OVER 800 NEW LAWS GO INTO EFFECT IN TEXAS SUNDAY

  

Starting tomorrow (Sunday), 820 new Texas laws will officially go into effect, after they were passed earlier this year in the 86^th Legislature.

From the two-year, $250 billion budget, to raising the smoking age, to fighting telemarketers, there were plenty of things keeping lawmakers busy in Austin. Here are just a few of the bills that are expected to have an impact on Texans in the coming years:

The 2020-21 Budget: The $250 billion budget prioritizes items such as property taxes and school finance reform, including teacher raises.

New Smoking Age: Senate Bill 21 will require anyone wanting to purchase tobacco products to be at least 21 years old, raising the age from 18.  The change does not apply to active military members under 21.

“Born Alive Act”: House Bill 16 will require doctors to provide medical treatment for a fetus born alive after an abortion.

Stopping Telemarketers: New legislation now bans telemarketers from calling using fake numbers that appear on the recipient’s caller ID.

Self-Defense: House Bill 446 removes brass knuckles from the state’s list of prohibited weapons, along with other self-defense items.

Driver Responsibility Program: House Bill 2048 will end the Driver Responsibility Program, which added extra fees for driving offenses, but also suspended driver’s licenses for those unable to pay the fees.

Lemonade Stands: House Bill 234 will block Texas cities and counties from enforcing or adopting ordinances that stop children from selling lemonade, or other non-alcoholic beverages, while on private property or in public parks.

To view a rundown of all the major bills passed, click here.