Rep. Carl Tepper

Maddy summaryHB 223 exempts Texas municipalities from standard competitive bidding requirements when procuring lobbying, government relations, or similar services intended to influence state or federal lawmakers. This change applies directly to cities, towns, and counties that hire firms for advocacy work with government officials. The bill amends the Local Government Code to explicitly exclude these services from mandatory competitive procurement rules, creating a specific exception in Section 252.022(a)(4). The policy change took effect September 1, 2025, after the governor signed it on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 379 prohibits SNAP (food stamp) benefits in Texas from being used to purchase energy drinks, sweetened beverages (like soda), carbonated drinks, candy, potato/corn chips, and pre-packaged cookies. It directly affects SNAP recipients who previously could buy these items with their benefits. The law includes exceptions for milk products, milk substitutes (like almond milk), unsweetened beverages, infant formula, weight-loss drinks, and health-recommended products. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summaryHB 3627 allows the chair of Texas' State Board of Education to hire staff to support the board's work. The bill authorizes the chair to employ personnel, set their duties, pay them using existing legislative funds, and make employment decisions like promotions or terminations. Staff hired under this law would receive retirement benefits, expense reimbursements, and report directly to the board chair. The law took effect September 1, 2025, and affects the State Board of Education's internal operations.

Maddy summaryHB 229 defines key terms like "boy," "father," "female," and "woman" based on biological sex for government data collection. It specifies that individuals with intersex conditions or disorders of sex development are not considered a third sex and must receive accommodations under existing law. The bill amends the Government Code to require state agencies to use these biological sex definitions when gathering information. It directly affects how Texas government entities collect and categorize personal data in records, programs, and services. The law became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summaryHB 4429 designates a specific segment of U.S. Highway 281 in Blanco and Burnet Counties - between State Highway 71 and Ranch Road 962 - as the Muckleroy Family Memorial Highway. The bill requires the Texas Department of Transportation to install markers at both ends of the designated segment and at appropriate intermediate locations along the highway. This is a commemorative designation with no new policy or funding requirements; it solely names the highway segment for recognition. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after receiving gubernatorial approval.

Maddy summarySB 1198 designates spaceports as "critical infrastructure facilities" under Texas law, specifically covering properties used for spacecraft launch, landing, recovery, or testing that are FAA-licensed or operated by spaceport development corporations. This change directly affects spaceport operators, contractors, and related facilities by modifying criminal and civil liability standards for incidents occurring at these sites. The bill adds spaceports to the existing definition of critical infrastructure, which already includes pipelines, airports, and military installations, and applies to construction sites and equipment used during development. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, and governs liability for offenses or causes of action occurring on or after that date.

Maddy summarySB 31, titled the "Life of the Mother Act," amends Texas Health and Safety Code to create a specific exception allowing abortions when a physician determines in "reasonable medical judgment" that a pregnancy poses a life-threatening risk of death or serious risk of substantial impairment to a major bodily function. It directly affects pregnant individuals with pregnancy-related conditions that threaten life or major bodily function, removing prior requirements that risks be imminent or that physical damage already occur. The law permits physicians to act proactively to address such risks before symptoms manifest, without needing to wait for documented harm. Signed by the governor on June 20, 2025, it became effective immediately.

Maddy summaryHB 2 amends Texas education law to change how public school districts and charter schools compensate teachers. It requires schools to implement performance-based pay systems where teacher salaries differentiate based on appraisals, prohibits routine across-the-board raises, and mandates that all teachers be eligible for designations like "master" or "exemplary" based on evaluations. The bill also establishes criteria for districts to qualify for enhanced teacher incentive funding, including strategic evaluation systems for principals and placing highly effective teachers at high-need campuses. This directly affects school districts, charter schools, and classroom teachers by restructuring compensation and evaluation practices.

Maddy summaryHB 2513 modifies Texas law to adjust how paid leave is calculated for public employees who work as fire protection personnel and serve in military service. It specifies that for these employees, a 24-hour or 48-hour work shift counts as one full workday when determining leave pay under Section 437.202 of the Government Code. This change directly affects Texas public employees in fire protection roles who are called to military duty, ensuring their leave pay aligns with shorter shift schedules. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 9 creates a property tax exemption for businesses owning tangible personal property (like equipment or inventory) used to generate income. It exempts $125,000 of the appraised value of such property at each location within a taxing unit, regardless of the property's individual value. The exemption applies to all businesses holding income-producing property at a single address, and related businesses operating under a unified enterprise must aggregate their property to calculate the exemption. Additionally, businesses leasing such property receive the full $125,000 exemption for all leased items, even if located across different taxing units.