Texas Governor Abbott has recently announced his support for a multitude of new laws that began on September 1. You can check out the full list of new laws on the Office of the Texas Governor website, but let's go over some of the highlights.
Gov. Abbott signed SB 2 which establishes funding through Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) for eligible students to choose preapproved providers and services like "private school tuition, instructional materials, and educational therapies," Gov. Abbott's release stated.
SB 12 was also signed into law, banning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) hiring and training, prohibiting the spread of gender ideology in K-12 schools, enforcing biological girls from competing in girls' sports only (vice versa for boys), and protecting parents' rights in their child's medical decisions and upbringing.
Gov. Abbott also signed SB 33. This new law prohibits government entities from supporting abortion providers with financial or logistical assistance. It also limits entity involvement with helping individuals obtain abortions in the state.
A new law from HB 150 helps fight cyber threats by creating the Texas Cyber Command out of San Antonio.
Also, SB 1333 was signed into law which grants more authority for sheriffs and constables to remove squatters from Texas homes while increasing the criminal penalties for squatting.
SB 2306 and SB 1212 were both signed in efforts to combat human trafficking across the state. This will be done by eliminating parole for convicted traffickers when the victim was a child or was disabled.
These bills also enhanced the punishments for human trafficking to a first-degree felony in the State of Texas.
One last new law to highlight was HB 5115. This makes the refusal to count votes or counting invalid votes election fraud. It also enhances the offense of election fraud to a second-degree felony in Texas.
"The Laws we passed reflect our values: safer communities, stronger schools, and a future built on freedom, faith, and hard work," Gov. Abbott stated in the press release.
So, what do you think? Are these bills going to make Texas a better state or will they do more harm than good? For many, I suppose only time will tell.