Although the Texas Legislature does not convene for its 85th session until Jan. 10, the prefiling period for bills began Monday. Legislators in The Woodlands area have filed 16 bills so far. The 140-day session ends May 29.
Here are a few of the bills state Rep. Mark Keough, R-The Woodlands, filed Monday:
House Joint Resolution 17
This constitutional amendment would limit the maximum appraised value to ad valorem, or property, tax purposes to 105 percent or less of the appraised value of the property for the preceding year. If passed, voters would also have to approve this measure at the polls in November 2017.
House Bill 85
This bill relates to the selection of a chief appraiser. The legislation would require a chief appraiser to be elected by voters of the county in which the appraisal district is established. This position is currently appointed by the appraisal district’s board of directors.
House Bill 99
This legislation would prohibit the state of Texas—or a governing body of a municipality, a district attorney or sheriff—from adopting a rule or policy which enforces a federal statute to regulate a firearm or firearm accessory if the regulation does not exist under Texas law.
House Bill 113
This bill would prohibit a local authority from implementing or operating an automated traffic-control system with respect to a highway or street under its jurisdiction. An automated traffic-control system refers to a photographic device, radar device or other electrical device that can produce digital images of a license plate of a car not in compliance with a posted speed limit.
House Bill 121
If passed, this bill would forbid a county or state from refusing to register a car if its owner is delinquent in the payment of a civil penalty from a photographic traffic signal-enforcement system.
House Bill 288
This legislation relates to the early voting period. The proposed bill would start early voting on the 10th day before election day, as opposed to the 17th, and continue through the second day before election day, as opposed to the fourth day.
For an election held in May, the period for early voting would begin on the seventh day, instead of the 12th day before the election, and continue through the second day before election day, as opposed to the fourth day.
Here are a few of the bills state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, filed Monday:
Senate Bill 131
This proposed legislation would allow the state comptroller to issue a rebate to each payer of the franchise tax during the previous biennium if he or she has determined that there remains an unencumbered positive balance of general revenue from the preceding biennium. The franchise tax is paid by taxable entities doing business in Texas, such as corporations, banks, professional and business associations, trusts and other legal entities.
Senate Bill 132
This proposed legislation relates to the savings incentive program for state agencies. Affected agencies would retain one-half, as opposed to one-fourth, of the amount of savings verified by the comptroller. Of the savings retained, one-half must be used to make additional payments for general obligation bonds issued by the agency. If there are no outstanding bonds issued by the agency, the money may be used to provide bonuses, distributed equally to each agency employee who meets certain criteria outlined in the bill.
Senate Bill 133
This bill would make the sale of a firearm or hunting supplies exempt from sales tax if purchased between 12:01 a.m. on the Saturday of the last full weekend in August and midnight on the following Sunday. Hunting supplies refers to ammunition, archery equipment, hunting blinds, decoys, firearm cleaning supplies and hunting safety equipment.