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It's September first, and that means hundreds of new laws passed by the state legislature are now in effect.
Here are some of the key laws going into effect:
Education
- School Vouchers:
- Texas will create one of the nation's largest school voucher programs, allowing public tax dollars to be used for private school tuition and other educational expenses, as per Senate Bill 2.
- DEI Bans:
- The ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion policies will be extended to K-12 schools, in addition to higher education, according to Senate Bill 12.
- Ten Commandments Display:
- Public school classrooms will now be required to display the Ten Commandments on donated posters at least 16 by 20 inches in size.
- Public School Funding:
- House Bill 2 provides approximately $8.5 billion in new funding for public schools to address long-standing funding challenges.
Public Safety & Health
- Biological Sex Definition:
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- House Bill 229 will define "man" and "woman" based on biological reproductive systems throughout the state code, impacting vital statistics information collected by government entities.
- Trey's Law:
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- Senate Bill 835, or "Trey's Law," will ban and void nondisclosure agreements in sexual assault and human trafficking cases, honoring Trey Carlock who died by suicide after being abused.
Other Notable Laws
- Property Tax Cut: A significant property tax cut also goes into effect.
- Energy Grid Oversight: The laws also include increased oversight over the state's energy grid.