On June 1, the 84th Texas Legislature signaled the end of the day and session with “Sine Die,” a Latin phrase meaning without a specific date to reconvene. The announcement was uttered after 140 days within which legislators enacted several key decisions that will affect Texans for the next two years.
The session will be remembered for its balanced budget that included tax relief for citizens and funds for border security, passage of open carry handgun laws in public and state universities, legalization of marijuana extracts to be used for epileptic patients, funding for pre-Kindergarten programs and a resolution for voters to decide in November whether to use sales tax revenue to improve state highways.
Budget
• Passed a $209 billion budget that includes funding for public education, healthcare and $800 million for border security; • Approved tax cuts that would raise residents’ homestead exemption from $15,000 to $25,000 • Approved decreasing the state franchise tax by 25 percent; • Approved incentives to fund pre-Kindergarten programs in public schools; • Approved about $3 billion in bonds to build new public college campus facilities; • Relegated to voters on Nov. 3 to decide if the state should transfer up to $2.5 billion annually from its general sales tax revenue to the State Highway Fund to improve transportation
Economy and Small Business
• On May 18, Gov. Greg Abbott signed HB 40, a bill that gives the state, and not local authorities, the jurisdiction to regulation oil and gas operation. Prior to the bill’s passage, local laws have created “a patchwork of inconsistent regulation that undermines the safe and efficient production of oil and gas,” according to the bill’s analysis. • Abbott signed SB 293 on April 8. The bill allows ESPN, NASCAR and Ultimate Fighting Championship events to be considered eligible for the Major Events Trusts Fund. • The governor signed SB 97, which regulates the sale, distribution, possession, use and advertising of e-cigarettes, cigarettes and tobacco products. The law will take effect this fall.
