Sen. Borris Miles

Maddy summarySB 1080 requires Texas licensing authorities to issue either a full occupational license or a provisional license (valid for six months) to otherwise qualified applicants who have been convicted of certain offenses, instead of automatically denying their applications. The provisional license begins on the date an applicant is released from prison if they were incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. This bill directly affects individuals with criminal convictions seeking occupational licenses (such as for nursing, contracting, or other licensed professions) who meet all other qualification requirements. It aims to reduce barriers to employment by providing a temporary licensing pathway for these applicants.

Maddy summarySB 314 prohibits Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools from including seven specific food additives - brominated vegetable oil (BVO), potassium bromate, propylparaben, azodicarbonamide, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), red dye 3, and titanium dioxide - in free or reduced-price meals served under federal programs like the National School Lunch Program. The bill applies to food contracts entered into or renewed on or after September 1, 2025, with potential earlier implementation if passed with a two-thirds legislative vote. It directly affects schools serving eligible students through federally funded meal programs. The law does not restrict additives in paid meals or other school food offerings.

Maddy summaryHB 3772 requires manufacturers of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes sold in Texas to annually certify compliance with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements, such as holding FDA marketing authorization or having submitted a premarket application by a specific deadline. The bill establishes a state directory of manufacturers and products, maintained by the comptroller, to track these certifications. It authorizes fees for maintaining the directory and imposes administrative, civil, and criminal penalties for violations. This law directly affects manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of nicotine e-cigarettes in Texas.

Maddy summaryTexas Senate Bill 2933 requires judges in Texas to complete mandatory training on elder abuse and related issues. Specifically, it mandates 12 hours of initial training for all district judges, county court judges, and other judicial officers during their first term or four years of service, including four hours on trafficking/child abuse (covering topics like grooming and medical findings), six hours on victim protection resources and gender bias, and one hour focused on elder abuse. Judges must also complete an additional five hours of training every subsequent term, with two hours on trafficking/child abuse topics and one hour on elder abuse. The bill directly affects all Texas judges with judicial authority, aiming to improve their understanding of elder abuse, child abuse, trafficking, and family violence through structured, topic-specific training requirements.

Maddy summarySB 2857 would create a state-administered prescription drug purchasing pool for certain employers and health insurers. It allows qualified public employers (like local governments and schools) and self-insured private employers to join the pool to purchase drugs at negotiated discounted rates through the Health and Human Services Commission. Participants would still pay for claims through their existing health coverage agreements, as the pool does not replace individual coverage responsibility. The bill establishes rules for enrollment, eligibility, and funding but does not change how health benefits are administered.

Maddy summarySB 2969 creates a new criminal offense for entering restricted areas in animal facilities like zoos without permission, directly affecting individuals who trespass in cages or enclosures. It defines "harass" as actions disregarding animal well-being or disrupting normal behavior (e.g., feeding or breeding), and makes unauthorized entry a misdemeanor-level crime (or a felony if the animal is injured or dies). The bill requires convicted individuals to pay restitution to the facility for property damage or animal injury. This law applies to facilities open for public visitation, conservation, education, or science, with no defense for inadequate facility security or self-defense claims.

Maddy summaryTexas Senate Bill 2721 establishes new licensing and regulatory requirements for entities handling human bodies or anatomical specimens for educational or research purposes. It creates definitions for "human body acquisition services," "non-transplant anatomical donation organizations," and "willed body programs," requiring these entities to obtain licenses, maintain secure electronic records with unique identifiers for body parts, and update a commission database tracking each specimen’s location. The bill directly affects institutions of higher education operating body donation programs, research facilities, and organizations that collect, process, or distribute bodies or body parts for medical training. Violations of the law are classified as state jail felonies, with the Texas Funeral Service Commission authorized to enforce these rules and revoke licenses for noncompliance.

Maddy summaryHB 4308 would allow certain Texas counties to create "county industrial development districts" to spur economic growth. These districts could issue bonds for financing and impose assessments, fees, or taxes to fund specific projects. The bill defines eligible projects as those supporting advanced manufacturing, research facilities, transportation infrastructure (like airports and railports), waste treatment, water systems, distribution centers, and job training facilities. It directly affects counties that establish such districts and businesses seeking to develop or expand within them. The legislation is currently pending in the Local Government committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends emissions inspections for eligible vehicles to every three years (instead of annually or biennially) if approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It creates a new 24-month registration period for new passenger cars or light trucks sold in Texas or purchased by commercial fleets meeting specific criteria. Vehicle owners must pay all registration fees, inspection fees, and optional fees upfront at the time of registration. These changes apply to most passenger vehicles but require EPA approval for the extended inspection period.

Maddy summarySB 1555 establishes a state grant program to fund railroad grade separation projects at local road and pedestrian crossings not on state highways. Local governments (cities, counties) can apply for grants to build overpasses or underpasses at these intersections to improve safety and reduce traffic conflicts. The program requires at least 10% of project costs from non-state sources (like local funds or federal grants), prohibits using state highway funds for these grants, and mandates that recipients partner with the Texas Department of Transportation to manage construction. Signed into law on May 24, 2025, this policy directly affects communities with railroad crossings near public roads or sidewalks.