New Texas laws that took effect in June

AUSTIN – Texas lawmakers and Gov. Greg Abbott handed greater than 1,100 expenses all through the 88th Legislature, together with laws touching on schooling, college protection, transportation, vote casting and crime.

While the vast majority of them develop into legislation on Sept. 1, a number of took effect in June.

The new laws deal with quite a lot of problems, just like the elimination of automobiles used in boulevard racing, panic buttons in school rooms, and Narcan at faculties.

The 2023 common legislative consultation got here to an finish on May 29, and Abbott had till Sunday, June 18, to signal the expenses into legislation or veto them. Abbott ended up vetoing 76 expenses — a near-record quantity because of an deadlock over assets taxes.

Abbott additionally right away referred to as a distinct consultation to handle assets taxes and border safety.

While the result of the particular consultation remains to be unclear, Texans do have greater than 1,100 new laws to stay in thoughts in the approaching months.

Here’s a take a look at some notable laws that are actually at the books.

Animals

• HB 3660 makes trap-neuter-release systems for feral cats legally safe in Texas. Trap-neuter-release systems are when feral cats are trapped, taken to the veterinarian for sterilization, and returned to the wild in an effort to curb feral cat populations. Under the legislation, individuals who go back sterilized cats to the wild will likely be safe from prosecution for abandonment. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and took effect right away.

Artificial intelligence

• HB 2060 created the Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council to review and track the usage of AI programs through sure state businesses in Texas, an analysis of the bill says. The seven-member council will likely be chargeable for tracking AI programs that are advanced, hired or bought through government and judicial department state businesses. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and took effect right away.

Crime/legislation enforcement

• HB 422 offers a juvenile court docket the power to habits hearings remotely. Remote hearings all through the COVID-19 pandemic confirmed that far flung hearings have been efficient, less expensive and more secure than transporting in-custody juveniles to a courthouse. Moreover, the digital hearings allowed for extra events to take part from more than one places. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and took effect right away.
• HB 2899 lets in police officers to right away take away cars used in boulevard racing, boulevard takeovers or reckless using somewhat than impound them. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and took effect right away.
• HB 4333 extends Bexar County’s circle of relatives violence pretrial diversion pilot program. Through the Reflejo Court, this system targets to cut back repeat circle of relatives violence offenses. Abbott signed the invoice, and it took effect right away.
• SB 224, cited because the Deputy Darren Almendarez Act, complements felony consequences for offenses involving the robbery of a catalytic converter. Under the legislation, an individual may well be charged with a first-degree criminal if the quantity of the loss is $300,000 or extra. The invoice used to be signed into legislation through Abbott and is valuable right away, excluding for some sections.

Environment/fossil fuels

• HB 33 prohibits state businesses and officers in Texas from aiding any federal company or reliable with implementing any federal acts that “purports to regulate oil and gas operations and imposes a regulation that does not exist under state law,” an analysis of the bill says. The research cites the truth that oil and herbal gasoline manufacturing taxes have generated greater than $10.8 billion in income for Texas. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and is valuable right away.
• SB 1289 directs the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to increase new regulations for onsite wastewater reuse whilst implementing well being and protection requirements. Currently, TCEQ calls for homeowners of reclaimed wastewater remedy amenities to carry a wastewater discharge allow as a substitute approach of disposal. The invoice would do away with TCEQ’s requirement for the allow “if the facility disposed of the treated wastewater through a wastewater collection system; and has the consent of the operator of: the wastewater collection system that will receive the treated wastewater; and any wastewater treatment facility that will further treat the treated wastewater,” the bill’s text says. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and takes effect right away.

Fentanyl

• HB 3908, or Tucker’s Law, calls for college districts to supply instruction associated with fentanyl abuse prevention and drug poisoning consciousness to scholars in grades 6-12. It additionally calls for Abbott to designate Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Week in public faculties. Tucker’s Law is known as after Tucker Roe, who died from a fentanyl overdose in 2021. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and is valuable right away.
• SB 629 puts opioid antagonists, like Narcan, at campuses that serve scholars in grades 6-12. Under the legislation, each and every college district should undertake and enforce a coverage referring to opioid antagonists on the campuses. Districts might undertake and enforce equivalent insurance policies for college kids underneath the 6th grade. Read extra right here. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and is valuable right away.
• SB 867 lets in the distribution of opioid antagonists, like Narcan, at Texas faculties and universities. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and is valuable right away.

