NEW LAWS TO WATCH
There are new laws that have been signed into law. The office of the Governor has determined the final outcome of certain bills which had managed to pass out of both the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate during the Regular Session of the 83rd Texas Legislature. During the twenty days following the end of a regular session, the Governor of Texas has the ability to sign bills in to law, pass them in to law without a signature or to veto them. It is during these twenty days that members of the Texas House and Texas Senate find out if the bills they worked on during the session will become law or not.
The 83rd Texas Legislature succeeded in sending a little over fourteen hundred bills to the Governor. Here are some of the bills that were passed in to law:
• House Bill (HB) 3103 which is related to the administration of primary elections, the nomination of candidates by convention, and voting by certain military and overseas voters.
• HB 3105 pertains to availability of certain benefits under individual accident and health insurance policies.
• HB 3121 which addresses the qualifications for the exemption from ad valorem taxation for aircraft parts located in this state for a limited time.
• HB 3142 is relating to handguns used to demonstrate proficiency in handgun use for purposes of obtaining a concealed handgun license
• HB 3153 addresses the operation and administration of, and practice in courts in, the judicial branch of state government and the composition of certain juvenile boards; imposing a fee.
• HB 3159 pertains to an agreement to allocate sales and use tax after a municipality annexes land in an emergency services district and to the provision of emergency services in that area.
• HB 3176 is related to the appointment of a board member of a property owners’ association to fill a vacancy.
• HB 3253 pertains to the notation of death on a birth certificate and the release of birth certificate information for certain purposes.
• HB 3276 is relating to the coverage by certain health benefit plans for the screening and treatment of autism spectrum disorder.
• Senate Bill (SB) 1590 pertains to requirements for personal financial literacy training offered by public school districts and public universities.
• SB 1658 which is related to the effect of certain state aid on school districts required to take action to equalize wealth under the school finance system.
• SB 1720 is relating to the Math and Science Scholars Loan Repayment Program for teachers who agree to teach mathematics or science in certain school districts in this state.
• SB 1729 addresses an agreement between the Department of Public Safety and a county for the provision of renewal and duplicate driver’s license and other identification certificate services; authorizing a fee.
• SB 1757 pertains to the manufacture, sale, distribution, purchase, or possession of a license plate flipper; creating an offense.
I invite you to examine the complete list outlining the bills signed, passed in to law without signature or vetoed by going to Office of the Governor Rick Perry.
If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).
– State Representative Todd Hunter, District 32
Rep. Hunter represents Nueces (Part). He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.
