Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 13) urges the U.S. Department of State and the International Boundary and Water Commission to ensure Mexico complies with the 1944 Treaty on shared water resources. It specifically addresses Mexico's failure to deliver the required 350,000 acre-feet of water annually (averaged over five years), with a current deficit of 984,814 acre-feet. The resolution highlights how this shortfall harms Texas water users, including municipal, agricultural, and industrial sectors in the Rio Grande Valley, impacting reservoir levels and causing economic losses like the closure of Texas' only sugar mill. As a non-binding resolution, it formally requests U.S. federal agencies to take action but does not change legal obligations.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 897 amends Texas law to adjust matching fund requirements for community mental health programs supporting veterans and their families. It requires grant recipients to provide non-state funds equal to 25%, 50%, or 75% of the grant amount, based on the population of the county(ies) served: 25% for counties under 100,000 residents, 50% for 100,000-249,999 residents, and 75% for 250,000+ residents. These changes apply only to grants awarded on or after September 1, 2025, leaving existing grants unaffected. The bill was signed into law on May 15, 2025, and takes effect September 1, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 1581 amends Texas law to require school board trustees (trustees) to wait one year after their board membership ends before accepting employment with that same school district. The rule applies generally but excludes trustees from school districts that receive specific state funding under Section 48.101(b) of the Education Code. This change directly affects current and future school board members in most Texas districts, preventing them from working for their district during the first year after leaving the board. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, unless it receives a two-thirds vote for immediate passage.
Maddy summarySB 608 requires Texas law enforcement agencies and response teams to submit annual and biennial reports tracking evidence collection kits used in sexual assault cases. The bill mandates that the Department of Public Safety report annually (by December 1) on kits not yet analyzed or not taken possession of within required timeframes, with the report titled "Statewide Electronic Tracking System Report" and posted online. Response teams must also provide biennial reports (by December 1 of odd-numbered years) to county commissioners courts, including either detailed statistics on sexual assault cases and kit handling or an explanation for missing data. These requirements directly affect law enforcement agencies, the Department of Public Safety, and local sexual assault response teams, aiming to improve transparency in evidence management. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 2310 requires Texas public colleges and universities to clearly display certificate and degree program requirements online. It mandates institutions to make all program details - including course prerequisites, non-course requirements, and transfer criteria - uniformly accessible on their student websites, general websites, and department websites. The bill affects all public higher education institutions in Texas, directly benefiting students by providing transparent, consistent information about program demands. Institutions must comply by the 2026-2027 academic year, following rules adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board by January 1, 2026.
Maddy summaryTexas Senate Bill 481 requires nursing and assisted living facilities in Texas to create and maintain emergency preparedness plans focused on resident safety during crises. The bill mandates facilities to install emergency generators with 96 hours of fuel, carbon monoxide detectors, and procedures to maintain indoor temperatures between 71°F and 81°F during power outages. It also requires facilities to develop protocols for safely relocating residents if temperatures become unsafe and to communicate with families during emergencies. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission must review and approve each facility’s plan, with license revocation possible for noncompliance. This directly affects all nursing and assisted living facilities operating in Texas.
Maddy summarySB 513 establishes a pilot program to expand community-based child welfare services in rural Texas counties meeting specific population criteria (at least two-thirds of counties in a region having 50,000 or fewer residents). The bill requires the state child welfare department to partner with a locally selected lead entity - either a community nonprofit with resident-led governance or a local government - to implement the program. Key provisions include prioritizing community engagement, improving child welfare outcomes through innovative service delivery, and developing a sustainable model for rural areas. The program became effective September 1, 2025, after passing both legislative chambers and receiving the Governor’s signature.
Maddy summarySB 1145 allows the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to issue permits for applying treated wastewater from oil and gas operations onto land, directly affecting oil and gas companies seeking to reuse this water. The bill requires TCEQ to establish standards preventing pollution of surface and groundwater during land application. It creates a new permitting process for "produced water" (wastewater from extraction) that has been treated for beneficial use, replacing previous requirements under the Railroad Commission. The law applies only to permits filed on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 1697 requires the Texas Public Utility Commission to create and maintain a plain-language guide for homeowners considering solar energy installations. The guide must cover key topics like utility services (net metering, rebates), roof suitability factors (orientation, shade), financial details (tax credits, maintenance costs), and contact information for the Commission. It directly affects homeowners researching solar options and electric utilities, which must link to the guide on their websites and include it with customer bills starting September 2025. The bill mandates the guide be updated periodically and published online, providing standardized information to help consumers make informed decisions about home solar systems.
Maddy summaryHCR 35 is a Texas concurrent resolution urging Congress to change federal tax law. It requests that spaceports be added to the list of facilities eligible for tax-exempt private activity bonds - currently available for airports, docks, and similar transportation hubs. This would allow spaceport projects in Texas (where the state ranks second nationally in spaceport locations and hosts over 2,000 aerospace businesses) to access lower-cost financing for infrastructure development. The resolution does not change state law but formally asks federal lawmakers to amend the Internal Revenue Code to support this change.