Hill Country News 3160
Texas Senate Passes $50,000 Homestead Exemption Increase for Elderly, Disabled Homeowners
Priority legislation that would raise the homestead exemption for elderly and disabled homeowners by $50,000 passed the Texas Senate on Wednesday. With other planned exemption increases, elderly homeowners would receive a total of $200,000 in homestead exemptions. Senate Bill (SB) 23 and Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 85 raise the school tax homestead exemption — a
Bill to Create Texas AI Council, Strengthen Regulations Passes House
The Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (TRAIGA) passed this week on the House floor, aimed at setting up a framework to balance artificial intelligence (AI) regulation and industry expansion in the state. “House Bill 149 will create a comprehensive framework around AI that will allow for clear legal pathways and protections for consumers that
‘Solar Geoengineering’ Ban Discussed in Texas House Committee Hearing
Unease over cloud seeding, geoengineering, and weather manipulation was presented before Texas House members in a committee meeting this week, as residents detailed their concerns with the chemicals and substances used in these processes. The committee substitute for House Bill (HB) 1382, authored by Rep. Wes Virdell (R-Brady) with 17 co-authors, would prohibit “solar geoengineering”
In Pictures: The Texas House’s Marathon School Choice Night
The Texas House’s passage of Senate Bill 2 marked a new chapter as the long-awaited, Republican-backed education savings accounts (ESA) bill finally passed in the lower chamber. After hours-long debate that extended early into the next morning, the House approved the governor’s heralded school choice bill by a 86 to 63 mostly-partisan vote. × This page
U.S. Supreme Court Hears Appointments Clause-Centered HIV Drug Case from Texas
Braidwood Management, located in Houston and owned by Steven Hotze, sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) because of a mandate under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that required the business to provide HIV-preventive drug coverage. × This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium
Texas House Gives Initial Approval to Priority Nuclear Power Legislation
A proposal intended to jumpstart the development of nuclear power in Texas cleared the initial hurdle in the Texas House on Tuesday, opening the way for dealings with the Senate over the bill’s final outlook. House Bill (HB) 14 by state Rep. Cody Harris (R-Palestine) would create the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office within the
Bill Criminalizing Abortion As Murder ‘Yanked’ From Texas House Committee Hearing
A bill that would provide equal protection under the law for preborn children by treating elective abortion as murder was “yanked” from its scheduled committee hearing the night before, for still unconfirmed reasons. House Bill (HB) 2197, also dubbed “abolition of abortion” legislation, closes a sole exception in Texas’ penal code that protects women who
Mercury Goes Big with Avator Electric Outboards
Well, maybe we should say Mercury is going “bigger.” Their latest electric outboard to join the Avator family, the 48-volt 110e, is 11,000 watts, which equates to around 15 hp. That’s not exactly ginormous in the world of outboards, but it’s a nice step in the right direction. And if you have an aluminum Jon
Two North Central Texas Localities Adopt Ordinances to Prevent Abortion Trafficking
Two more local governments in North Central Texas passed ordinances intended to protect the lives of unborn children in their areas. The Shackelford County Commissioners Court and the Moran City Council are the latest to declare themselves as “sanctuaries” for the unborn. They mark the seventh county and the 55th city in the state to
Abbott’s School Choice Victory Starts Next Chapter in Texas House
Sixteen months separated Gov. Greg Abbott calling education savings accounts (ESA)-skeptical House Republicans into his office to show just how serious he was about passing a bill in the fourth special session of 2023, and his political long game finally paid off last week. Between the bookends was $12 million, a bloody campaign, and a
Senate Bill Would Prohibit Student Visa Holders from Supporting ‘Terrorist Activity’ at Texas Universities
Growing concerns about student protests and potentially illegal activity on Texas university campuses have prompted one state lawmaker to propose prohibiting university students and employees who hold non-immigrant visas from publicly supporting “terrorist activities” or persuading others to do so. Senate Bill (SB) 2233, authored by Rep. Adam Hinojosa (R-Corpus Christi), seeks to “enhance the
Texas Senate Approves Nearly $500 Million for Priority Film Incentive Program
After a star-studded Senate committee hearing featuring actor Matthew McConaughey, the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program (TMIIIP) — promoting Texas as the “new Hollywood” — passed the upper chamber, and awaits its hearing in the House. Senate Bill (SB) 22, one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s priorities for the 89th Legislative Session and carried
