5(a), Article III, Texas Constitution Sec. Tuesday, January 8, 2019: (1st day) 86th Legislature convenes (Sec. 7 Senate Rule 7.04(a)) 86th Legislature: Regular Session Monday, November 12, 2018: First day legislators and legislators-elect may file bills for the 86th Legislature (House Rule 8, Sec. Texas Legislative Glossary 2019 Texas Legislature Dates of Interest Senate Bill 1332 would hold e-cigarettes to the same regulatory and permitting requirements as traditional tobacco products. New bill would crack down on e-cigarette sales to Texas minorsĪUSTIN (KXAN) - A new bill filed in the Texas legislature aims to make it harder for minors to buy e-cigarettes. If there are any bills not included on this list that you feel the Center should be following, please feel free to let us know by contacting our Center Communication Specialist, Kate Neal. Each category of the legislative tracker is accompanied by relevant resources. Each legislative biennium, Center students and staff identify related bills as new bills are filed and the status of each bill as the session progresses. The 2019 legislative tracker is segmented into general categories: early childhood education, food policy, school/after-school care, tobacco/e-cigarettes, and more. “This phrasing is ambiguous and creates unnecessary challenges to enforcing the law because it often is unclear at what point hazing behavior constitutes an offense,” Zaffirini said.Since the 2013 session, the Center has hosted a legislative bill tracker that identifies proposed bills related to child and adolescent health and to research taking place at the Center and the expertise of our faculty. Zaffirini said this definition is too vague, which is why her bill eliminates the requirement for the hazing act to “endanger the mental or physical health or safety of a student.” Texas law currently defines hazing as “any intentional, knowing or reckless act, occurring on or off the campus of an educational institution, by one person alone or acting with others, directed against a student” that harms a student for the purpose of being initiated into or maintaining membership of an organization, such as pledging. ![]() SB 38 is a refile of a previous bill authored by Zaffirini that failed to pass in the 84th and 85th regular sessions. Zaffirini also submitted Senate Bill 38, which would expand the state’s definition of hazing. “We don’t need a patchwork quilt of regulations that dictate driving practices in Texas,” Abbott said in a 2017 press conference.ĭuring the 85th special session, Abbott tasked the legislature with outlawing local restrictions on using a cellphone while driving. Abbott said the legislation leaves room for local governments to enforce stricter regulations than the state. Greg Abbott, who signed the ban into law during the 85th regular session, has also expressed dissatisfaction with the ban as written - but for different reasons. Zaffirini also said the ban is difficult to enforce since drivers who are pulled over can claim they were engaged in an activity other than texting. Other behavior(s), such as streaming music or reading newspapers while driving, is extremely dangerous.” “Texting while driving is not the only distraction that causes fatal accidents. “Expanding the current ban … is important because it will save lives,” Zaffirini said in an email. 12, she filed Senate Bill 43, which would expand the ban to include all forms of hand-held cellphone use while driving. Judith Zaffirini sponsored a bill that eventually became a statewide ban on texting while driving.īut Zaffirini said the ban on texting is flawed since it ignores other forms of cellphone use which are equally distracting. One issue making a comeback in 2019 is distracted driving. “If we go back and see what among the 2017 special session items (the legislatures failed) on, I would assume in most cases to see those bills come back.” “Often times it takes a couple legislative sessions for a bill to actually get to the floor and be signed into law by the governor,” Blank said. But Blank said not to discount refiles of failed bills. In 2019, legislators will likely focus on overarching issues such as property taxes and funding for public education, said Joshua Blank, manager of polling and research at UT’s Texas Politics Project. 8, and lawmakers have until March 8 to submit ideas for potential legislation. ![]() The legislature, which convenes once every two years, kicks off Jan. While some of the bills tackle new issues, several are repeats of legislation that failed in previous sessions. Legislators have begun filing hundreds of bills they want to pass next year with the opening day of the 86th Texas Legislature less than six weeks away.
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