Although the Texas Legislature does not convene for its 85th session until Jan. 10, the prefiling period for bills began Monday, Nov. 14. Legislators in the Tomball and Magnolia area have filed more than 20 bills so far. The 140-day session ends May 29. Here are a few of the bills state Rep. Cecil Bell Jr., R-Magnolia, filed the week of Nov. 14: House Bill 136 The proposed bill modifies the objectives for public education. The bill seeks to include career and technology education and workforce training in the mission of public education, stating that the State Board of Education, the Texas Education and the commissioner will assist schools in providing educational and workforce training opportunities to students. If passed with support of two-thirds of state legislators, the act would take effect immediately. If passed with less than two-thirds support, it would take effect Sept. 1, 2017. House Bill 150 The bill would entitle partially disabled veterans to a property tax exemption equal to the disabled veteran's disability if the homestead property was donated by a charitable organization. The exemption would also extend to the surviving spouse of a partially disabled veteran. Bell also introduced House Joint Resolution 21, which proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide the above exemption for partially disabled veterans. If the amendment is approved, the bill takes affect Jan. 1, 2018. House Bill 167 The bill relates to limiting the maximum appraised value of real property for tax purposes to 105 percent of the appraised value of the property for the preceding tax year. Bell also introduced House Joint Resolution 26, which proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to limit appraisal value increases. If the amendment is approved, the bill takes affect Jan. 1, 2018. Here are a few of the bills filed by state Rep. Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress, since Monday, Nov. 14: House Bill 377 The bill would amend the state Transportation Code to allow the surviving spouse of certain military veterans—including distinguished flying cross medal recipients, World War II veterans, veterans recognized for extraordinary service, legion or merit medal recipients and defense superior service medal recipients—to register one vehicle for the specialty license plate that the veteran is otherwise eligible for, as long as the spouse remains unmarried. If passed, the law would take effect Sept. 1, 2017. House Bill 378 The bill would require that online admission application forms for public institutions of higher education include a prominent link to the Texas Consumer Resource for Education and Workforce Statistics report on gainful employment. If passed with support of two-thirds of state legislators, the act would take effect immediately. If passed with less than two-thirds support, it would take effect Sept. 1, 2017. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the governing boards of public university systems would be required to comply no later than Jan. 1, 2018. Here are a few of the bills filed by state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, since Monday, Nov. 14: Senate Bill 151 The bill would require voter approval for a municipality to issue an obligation to fund all or part of an unfunded liability related to public pensions. If passed with support of two-thirds of state legislators, the act would take effect immediately. If passed with less than two-thirds support, it would take effect Sept. 1, 2017. Senate Bill 152 The bill relates to municipal control of certain public retirement systems established for the benefit of municipal employees. It would allow a municipality that is the sponsoring authority of a public retirement system created under state statute—but is not a part of a statewide public retirement system—to adopt provisions that supplement or supersede the system’s existing provisions. New provisions can relate to the source or amount of funding, benefit/participation/eligibility requirements and the administration of the system. New provisions would only apply to people who become eligible for membership in the system after Dec. 31, 2017. If passed with support of two-thirds of state legislators, the act would take effect immediately. If passed with less than two-thirds support, it would take effect Sept. 1, 2017. Senate Bill 153 The bill would allow a person of 70 years of age or older to use an expired form of identification to vote if the identification is otherwise valid and is one of the following: • Driver’s license • Election identification certificate • Personal identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety • U.S. military ID with photo • U.S. citizenship certificate with photo • U.S. passport • License to carry handgun issued by the Department of Public Safety If passed, the law would take effect Sept. 1, 2017. Here are a few of the bills filed by state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, filed the week of Nov. 14: 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. If passed, the law would take effect Sept. 1, 2017. 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. If passed with support of two-thirds of state legislators, the act would take effect immediately. If passed with less than two-thirds support, it would take effect Sept. 1, 2017.