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HOUSTON - On Sept. 1, there will be 774 bills going into effect after being passed by the Texas Legislature.
Below are a few bills that we’ve discussed and others that will have an impact on Texans.
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Before Friday, some bills were declared unconstitutional by judges or either blocked.
To see all 774 bills going into effect on Sept. 1, click here.
Senate Bill 12
Also referred to by some as the "drag bill", SB 12 would have banned certain sexually oriented performances and acts from being done in front of minor children under 18-years-old on public property and on the premises of a commercial business.
On Thursday, the day before it would have become a law, U.S. District Judge David Hittner in Houston issued the temporary restraining order effectively, blocking it for being too vague.
House Bill 2127
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Houston files a lawsuit against the state of Texas over "Death Star" bill
Governor Greg Abbott signed Texas House Bill 2127 on June 14, with an effective date of September.
Also known as the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act or as its critics refer to it the "Death Star Bill". It would have prohibited a municipality or county from adopting, enforcing, or maintaining a law going against certain Texas state codes. Essentially, it allows the state to override local governments.
This law was recently declared unconstitutional by a Texas judge on Wednesday. It will not go into effect on Sept. 1.
Senate Bill 379
This bill would exempt certain family care items from sale taxes. The items that would be impacted by this bill are
- Wound care dressings
- Adult or children's diapers
- Baby wipes
- Baby bottles
- Feminine hygiene products (tampon, sanitary napkin, menstrual cup, menstrual sponge, menstrual pad, or other similar items for the purpose of feminine hygiene)
- Maternity clothing
- Breast milk pumping products, including the pump and its power sources.
House Bill 3
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Texas schools scramble to get armed security
Many Texas school districts are scrambling to have an armed guard at every school. This is a requirement for the new state law, House Bill 3, that goes into effect on Sept. 1. Districts are forced to cover the vast majority of the cost.
Ensures significant investments to increase schools’ safety, including hiring at least one-armed security officer at every campus, providing incentives for school employees to get certified to carry a weapon, and installing silent panic alert buttons in every classroom.
House Bill 900
Also called the Restricting Explicit and Adult‑Designated Educational Resources (READER) Act would regulate library materials sold to or included in public school libraries. Vendors would have to issue appropriate ratings related to sexually explicit material and sexually relevant material previously sold to a public school district or public school.
On Thursday, a Texas judge barred the law, granting a temporary injunction and preventing it from going into effect on Friday.
Senate Bill 1750
Abolished the county elections administrator position in certain counties. The bill says counties with a population over 1,000,000 should have their elections administered by an elected official, the county clerk. This bill would apply to Harris County and get rid of the Election Administrator’s Office and return election management to the County Clerk and voter registration to the Tax Assessor-Collector’s Office.
House Bill 567
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CROWN Act signed into law by Texas Governor Greg Abbott
A bill that prohibits schools and workplaces from hair-based discrimination has been signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott. FOX 26's Gabby Hart gives a breakdown on the CROWN Act and what it means for Houstonians.
Also called the CROWN Act, which stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. Prohibits discrimination on the basis of hair texture or protective hairstyle associated with race.
House Bill 1885
Provides the Texas Transportation Commission the authority to establish variable speed limits to allow the temporary lowering of a speed limit to address inclement weather, congestion, road construction, or any other condition that affects the safe and orderly movement of traffic.
Senate Bill 14
Would prohibit certain children from procedures and treatments for gender transitioning, gender reassignment, or gender dysphoria and on the use of public money or public assistance to provide those procedures and treatments.
Senate Bill 763
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Law allowing Texas schools to hire chaplains
FOX 26 Reporter Damali Keith has more on this story and what it could mean for Texas schools.
Allows public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to employ a chaplain or accept a chaplain as a volunteer.
House Bill 598
Prohibiting someone convicted of animal cruelty from having pets.
House Bill 1277
Allows pedestrians to walk on roadways facing oncoming traffic if sidewalks are obstructed or unsafe.
House Bill 3297
Eliminates regular mandatory vehicle safety inspections for noncommercial vehicles and the imposition of replacement fees.
Senate Bill 1319
Overdose cases in Texas have been on the rise due to the increased presence of fentanyl poisoning and unsuspecting drug users. Allows a local health authority or law enforcement agency to provide overdose information to an entity that maintains a computerized system for mapping overdoses.