--Wrongful Convictions: Increases compensation for those who were
convicted and sent to prison for crimes they did not commit.
--Texas Movies: Expands the ability of the state's movie and film
office to grant financial incentives to lure productions to Texas.
--Hurricanes-Electricity: Allows utilities to issue low-cost
bonds to recover costs after hurricanes and other disasters,
reducing the financial impact to electricity customers for
rebuilding and restoration.
--Journalist Shield Law: Provides limited immunity to journalists
from having to testify and reveal confidential sources and
documents in court.
--Interior Designers: Prohibits someone not licensed or
registered with the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners as an
interior designer from using the title "licensed interior
designer" or "registered interior designer."
--Crossbow Hunting: Allows all hunters, not just disabled
hunters, to use crossbows during bow hunting season. Crossbows
already were allowed during open hunting season.
--Military Kids: Makes it easier for children of transferring
military members to enroll in new schools by allowing Texas to join
an interstate compact on educational opportunities for military
--University Expansion: Allows for the expansion of Texas A&M
University-Central Texas, Texas A&M University-San Antonio and
University of North Texas at Dallas campuses as stand-alone
institutions; removes barriers to the use of tuition revenue bonds
PASSED, BECOMING LAW WITHOUT GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE
--Booster Seats: Requires that children under age 8 be secured in a booster seat when riding in a passenger vehicle. Raises the current age limit from 4.
PASSED, HEADING TO TEXAS VOTERS
--Eminent Domain: Allows Texas voters to decide whether to amend the state constitution to place some limits on when governments can take private property.
PASSED, AWAITING ACTION BY GOVERNOR
--State Budget: A $182 billion two-year spending plan that
includes $12 billion in federal economic stimulus money pays for
scores of state services but covers mostly education and health
--Supplemental Budget: A $2.4 billion package to cover unexpected
costs in the current state budget, including money for the
Hurricane Ike-ravaged University of Texas Medical Branch in
--Top 10 Percent: Scales back the law allowing automatic college
admissions for students in the top 10 percent of their high school
--Windstorm Insurance: Restructures the depleted Texas Windstorm
Insurance Association that insures coastal property in case of a
--Disabled Veterans: Provides homestead property tax exemptions
for disabled veterans.
--Human Trafficking Civil Penalties: Allows victims of human
trafficking to sue their traffickers and seek punitive damages from
the traffickers and the organizations involved.
--Human Trafficking Prevention: Establishes a task force to come
up with policies and procedures to prevent and prosecute human
trafficking, sometimes referred to as modern-day slavery.
--Teen Tanning Bill: Bans anyone under 16.5 years old from using
a tanning bed.
--Smokeless Tobacco Tax: Changes the tax on chewing tobacco to a
weight-based system in order to fund a medical school loan
repayment program for doctors who work in underserved areas.
Includes tax break for small businesses.
--Business Tax: Gives tax break to some 40,000 small businesses
by raising the franchise tax exemption from $300,000 in revenue to
--State Schools: Increases oversight and security of the state's
large institutions for people with mental disabilities.
--Electronic Textbooks: Allows school districts to purchase
approved electronic textbooks and materials.
--Military Tuition: Expands tuition exemptions for Texas military
veterans and their spouses.
--UNT Law School: Allows the University of North Texas at Dallas
to establish a new public law school.
--School Accountability: Changes high school graduation and grade
promotion requirements; requires students to pass standardized
tests to be promoted to the next grade but reduces some of the high
stakes currently connected to the testing.
--School Finance: Tweaks the state's school funding system,
sending about $2 billion to school districts and giving teachers a
one-time $800 pay raise.
--School Supplies: Adds backpacks and school supplies to the
annual August sales tax holiday weekend that already includes
--Juvenile Prisons Review: Continues the state juvenile prison
system operations for at least another two years; keeps the Texas
Youth Commission and the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission
separate agencies until another review in 2011.
--Tier One Universities: Creates funding pools and incentives for
emerging research universities to advance to nationally recognized
Tier One schools.
--Rodeo Kids: Requires children to wear a helmet and protective
vest when bull riding in a rodeo.
--Voter ID: Would have required Texas voters to present photo
identification or two non-photo alternative forms of ID before
casting a ballot.
--Casino Gambling: Would have allowed Las Vegas-style casinos,
slot machines at race tracks and casinos on American Indian
--Smoking Ban: Would have imposed a statewide ban on smoking in
most public indoor spaces, including bars and restaurants.
--CHIP Expansion: Would have allowed some families who make too
much to qualify for the Children's Health Insurance Program to
qualify for the joint state and federal program.
--Smoking Age: Would have raised the legal age limit to buy
tobacco products from 18 to 19.
--Needle Exchange: Would have allowed public health officials to
establish a needle exchange program, permitting people to hand in
dirty needles in exchange for clean ones.
--Abortions-Sonograms: Would have required doctors to offer an
ultrasound to women seeking abortions and let them see the results
if they wanted to.
--Guns on Campus: Would have allowed concealed handgun license
holders to bring their guns to college campuses.
--Guns to Work: Would have allowed people to carry firearms to
work and then store them in their parked vehicles outside.
--Strip Club Fees: Would have imposed a new admissions tax on
sexually oriented businesses and repealed a $5-per-person admission
fee on strip clubs that a judge ruled unconstitutional.
--Medical Marijuana: Would have permitted use of marijuana for
--Government Employee Birth Dates: Would have exempted government
employees' birth dates from release under open records law.
--Sobriety Checkpoints: Would have allowed police to set up
sobriety roadblocks in large counties and cities.
--Mercury Warnings: Would have required fish markets and grocery
stores to post signs warning pregnant women that certain fish could
contain high levels of mercury that can cause birth defects.
--Puppy Mills: Would have regulated dog and cat owners who keep
and breed many animals, cracking down on poor conditions in
so-called puppy mills.
--Trans Fats: Would have banned restaurants from packaging,
storing or using trans fats to prepare or serve food.
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