According to the bill, Any law enforcement department that employs peace officers may not authorize a television crew to film peace officers while acting in the line of duty for the purpose of creating a reality television show.. If passed, SB70 would require every peace officer to submit a detailed report to their law enforcement agency regarding each incident in which the officer uses force, or witnesses another officer use force, against a person suspected of committing an offense. Set a maximum speed of 15 mph for standing scooters (or 20 mph for seated scooters). Our attorneys are results-driven and dedicated DWI lawyers who can help you fight the underlying offense causing your license suspension to ensure that you can reinstate your license. Material: Titanium. Additionally, the bill would adjust for inflation each subsequent year. If passed, these bills would prohibit law enforcement officers from initiating actions (e.g., traffic stops) based, in whole or in part, on an individual operating a motorcycle or wearing motorcycle-related or motorcycle club-related paraphernaliarather than on the individuals behavior or on information identifying the individual as having engaged in criminal activity. Often referred to as swoop and settle tactics, the objective is to get the victim to agree to settle their claim before theyre even able to see a doctor or get an estimate on repair costs. HB19 seeks to amend Chapter 72 of Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code in order to shift liability away from transportation companies and onto individual drivers when it comes to 18-wheeler truck accident claims or lawsuits. The offense would be upgraded to a state jail felony if the victim suffered serious bodily injury.. The attorneys at Chambers Law Office have been helping clients with a suspended driver's license reinstate their driving privileges for nearly a decade, and now changes in Indiana law are making it easier for clients to get valid. For more information on the current license structure, fees and more, visit the following pages and resources: TABC License and Permit Types. Excerpt from the bill: Uniquely situated amid rugged mountains and below the spectacular West Texas sky, Fort Davis is beloved by residents and visitors alike, and it has earned a well-deserved reputation as one of the Lone Star States top destinations.. Each of the bills listed above seek to allow casino gambling in parts of southern Texas (within 200 miles of the Gulf of Mexico). If passed, HB3481 seeks to add Rosa Parks Day as an official state recognition day in order to honor Rosa Louise McCauley Parks for her courageous act of refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus to protest segregation which helped launch the civil rights movement in the United States. If approved, Rosa Parks Day would fall on the 1st day of December. If, during any 12-month period, TxDOT receives 10 or more of these reports for a single intersection, they shall perform a traffic study of that location and take actions determined reasonable and necessary to improve safety at the location. Both SJR13 & SJR68 propose a constitutional amendment which would abolish daylight saving time in Texas. If passed, HB3325 & SB1945 both seek to amend several sections of Texas Transportation Code (as well as portions of Texas Business & Commerce Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, Penal Code, Education Code, Family Code, Government Code, Insurance Code, and Occupations Code) in order to replace the word accident (when used to describe a motor vehicle collision) with the word crash.. Each of the above proposed bills seek to amend Chapter 2 of Texas Code of Criminal Procedure in order to add a policy requiring law enforcement officers in the state to intervene in order to prevent another peace officer from using excessive force. Similar to HB501 (above), HB243 seeks to adjust the amount of death benefits awarded in workers compensation cases equal the percentage increase (if any) in the Consumer Price Index. Let's take a look at some of the more-interesting ones. Each of the bills listed above seek to lay out the groundwork for legalizing and regulating the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, sale, testing, possession, and use of cannabis and cannabis products in Texas. HB1837 & SB2141 both seek to amend Chapter 2 of Texas Code of Criminal Procedure in order address (and prevent) motorcycle profiling by law enforcement officers. Bring alcoholic beverages onto or possess alcoholic beverages on the businesss premises for the purpose of consumption by the person on the premises. This made sense back when the Texas Legislature was first established in 1845 (and lawmakers had to travel to Austin by horse), but not so much anymore. These policies must: Both HB562 and HB833 seek to amend Chapter 2 of Texas Code of Criminal Procedure to add a section titled Law Enforcement Policy on De-escalation and Proportionate Response.. For more information on the current license structure, fees and more, visit the following pages and resources: Copyright 2023 Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. The bill also seeks to amend Section 481.111 of Texas Health and Safety Code to exempt pharmacists, patients, and cultivators from provisions of this chapter relating to the possession, distribution and delivery of medical cannabis. In 2017, Gov. If passed, HB555 seeks to expand on this law by applying it to additional types of stationary vehicles