Rep. John McQueeney

Maddy summaryHB 5580 requires sheriffs in Texas counties with 100,000+ residents to seek written agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under federal Section 287(g), allowing local officers to enforce federal immigration law. Sheriffs in smaller counties may also pursue such agreements. The bill mandates that agreements specify scope, duration, and limitations, and requires sheriffs to allocate necessary resources for implementation. It also creates a competitive grant program to fund sheriffs in counties under 1 million population that have entered these agreements, supporting their participation through detailed implementation plans. The legislation directly affects county sheriffs and their departments across Texas.

Maddy summaryHB 3565 amends Texas law to upgrade the penalty for interfering with public duties from a Class B misdemeanor to a state jail felony. This change directly affects individuals who obstruct or interfere with public officials (such as police, emergency responders, or elected representatives) while they are performing their duties. The bill increases criminal penalties for such actions but applies only to offenses committed on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025. Offenses occurring before that date remain subject to the previous misdemeanor penalties. The bill does not create new offenses but raises the severity of punishment for existing conduct.

Maddy summaryHB 3527 updates Texas definitions of "manufactured home" and "HUD-code manufactured home" to align with federal standards under 42 U.S.C. §5402, clarifying that these homes must meet specific size, chassis, and utility requirements. The bill requires retailers selling manufactured homes to provide consumers with a written disclosure about ownership costs, financing considerations, and related expenses before transactions. It also allows licensees to maintain required records electronically, as long as they can produce them for department review upon request. These changes primarily affect manufactured home sellers, buyers, and licensing authorities by standardizing terminology and improving transparency in sales.

Maddy summaryHB 54, titled "Relating to the display of and allowance for non-human behaviors in Texas schools," is a procedural bill that amends school discipline requirements. It mandates that Texas public school districts include specific factors in their student conduct codes, such as self-defense, intent, disability considerations, and homelessness status, when making disciplinary decisions like suspensions or expulsions. The bill requires schools to post these codes prominently and consider these factors in all disciplinary actions. It does not ban specific activities but standardizes how schools evaluate student behavior. The bill is currently pending in the Education Committee.

Maddy summaryHB 242 creates a new criminal offense for obtaining personally identifiable voter information that connects a voter to their specific ballot choices, violating the constitutional right to a secret ballot. It makes this a third-degree felony, with exceptions for election officials acting within their official duties and for court-ordered access during election disputes. The law applies only to offenses occurring on or after its effective date (September 1, 2025), and does not affect past actions. This directly affects individuals or entities attempting to access or collect such private voting data without legal authorization.

Maddy summaryHB 118 establishes the Texas Advisory Committee on Pacific Conflict to advise the state on preparing for potential conflicts in the Pacific Ocean region. The bill defines "Pacific conflict" as threats involving U.S. allies in the Pacific, including attacks on U.S. homeland or disruptions to supply chains with China or Taiwan. The committee will focus on reducing security vulnerabilities in Texas, protecting critical infrastructure (like oil/gas systems, water supply, and communications networks), and ensuring critical procurement for state operations. This is a procedural bill creating an advisory body, not a direct policy change, with no voting record yet as it remains pending in committee.

Maddy summaryHB 125 creates the Tarleton State University College of Osteopathic Medicine as a new academic unit within Tarleton State University. The bill establishes that the college will operate under the oversight of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, offer osteopathic medicine degrees under Tarleton's authority, and partner with public or private teaching hospitals. This legislation directly affects Tarleton State University students seeking osteopathic medicine degrees and expands Texas' network of medical education institutions. The bill amends Texas Education Code to formally include the new college in the state's list of authorized medical and dental programs.

Maddy summaryHB 2391 requires Texas public schools and colleges to use the state's official definition of antisemitism (from Government Code Section 448.001, including its examples) when determining if a student's conduct violation under school rules was motivated by antisemitism. It applies to disciplinary actions taken by school districts and public institutions of higher education. The bill mandates schools consider this specific definition as "instructive" in such cases, without creating new penalties. The law takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryHB 25 requires Texas public schools to provide daily physical activity for students in prekindergarten through grade 8, mandating at least 30 minutes of moderate/vigorous activity per day for younger students (pre-K-grade 5) and 135-225 minutes weekly for middle schoolers (grades 6-8), with scheduling flexibility. It directly affects all Texas public school students in these grades and prohibits school staff from withholding physical activity as punishment for academic or behavioral reasons. The bill also adds a new requirement that higher education institutions receiving certain funds must develop nutrition curricula aligned with Texas nutrition guidelines. This legislation focuses on structured physical education and activity standards, not on nutrition food policies. The bill is currently pending in committee after being favorably reported as substituted.

Maddy summaryHB 176 establishes requirements for future interstate compacts focused on border security between Texas and other states. It defines "illegal alien" using federal immigration terms and mandates that any new compact must include provisions for sharing law enforcement intelligence, resources for physical barriers or surveillance systems, and mutual support for personnel and infrastructure along the Texas-Mexico border. The bill specifies that compacts must aim to detect, apprehend, or deflect unauthorized border crossings and enforce federal immigration laws. It applies only to compacts entered into on or after the bill’s effective date (September 1, 2025), leaving existing compacts governed by prior law.