Sen. Kelly Hancock

Maddy summaryHCR 149 is a concurrent resolution directing the Texas governor to posthumously award the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to U.S. Navy SEAL Nathan Gage Ingram. The bill specifically recognizes Ingram, a Roanoke native and member of SEAL Team 3, for his heroic actions during a 2024 military operation in Somalia where he lost his life attempting to rescue a fellow SEAL. This resolution does not create new law or affect policy - it formally requests the governor to bestow the state's highest military honor on Ingram in recognition of his "valiant military service" and sacrifice. The resolution was signed by the governor on June 20, 2025, following passage by the Texas Legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 5323 creates the Texas Energy Waste Advisory Committee to coordinate state efforts in reducing energy waste and improving efficiency across key agencies. The committee, composed of seven ex officio members from agencies like the Public Utility Commission, ERCOT's independent operator, comptroller, and environmental quality commission, will meet quarterly to review programs and make recommendations. It specifically targets reducing electricity demand during high-risk hours in the ERCOT power region to enhance grid reliability. The committee will provide input to state agencies including the State Energy Conservation Office and Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summarySB 926 regulates how health insurance plans (health maintenance organizations) can incentivize patients to use specific doctors. It allows plans to use modified deductibles, copayments, or tiered networks to encourage enrollment with certain providers, but requires them to act in the patient's best interest (a "fiduciary duty"). The bill prohibits plans from steering patients toward doctors they control or are affiliated with, mandates that recommended providers meet quality standards, and bans misleading claims about provider quality or costs. These rules apply directly to health insurers and their enrollees (patients) in Texas, effective September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 12 requires the State Commission on Governmental Operations to review state agencies that regulate activities through licensing, such as professional or business licensing boards. The bill mandates that these agencies post online notices about the review process and public participation opportunities, and regulatory agencies must also notify licensees and seek their input. The commission must include findings, recommendations, and a 10-year performance analysis for regulatory agencies in its final report. This applies to state agencies in the executive branch with statewide licensing authority (excluding river authorities) and became effective September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 4623 creates new liability standards for Texas public schools and their employees regarding student sexual misconduct. It holds schools financially responsible if they act with gross negligence or intentional misconduct in hiring or supervising employees who commit sexual misconduct against students or fail to report suspected abuse. The law caps damages at $500,000 per victim in successful claims and requires the employee who committed the act to be named as a defendant. This directly affects public school districts, charter schools, and all professional school employees covered by the definition, including teachers, administrators, and even student interns. The law became effective September 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summaryHB 4666 modifies reporting requirements for Texas' Health and Human Services Commission related to Medicaid programs. It changes annual reports to quarterly updates for the Data Analysis Unit and adds new reports on anomalies to the inspector general. The bill requires the Commission to submit biennial reports on Medicaid system implementation, including assessments of access, care quality, and recommendations for improvements. These changes directly affect the Commission, its Data Analysis Unit, and legislative committees overseeing Medicaid. The bill updates existing reporting schedules under the Health and Safety Code without altering Medicaid program benefits or funding.

Maddy summaryHB 3071 requires the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to cancel permits for municipal solid waste landfills that have not accepted waste for 25 consecutive years. It specifically applies to landfills located in counties with over 2.1 million people or within the main city area of a municipality with over 900,000 residents. The bill creates a clear, automatic cancellation mechanism for unused facilities in these high-population areas, without requiring additional regulatory action.

Maddy summarySB 2544 creates a mandatory mediation process for disputes over out-of-network health care billing between providers and insurance companies. It requires that requests for mediation must be filed within 90 days of an initial payment for services provided on or after the bill's effective date (June 20, 2025). For disputes involving services provided before this date, mediation eligibility is limited to requests made within 120 days of the effective date under the previous law. The bill applies only to new disputes after its effective date, with no impact on pre-existing disputes that miss the 120-day window.

Maddy summaryHB 1443 creates a new criminal offense in Texas for promoting or possessing a "child-like sex doll," defined as an obscene, anatomically correct doll or robot designed to look like a child and intended for sexual use. It prohibits three specific actions: promoting such dolls (felony, second degree), possessing them with intent to promote (felony, third degree), or simply possessing them (state jail felony). The law presumes intent to promote if someone possesses two or more dolls, but includes an exception for law enforcement using them for legitimate purposes. This bill directly affects individuals who manufacture, sell, or own these dolls, making the specified actions punishable under Texas Penal Code.

Maddy summarySB 2581 repeals Section 351.04155 of the Texas Local Government Code, which previously governed how jail commissaries operate in certain counties. The bill directly affects county jails in designated areas by removing this specific regulatory provision. It does not create new rules but eliminates an existing requirement for commissary operations. The repeal takes effect on September 1, 2025, as specified in the bill.