adjacent to a highway, such as utility service vehicles and vehicles used exclusively to transport municipal solid waste or recyclable material. SB1440, on the other hand, seeks to allow physicians in the state to prescribe low-THC cannabis to veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While the existing law still permits motorists to read, write, and sending electronic messages while their vehicle is stopped, SB42 also clarifies this section by adding stopped outside a lane of travel.. One license in each of the counties of Galveston, Jefferson, and Nueces; Three licenses in Bexar and Harris Counties; Consulting with infectious disease experts; Preventing and minimizing injury and damage caused by a pandemic; A prompt and effective response to a pandemic; Identifying areas and populations particularly vulnerable to the occurrence of a pandemic; Communicating with governmental and private entities to facilitate coordination and collaboration for the efficient and effective planning and execution of a pandemic response plan; Organizing federal, state, and local pandemic response activities; Earning compensation for the use of the student athletes name, image, or likeness when the student athlete is not engaged in official team activities; or. Hospitals often place liens on claims where a victim receives medical services for injuries caused by an accident thats attributed to the negligence of another person. The bill would also allow liquor to be sold on any other day between the (expanded) hours of 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. Texas blue laws also state that stores may not sell beer on Sundays between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. HB1551, if passed, seeks to amend Section 105.04 of Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code in order to allow beer and wine stores (stores which hold a wine and malt beverage retailers permit or a wine and malt beverage retailers off-premise permit) to sell beer on Sundays between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. It would also require policyholders who receive a written request for policy information from a claimant to disclose the name of their insurance company and type of coverage provided by their insurer. While similar bills had been introduced in the 82nd and 85th Texas Legislature (in 2011 and 2017, respectively), both failed to pass. Under HB477, money generated from the casinos would go toward residual windstorm insurance coverage and catastrophic flooding assistance in those areas. SB130 seeks to adopt an agreement among the States to elect the President by national popular vote. The force used is proportionate to the threat posed and to the seriousness of the alleged offense; The force used does not present a serious risk of injury to any person other than the actor or the person against whom the force is used; and. In Texas, fireworks are only permitted to be sold to the public during certain periods of the year (i.e., between June 24 through July 4; December 20 through January 1; May 1 through May 5). It would also amend Section 38.15 of Texas Penal Code (interference with public duties) to add an affirmative defense to prosecution if the conduct engaged in by the defendant consisted only of filming, recording, photographing, documenting, or observing a peace officer, if before or while engaging in the conduct, the defendant obeyed any reasonable and lawful order by a peace officer to change the defendants proximity or position., HB1757 also seeks to amend Section 542.501 of Texas Transportation Code (willfully failing or refuse to comply with a lawful order) to state that the law does not apply to an order or direction to cease filming, recording, photographing, documenting, or observing a peace officer while the officer is engaged in the performance of official duties, although this does not prohibit a peace officer from giving the person a reasonable and lawful order or direction to change the persons proximity or position relative to a peace officer who is engaged in the performance of official duties., Lastly, HB1757 would also amend Chapter 2 of Texas Code of Criminal Procedure to state that if during the performance of the peace officers official duties a peace officer makes a video or audio recording of the officers interaction with a person, the peace officer must immediately disclose to the person that the officer is recording the interaction and the method by which the officer is making the recording, except if the peace officers interaction with a person occurs as part of an ongoing criminal investigation or if making the disclosure immediately would be unsafe, unrealistic, or impracticable.. ALR Program. By Heather Navarro Published December 27, 2021 Updated on December 28, 2021 at 1:46 pm Since this time, the noneconomic damages portion of a victims claim have been limited to an amount not to exceed $250,000regardless of whether or not the plaintiff was awarded more in court. If approved, this holiday would fall on the 16th day of April (her birthday). Histotechnology is the science of detecting tissue abnormalities that indicate diseases such as cancer. This law rvnts th DMV frm automatically undng licenses f drvr' who have not paid r red n urt fr mnr trff vltn due to poverty or low-income. Currently, under Texas law, a district judge may issue an order for the installation and use of a mobile tracking device if an authorized peace officer submits an affidavit which states the facts and circumstances