There has been a lot of discussion in the last year about what did and did not get done in the 88th Texas Legislature. While these issues are clearly important, I want to take a moment to go over some of the changes to Texas law that you may not have heard about that will have an impact on you and your family.
These changes may not get a great deal of attention from the media or activist groups, but they are the ones about which I get the most questions from constituents on a day-to-day basis. People want to know that their kids will receive an education that opens doors for their future, that the economy of the state will continue to grow and provide them with new opportunities, and that their family will be safe from harm. Here is what we got done on those issues in 2023.
Property Tax Relief & Small Business Support
- $12.8 billion in new property tax relief, for a total of $18 billion overall.
- Homestead Exemptions were increased from $40,000 to $100,000.
- Economic development incentives were created that encourage investment in Texas to deliver compression on school property taxes over time.
- Small businesses will have new protections from the types of sudden large increases in their property tax bills that have closed hundreds of businesses across our state.
- Franchise Tax exemption doubled from $1.1 million to $2.2 million, exempting over 67,000 small businesses from burdensome franchise taxes.
Supporting Public Education
- Overall state funds to public education of $50.4 billion.
- Schools will now receive $15,000 per campus and $10 per student for improving school safety.
- School safety standards will require at least one highly trained and qualified armed security guard to be on patrol at each campus during regular school hours.
- Teachers will have more access to high-quality instructional materials that support on-grade-level instruction.
- Retired teachers will receive a long-needed cost of living adjustment, as well as a 13th check to help adjust for the impact of inflation on our fixed-income seniors.
- Schools may now have a volunteer chaplain on staff to help support students.
Improving Higher Education
- Community College and Junior College funding has moved to a new dynamic formula based on performance metrics and workforce development that will provide more support for vocational training and building our future workforce.
- “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” (DEI) offices have been banned at public universities, preventing taxpayer funds from going towards enforcing leftist policies not supported by Texans.
- The tenure process has been reformed, allowing a dismissal process for professors who commit serious breaches of professional conduct.
- The Texas University Fund was established to help fund competitive research at Texas universities, which will bring industrial investment and economic development.
Economic Development & Infrastructure
- Approval process for property development and building review has been streamlined, requiring local governments to utilize third-party reviewers if they fail to complete projects in a timely manner.
- $1.05 billion for the Texas Broadband Fund to help provide rural areas with vital information infrastructure, allowing commercial and industrial investment and bringing new jobs.
- The “New Water Supply for Texas Fund” and the “Texas Water Fund” will help provide financial assistance to addressing pressing water challenges across Texas.
- Insurance providers will no longer be allowed “environmental, social, and corporate governance” (ESG) ratemaking. This will ensure insurers charge similar rates for similar hazards and help prevent external pressures from influencing insurers’ business decisions.
Healthcare
- $11.6 billion for mental health and behavioral services.
- $447.2 million in funds for women’s health, an increase of $160.1 million.
- Prescription drugs from Canada can now be imported wholesale through the Texas Wholesale Prescription Drug Importation Program.
- Health care providers are now required to itemize all services and supplies when billing patients.
- An incentive grant program has been established for universities that run programs to recruit, train and produce behavioral health and psychiatric specialists, with a priority on those who serve rural or underserved areas.
- The Thriving Texas Families Act will ensure proper and better coordinated access to pregnancy and childhood services.
- The Texas Advance Directives Act has been updated to better protect the rights of patients and healthcare providers.
Fighting Fentanyl
- If a person dies from fentanyl poisoning, the supplier can now be charged with murder.
- Death certificates now must list “fentanyl poisoning” as a cause of death if the death was caused by fentanyl.
- Opioid antagonists like NARCAN can now be distributed to public schools and universities.
- Fentanyl testing strips are now legal, allowing parents to test drugs or drug-related items their children may have obtained to see if NARCAN should be administered.
- Tucker’s Law ensures that every school will have a fentanyl awareness week for grades 6-12, where schools provide instruction on the prevention of the abuse and addiction to fentanyl and are authorized to bring in real people who have suffered the loss of a loved one to fentanyl so students can see the effects first-hand.
Defense & Veterans’ Affairs
- The Texas Military Department (TMD) can now use state funds for recruiting and retaining service members, employees, and other personnel.
- The Bishop Evans Act ensures that, when a member of the Texas Military Force dies while on active state duty, a death benefit is paid to their eligible survivors. Additionally, it allows service members to seek compensation for active state duty-induced PTSD and requires insurance providers to give priority to Texas Military servicemembers to relieve compensable injuries sustained on active duty.
- Military spouses stationed in Texas who have occupational licenses from other states can now work in Texas for up to three years without having to obtain a Texas license.
- State agencies will now give a hiring preference to Military spouses and disabled veterans.
- A new awarding for the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor has been created for those who served after 9/11/2001, helping honor those who fought in the War on Terror without making them compete against other post-World War II veterans.
Every two years, the Republican Party of Texas meets for a convention where delegates shape the next two years of the party, electing officers, changing rules, setting a platform, and selecting the priority issues they want the legislature to tackle in the upcoming session. Here is what the 88th legislature accomplished from the list set forward in the 2022 convention.
Election Integrity
- The penalty for voter fraud has been restored to a felony.
- Cast vote records and ballot images are now available for inspection upon request 61 days after an election, instead of two years after, allowing the public to review the count after it has been certified.
- Texas has withdrawn from ERIC, an unreliable organization that tracked voter eligibility across states, in favor of establishing a more reliable organization with more effective standards.
Border Security
- $6.6 billion for building the Texas border wall and supporting law enforcement efforts in border counties.
- Texas law enforcement officers are now authorized to arrest illegal aliens caught crossing the border and return them to Mexico.
- The Texas Military Department is now authorized to use drone photography to help enhance border security.
Protecting Texas Kids from Sexualization and Gender Modification
- Sexually explicit or inappropriate books in public schools can now be challenged for removal. A new content rating system and set of standards will be created that puts the burden on vendors selling books to our schools to ensure they are appropriate.
- Safeguards have been established to prevent children from accessing pornography online, along with penalties for companies that allow children to access their pornographic content.
- Sexually explicit performances can no longer be performed in front of children.
- Gender modification of minors, both chemical and surgical, are now illegal in Texas.
- Men can no longer compete in women’s school sports, at both the public school and university levels.
Protecting Personal Liberties
- Employers can no longer mandate COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment.
- Health care providers can no longer refuse to provide health care services based solely on the patient's refusal or failure to obtain a vaccine.
- Wealth taxes were banned in the Texas Constitution, preventing any future legislature from imposing a wealth tax on Texans.
We accomplished a great deal in 2023. Overall, the work done by the Republican-led 88th Legislature supports families, gives better healthcare access and protections to hard working Texans, and helps build a path for a brighter future for our children. However, there is always more to be done. I’d like to hear from you about what you want to see done in the 89th legislature. You can reach me by email at terry.wilson@house.texas.gov or you can call your HD20 office at (512)463-0309.