defined through division rules, ensuring standardized emergency management capacity across qualifying counties.

Maddy summaryHB 50 requires that ballot measures for constitutional amendment elections in Texas include a clear statement about the estimated fiscal impact of the proposed change. The Legislative Budget Board must determine whether the amendment would create recurring or one-time costs (or savings) to the state and provide that estimate. The secretary of state must then include this specific statement on the ballot, using standardized language about the financial effect. This provides voters with concrete, non-speculative information about potential state budget consequences before casting their vote on constitutional amendments.

Maddy summaryHB 51 requires Texas home-rule cities (cities with charters allowing citizen-initiated measures) to submit proposed local ordinances or referenda to the state Attorney General for review before holding elections. The Attorney General must check within 30 days (with a possible two-week extension) whether any part of the proposed measure violates state law. If a violation is found, the city cannot hold the election on that measure; if the Attorney General fails to complete the review on time, the city must hold the election. The law applies only to petitions submitted after the bill's effective date, which is 91 days after the legislative session ends.

Maddy summaryHB 53 amends Texas law to clarify which local governments (municipalities, counties, and specific hospital districts) can issue short-term borrowing tools ("anticipation notes") and long-term debt instruments ("certificates of obligation"). It defines "public work" for these purposes to include infrastructure like roads, water treatment plants, flood control projects, and public safety facilities (police/fire stations), while explicitly excluding new sports venues, convention centers leased to for-profits, and hotels. The bill directly affects local governments seeking to finance public infrastructure projects by expanding eligibility for certain debt instruments and setting clear boundaries on what qualifies as a "public work." It does not create new funding but streamlines existing borrowing mechanisms for defined projects.

Maddy summaryHB 54 would require U.S. citizenship for individuals appointed to or serving in certain public offices within Texas state or local government, including positions on advisory boards or task forces. It applies to roles in the state executive, legislative, or judicial branches and to political subdivisions (like cities or counties), but excludes offices with constitutional qualification requirements. Current non-citizen officeholders in affected roles would lose their positions on the bill’s effective date unless they become U.S. citizens before then. The law would take effect 91 days after the end of the current legislative session.