New Laws Proposed For Texas in 2015
The 84th Texas Legislative Session is set to start in less than 2 months. As it stands, lawmakers are ready and poised to introduce more than 350 bills touching on things that Texans care about such as guns, education, transportation, health and lots more.
Here’s a breakdown of just some of the bills that will be discussed pending approval:
- A bill seeking to repeal the ban on same-sex marriage in Texas will likely be met with opposition. However, this bill may not be necessary because a court ruling may be more effective at overturning the ban. The bill, however, would provide a reference point for advocates and other interested parties.
- House Bill 142 filed by Republican John Strickland of Bedford seeks to eliminate red light cameras, saying that it was a matter of revenue, not safety.
- Senate Bill 54, suggested by Senator Jane Nelson of Flower Mound seeks to ensure that welfare applicants are drug-free before applying for welfare.
- House Bill 41 and 42, brought forward by Trey Martinez of San Antonio Texas seeks to increase the minimum wage to at least $10.10 per hour.
- House Bill 150, filed by Dan Flinn seeks to abolish daylight savings time in the Lone Star State.
- A group of Republican senators filed House Bills 106 and 164 that seek to make it okay for Texans to open carry guns.
- Senator Charles Perry filed Senate Joint Resolution 12 and Senate Bill 139 to stop the shunting away of funds meant for the state highway fund to other departments such as the Department of Public Safety
- Senator Juan Hinojosa filed senate bills 96 and 97, which would effectively introduce legislation governing the use of vapor products such as e-cigarettes in the state. The bills especially touch on the use of these products in school settings.
- Democratic Senator Judith Saffirini filed education bills such as Senate Bill 23, seeking to make pre-kindergarten education available to all 4-year-olds in Texas, while at the same time making half-day pre-K available to 3-year-olds meeting certain at-risk measures. Senate Bill 24, on the other hand, would increase orientation training for college system regents.
- Houston Representative Harold Dutton filed House Bill 414, which seeks to reduce certain penalties for marijuana possession in Texas.
For a more in-depth look into these and other bills, please check out the Texas Legislature Online Resource found here.
Category: Legal Briefs
