NEW LAWS IN TEXAS GO INTO EFFECT WEDNESDAY
Tomorrow (Wednesday) marks the day that 666 new laws in Texas go into effect.
Bills passed during the 87th Legislature cover topics such as the carrying of firearms, COVID-19, Winter Storm Uri, and changes to abortion restrictions and education.
Some of the major new laws passed include:
House Bill 1927, often referred to as “constitutional carry,” which will allow all Texans who are legally permitted to carry a handgun to do so without a license.
Senate Bill 8, also called the “fetal heartbeat” bill, bans abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat, which can be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. The bill also gives authority to private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone who helps someone get an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Abortion providers are suing to block the law. Legislators also passed House Bill 1280, which would trigger in the event that the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, and would outlaw all abortions in Texas 30 days after the decision is overturned.
Senate Bills 2 and 3 relate to the managing of the state’s power grid. Senate Bill 2 requires the members of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to live in Texas, and makes the governor responsible for selecting the chairman. Senate Bill 3 requires power companies to prepare their facilities to handle extreme weather.
House Bill 1535 expands the Texas Compassionate Use Program to include people with PTSD and any form of cancer, allowing them to use low-THC cannabis.
House Bill 3979 prevents the teaching of “critical race theory” in K-12 public schools. The new law requires the teaching of a list of founding documents and limits teachers from discussing current events.
Senate Bill 4, also known as the "Star Spangled Banner Protection Act", requires professional sports teams with state funding to play the national anthem before games.
House Bill 1024 allows beer, wine and mixed drinks to be included in food orders designated for pickup or delivery. Additionally, House Bill 1518 allows the sale of beer and wine at 10 a.m. on Sundays, instead of noon.
Senate Bill 968, which prohibits businesses in Texas from requiring customers to show proof of their COVID-19 status, went into effect immediately after Governor Greg Abbott signed the bill in June.
A list of all of the bills passed during the 87th Legislature can be seen here.