Nov. 12 marked the first day state legislators could file new bills for the upcoming 89th legislative session, which begins in January.
What readers need to know
While the soon-to-be State Rep. Jeffrey Barry, R-Pearland, did not file any bills on the first day ahead of his first legislative session, State Rep. Cody Vasut, R-Angleton, was among the most active members in the state with 40 bills.
Many of Vasut’s bills deal with limiting property taxes. One such bill, House Bill 165, lays out the framework to eliminate ad valorem taxes, or property taxes, in the state of Texas. It also creates a committee designed to find alternative taxing methods to make up the difference.
Another bill, House Joint Resolution 44, relates to term limits in the state legislature. The bill would cap the number of terms a house and senate member in the state could serve at six, according to the bill. Any service prior to 2027 is not counted in the total. It would also cap those in the judicial branch.
Other bills of note from Vasut include:
- Lowering the amount an appraisal district can increase the value of a home for tax purposes
- Requiring school curriculum to teach that life begins at conception
- Stating in law a parent’s right to “direct the care, custody, control, education, moral and religious training, and medical care” of their children
- Requiring the governor to call a special session if at least two-thirds of the members of both houses petition them
- Restricting the state from regulating educational programming of private schools
Texas Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, whose district runs through much of northern Brazoria County, was party to seven bills filed on the senate side.
One such bill, Senate Bill 85, relates to a state registry laying out those who are convicted of abusing or neglecting a child. The change would create a path for those names to come off the list after a length of time that is dependent on how severe the case was.
Another bill from Middleton makes it illegal to purchase a lottery ticket through the internet or a mobile app. Currently, the law just prohibits doing so through a telephone.
Other bills from Middleton deal with:
- Health care liability claims related to gender modification drugs or procedures
- Requiring individuals who are using private spaces with state-controlled areas to use facilities based on their biological sex
These bills have yet to be voted on or signed into law and are subject to change or be dismissed entirely prior to approval.
