Sen. Sarah Eckhardt

Maddy summarySB 356 amends Texas Penal Code Section 46.06 to strengthen restrictions on firearm transfers. It prohibits selling, giving, or transferring firearms to specific high-risk groups, including minors under 18, individuals under active protective orders, people convicted of felonies within five years of release, and those who are intoxicated. The bill also makes it an offense to knowingly provide false information on firearm transfer forms required by state or federal law. These changes directly affect firearm sellers, dealers, and individuals in the prohibited categories who attempt to obtain or transfer firearms. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, applying only to offenses committed after that date.

Maddy summarySB 334 creates a legal defense for individuals charged with possessing small amounts of drugs (including marijuana, dangerous drugs, or paraphernalia) if they immediately requested emergency medical help for a suspected overdose. This defense applies when someone calls for aid due to their own or another person's potential overdose, preventing prosecution for the possession. However, the defense does not apply if police were arresting the person at that moment, if they're committing another specific offense, or if they've previously used this defense within 18 months. The bill directly affects defendants in low-level drug possession cases who seek medical assistance during an overdose situation.

Maddy summarySJR 20 proposes a constitutional amendment in Texas that would establish a fundamental right for all residents to make personal reproductive decisions without state interference. The amendment states that individuals have the right to reproductive autonomy as central to liberty and dignity, and it would limit state restrictions to only those justified by a "compelling state interest" using the "least restrictive means available." This amendment would be submitted to Texas voters in the November 2025 election, with the ballot asking whether to adopt the right to reproductive autonomy. It directly affects all Texas residents by enshrining this right in the state constitution, though it does not change current laws until approved by voters.

Maddy summarySB 355 amends Texas Penal Code sections to standardize how property owners can legally prohibit firearms on their premises. It requires property owners to post bilingual (English/Spanish) signs with specific, detailed wording or a standardized pictogram (red circle with diagonal line over a handgun) to prohibit firearms. The signs must be at least one inch in height, use contrasting colors, and be clearly visible at all entrances. This directly affects property owners (like businesses or residences) and individuals carrying firearms, including licensed concealed handgun holders, by clarifying the required notice method under state law. The bill is currently in committee and has not yet become law.

Maddy summarySB 632 requires appointed defense attorneys in Texas criminal cases to timely meet and confer with defendants after the defendant is found competent to stand trial. If counsel fails to do so, courts may replace them, and judges or managed counsel program directors may disapprove payment for services rendered in that case. However, once counsel complies with the meeting requirement, they must be paid the full amount approved under the law. The bill applies to all criminal cases with indictments filed before, on, or after its effective date (September 1, 2025). It directly affects public defenders and appointed attorneys handling criminal cases in Texas.

Maddy summarySB 142 allows volunteer deputy registrars in Texas to serve statewide - across all counties - rather than being limited to the county that appointed them. The bill updates election code to require standardized appointment certificates, clarifies that volunteers cannot receive county compensation without commissioners court approval, and expands their authority to distribute and accept voter registration forms anywhere in Texas. It also specifies that appointments terminate upon conviction for failing to deliver applications or other misconduct. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 358 amends Texas law to create a new defense for defendants charged with indecency with a child under Section 21.11 of the Penal Code. It allows a defense if the defendant was no more than three years older than the victim, did not use force or duress, and was not required to register as a sex offender under Chapter 62 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. This provision applies to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, and affects pending cases for offenses committed before that date. The bill does not change the core criminal offense but modifies the circumstances under which a defendant may avoid prosecution.

Maddy summarySB 359 requires Texas Medicaid and certain health insurance plans to cover abortion services, FDA-approved contraception (including device insertion/removal), and voluntary sterilization (like vasectomies) without cost-sharing or prior authorization. It mandates reimbursement for these services regardless of federal funding availability, overriding existing rules that tied coverage to federal matching funds. The bill also prohibits deductibles, coinsurance, utilization reviews, or delays in coverage for these reproductive health services. This applies directly to Medicaid recipients and individuals enrolled in health benefit plans subject to the Insurance Code provisions.

Maddy summarySB 255 requires Texas to expand Medicaid eligibility to all low-income adults who apply and meet federal income guidelines under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), specifically those with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level. It directly affects approximately 1 million Texans who currently lack Medicaid coverage due to Texas’s prior refusal to expand eligibility. The bill mandates that the Health and Human Services Commission provide medical assistance using available federal matching funds, overriding any existing state restrictions. This policy change takes effect September 1, 2025, and applies to all new applications or eligibility reviews after that date.

Maddy summarySB 343 would eliminate the death penalty as a sentencing option for capital felonies in Texas. It amends the Penal Code to mandate life imprisonment without parole for all capital felony convictions committed by individuals aged 18 or older, and life imprisonment (not life without parole) for those under 18 at the time of the offense. The bill also modifies jury trial procedures in capital cases where the state does not seek the death penalty, requiring written state consent for defendants to waive jury trials. This legislation directly affects all future capital felony cases in Texas, replacing the death penalty with mandatory life sentences based on the defendant's age at the time of the crime. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee.