David Blassingame
Here are the bills scheduled to take effect on Sept. 1:
Senate Bill 10 requires public schools in Texas to display the Ten Commandments in each classroom.
Senate Bill 11 allows schools to implement a daily period of voluntary prayer, but students can only participate if they have a signed permission slip.
House Bill 1481: Texas schools will ban students from using phones and other communication devices, including smartwatches and two-way radios.
Senate Bill 31: Lawmakers aimed to give more clarity on when doctors can provide an abortion in life-threatening instances.
Senate Bill 33, which will ban local governments from funding travel for women to procure abortions out of state.
Senate Bill 13 will create a school library advisory council to determine which books will be allowed in libraries.
Senate Bill 12 will ban LGBTQ clubs at schools and do away with a host of other DEI initiatives, including banning programming centered on gender identity, sexuality, and race.
House Bill 229: The state rigidly defines what a “man” and “woman” is, defining a woman by possessing reproductive organs necessary to reproduce.
Senate Bill 4 increases the homestead exemption for property taxes from $100,000 to $140,000. This will appear on the Nov. 4 election as a choice.
Senate Bill 23 increases the exemption from $10,000 to $60,000 for Texans aged 65 or older. This will also appear on Nov. 4 as a choice.
This session implemented new restrictions on lottery sales, including a ban on online ticket sales and dismantling the Texas Lottery Commission. The law also does away with third-party courier sales.
Texas Republicans have passed a redistricting measure that would give Republicans up to five additional seats in the House.
What’s left?
Senate Bill 5: The bill aims to ban THC products across the state.
Several bills related to disaster preparedness are on the agenda.
Senate Bill 7 requires people to use the bathroom that matches their assigned sex at birth at public schools and government buildings.
The Governor has also included three more items that Legislators can vote on during the second Special Session.
A Bill that will impose penalties or punishments for legislators who willfully absent themselves during a session. A Bill that allows a person to purchase ivermectin at the pharmacy. He wants legislation passed that will authorize a study of the East Texas aquifer.
To see all the Bills’ verbiage and status, go to lrl.texas.gov/sessions/effDates/billsEffective89.cfm#September25.