The laws include new rules for smokers, telemarketers and kids selling lemonade.
86th Legislative Session
Posted in
New Texas Laws 2019
Brass knuckles and other self-defense items will be legal in Texas starting Sept. 1
House Bill 446, authored by state Rep. Joe Moody, lifts a ban on brass knuckles and similar self-defense items.
Posted in
New Texas Laws 2019
Lines to get driver’s licenses are long. Texans are skeptical more money will help.
In hopes to provide quicker service, over 90 of DPS’ 229 offices — including every mega center and “severely crowded” office — will become fully staffed, while another 100 will receive smaller personnel boosts.
Posted in
New Texas Laws 2019
Texas raises the legal smoking age, exempting members of the military
Senate Bill 21, authored by Sen. Joan Huffman, a Republican from Houston, made Texas the 16th state to raise the legal smoking age from 18 to 21.
Posted inState Government
Analysis: Dennis Bonnen, Michael Quinn Sullivan and the Texas political roller coaster
In May, the House speaker was at the top of the political world. In terms of influence, Sullivan and his Empower Texans organization were near the bottom. And now?
Posted inState Government
State Rep. John Zerwas to step down in September
The Richmond Republican was first elected in 2006 and resigns as chairman of the powerful budget-writing House Appropriations Committee. He will serve until Sept. 30.
Posted in
Economy
Implementation of San Antonio paid sick-leave requirement delayed amid court fight
The ordinance was supposed to go into effect Aug. 1 but now will be delayed until Dec. 1. It requires businesses with more than 15 employees to allow workers to accrue 64 hours of paid sick leave per year.
Posted inState Government
Analysis: For Texas lawmakers, a ballad of rope and dope
Texas lawmakers made it legal to farm hemp and, incidentally, harder to prosecute people caught with small amounts of marijuana, which is still illegal. Now they’re bickering about whether that’s the fault of the new law or of local prosecutors.
Posted inState Government
Texas’ biggest cities scramble to figure out what the 2019 legislative session will cost them
Property tax reform and a ban on red-light cameras are among bills that will hit city budgets. Local officials across the state are trying to calculate just how much money they’ll forgo as the laws take effect.
Posted inState Government
After the Texas legislative session ended, Gov. Greg Abbott raised $12.1 million in two weeks
It’s the most the Republican governor has raked in during the post-session fundraising sprint.