Community Impact reports that on January 14th the 89th Texas Legislative session gets under way. Over 90 bills were filed by Conroe and Montgomery-area state legislators through December 3rd
State Representative Will Metcalf filed 7 bills. He filed one that would have Texas observe daylight savings time year-round. Another bill looks to repeal a part of the Texas Government Code that gives Montgomery County’s statutory probate courts jurisdiction over eminent domain.
State Rep Cecil Bell Junior filed 22 bills. He filed one that would change the date a handgun license is required to be renewed from the date of license expiration to on or before the first anniversary of the date the license expires. Another bill would require school district boards or the governing body of an open-enrollment charter school to take on a policy to prevent students from possessing a cell phone while on school property during the day.
State Rep Steve Toth filed 42 bills. He filed one that would require health care providers to file a report on each potential vaccine-related injury of a patient to the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting Systems. Another bill would require all candidates running for a school board to change from the current nonpartisan structure to partisan. This would mean candidates would be required to register with a political party to run for school board office.
State Senator Lois Kolkhorst filed 19 bills. She filed one bill that would have local workforce development boards that maintain a waiting list for childcare services prioritize the kids of childcare workers who have eligibility for those services. Another bill looks to have higher education institutions also review an applicant’s performance on a standardized test when coming to a decision on admission.
State Senator Brandon Creighton filed 5 bills. He filed one that would require the removing or altering of historical markers and monuments go before a vote either by a governing body or a general election for its approval. Another bill would reduce the limit the appraised value of a home can be increased year over year from 10 percent to 5 percent of the previous year’s value.