Finance

• SB 10 lets in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas to make a cost-of-living adjustment and one-time cost for sure retirees. The cost-of-living adjustment will likely be 2% for many who retired between Sept. 1, 2013, and Aug. 31, 2020; 4% for many who retired between Sept. 1, 2001, and Aug. 31, 2013; and six% for many who retired on or prior to Aug. 31, 2001. Retirees no less than 75 years previous will obtain a $7,500 test, and the ones between 70 and 74 gets a $2,400 test. This act takes effect right away, excluding for Section 1. Section 1 takes effect Jan. 1, 2024, however provided that HJR 2 is licensed through the citizens. Section 1 offers with the cost-of-living adjustment.

Health

• HB 12 expands Medicaid protection for girls following their pregnancies. Under the invoice, Medicaid will likely be supplied as much as one year after a girl offers start and as much as six months after a girl reviews a miscarriage. Until the legislation used to be handed, postpartum Medicaid lasted two months. Read extra right here. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and is valuable right away.

Infrastructure

• HB 1330 created a grant program for sure counties to assist fund public growth initiatives for unincorporated communities inside the county. According to the bill’s text, the county should have a inhabitants of not more than 3,000 other people, be adjoining to no less than 3 counties with populations of lower than 10,000 other people, and be situated on a global border. The county might follow for a present, grant or donation. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and can take effect right away.

Schools

• HB 1361 calls for establishments of upper schooling to designate no less than one worker to behave as a liaison for present or incoming scholars who’ve kids more youthful than 18. This is in an effort to glue them with toughen services and products and sources. Those sources come with get admission to to tutoring, scientific and behavioral protection, and systems for inexpensive housing, employment and meals safety. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and is valuable right away.
• HB 1605 allocates just about $800 million to create instruction subject material for lecturers, in step with the Texas Tribune. This is an effort to save lots of lecturers time with making plans and getting ready lesson plans, alternatively, they’ll now not be required to make use of the entire subject material. Districts may also be required to supply folks or guardians with educational subject material so they are able to instruct their kids. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott. It takes effect right away, however Sections 48-50 take effect on Sept. 1. Sections 48-50 take care of amending the schooling code and investment.
• HB 2012 lets in for the nationwide motto of the United States, “In God We Trust,” to be positioned in public faculties and establishments of upper schooling school rooms. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and takes effect right away.
• HB 3991 designates the primary Friday in April as Texas Fruit and Vegetable Day in public faculties. The invoice targets to advertise consciousness of the more than a few well being advantages of fruit and veggies. Abbott signed the invoice, and it takes effect right away.
• SB 25 used to be created to assist nursing scholars and college amid a scarcity of nurses. It lets in for the advent of scholarships, grants and mortgage reimbursement systems. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and is valuable right away.
• SB 336 would require that all individuals concerned with college compliance problems be stored confidential. Before, most effective college staff who made compliance stories had their identities stored confidential. Under SB 336, the identification of somebody performing on behalf of a school is to be stored confidential. Abbott signed the invoice, and it takes effect right away.

School protection

• SB 838 calls for college districts to supply each and every lecture room with some form of panic alert button in case of an emergency. The generation should permit for fast touch with college emergency services and products and legislation enforcement businesses. The districts should pay for the generation via their college protection price range. Read extra right here. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and right away went into effect.

Transportation

• SB 1001 will give tips on how electrical automobile charging stations will likely be registered and inspected through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The TDLR might periodically, or in reaction to a grievance, habits an inspection of electrical automobile provide apparatus, very similar to gasoline pump inspections. Read extra right here. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and is valuable right away.

Veterans

• SB 493 lets in veterans who won a less-than-honorable discharge because of their refusal of the COVID-19 vaccine to be categorized as receiving an honorable discharge. For a discharge to be regarded as honorable, the veteran should turn out to the Texas Veterans Commission that their refusal to obtain a COVID-19 vaccination used to be the only real explanation why for the release. The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and is valuable right away.

Voting

• SB 477 will permit other people with disabilities or mobility issues to skip the strains at polling places. The individual should request to skip the road with an election employee. The bill’s text defines disabilities to incorporate “paralysis, lung disease, the use of portable oxygen, cardiac deficiency, severe limitation in the ability to walk due to arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition, wheelchair confinement, arthritis, foot disorder, the inability to walk 200 feet without stopping to rest, or use of a brace, cane, crutch, or other assistive device.” The invoice used to be signed through Abbott and is valuable right away.

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