The Texas Tribune
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New state laws: Although the 2023 legislative session is not yet underway, a number of laws from Texas’ 2021 legislative sessions have gone into effect in the new year, including:
- Senate Bill 12 limits the amount of property taxes a school district can impose on the homestead of people who are elderly or have disabilities. The law ensures districts will be eligible for additional state aid so they are not burdened by a decrease in revenue.
- Remaining provisions under House Bill 3774, which includes several reforms to the judicial branch, went into effect Jan. 1. The law creates 10 district courts, five statutory county courts, one statutory probate court and one criminal magistrate court. According to a House Bill Analysis, the law will help to ensure adequate resources are available to address judicial workload.
- HB 3774 also creates a code of professional responsibility to regulate entities overseen by the Texas Forensic Science Commission. The law also requires that the protective order registry include orders for victims of sexual assault or abuse, stalking or trafficking.
- Senate Bill 1210 requires that building codes allow the use of refrigerants, components of air conditioning units, other than hydrofluorocarbons — a chemical compound of hydrogen, carbon and fluorine that erodes the ozone layer. The law requires that the refrigerants comply with the federal Clean Air Act.
Read more from the Tribune’s Zach Despart.
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