that provide a reasonable suspicion that criminal activity has been, is, or will be committed; and the installation and use of a mobile tracking device is likely to produce information that is material to an ongoing criminal investigation of that criminal activity. Two years later, the district attorneys office presented evidence to a grand jury asking that they charge the accused driver with criminally negligent homicide. The bill would also disallow toll project entities from amending financial (or other) agreements in a manner that would extend said payoff date. A description of any attempt that was made by the peace officer to de-escalate the situation before the force was used (if applicable). The report must include: If passed, SB747 seeks to amend Chapter 2 of Texas Code of Criminal Procedure in order to state that each law enforcement agency in the state shall adopt a policy prohibiting a peace officer of the agency from using a chemical device against a person younger than 18 years of age. Tela Mange . The grand jury declined to indict the defendant. The bill also states that officers have a duty to intervene to stop or prevent another peace officer from using force against a person suspected of committing an offense if: Finally, a peace officer who witnesses the use of excessive force by another peace officer must also promptly make a detailed report of the incident and deliver the report to their supervisor. Texas blue laws currently state that alcohol retailers may not sell wine or vinous liquor containing more than 17 percent alcohol by volume on Sundays. Restrict anyone from riding a motorized scooter (gas or electric) on a roadway unless the posted speed limit is 30 mph or less (currently the limit is 35 mph or less). From police reform to legalized gambling and alcohol sales to digital license plates, here's a small sampling of the bills filed during Texas' 87th legislative session. Abbott has just announced a special legislative session to begin on July 8th, 2021). Section 11.179 of the Texas Education Codecurrently allows school districts to adopt a policy allowing the consumption, possession, and sale of alcoholic beverages at an event held at a performing arts facility owned by the district (if leased to a nonprofit organization for an event not sponsored or sanctioned by the district, and held outside of regular school hours). Driver's license suspensions will continue, but under the new law, a person would only have their license suspended if they had three or more traffic tickets in a year, or four within two. Supporters of the bill said that removing the straight-ticket voting option forces voters to make more informed decisions in individual elections, but opponents claim the legislation disproportionately impacts minority voters. Both SB207 & HB1617 seek to amend Section 41.0105 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code to provide additional limits on recovering economic damages (e.g., medical expenses) in civil cases. According to HJR102 & HB2257, the money generated from these casinos would go toward providing additional money for property tax relief. If passed, HB3198 would require original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of digital electronic equipment sold or used in this state to make available, on fair and reasonable terms, to any independent repair provider or to an owner of digital electronic equipment manufactured by or on behalf of, sold by, or supplied by the original equipment manufacturer: HB4063, on the other hand, would require original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of electronics-enabled heavy equipment sold or used in this state to make available, on fair and reasonable terms, to any independent repair provider or to an owner of electronics-enabled heavy equipment manufactured by or on behalf of, sold by, or supplied by the original equipment manufacturer: Texas law currently prohibits car manufacturers from directly selling vehicles to customers, and instead encourages automakers to sell via franchised dealerships. According to the bills author, Lyle Larson, The cost to run the Legislature would be the same, and we would be light years ahead from an effectiveness and efficiency standpoint.. If passed, the State of Texas (and each member state) shall conduct a statewide popular election for President and Vice President of the United States. HB3248, on the other hand, seeks to allow both counties and municipalities (cities) to do so by order or local ordinance. Conduct a hearing or other proceeding as a remote proceeding without the consent of the parties (unless the United States Constitution or Texas Constitution requires consent); Allow or require a judge, party, attorney, witness, court reporter, juror, or any other individual to participate in a remote proceeding, including a deposition, hearing, trial, or other proceeding. The officer arrests the person for an offense under Chapter 49, Penal Code, involving the operation of a motor vehicle or a watercraft; The person refuses the officers request to submit to the taking of a specimen voluntarily; The person was the operator of a motor vehicle or a watercraft involved in an accident that the officer reasonably believes occurred as a result of the offense; and. If passed, a person does not commit an offense involving the possession of a controlled substance or marijuana if: Following the tragic death of Javier Ambler, who died of heart failure in the custody of the Williamson County Sheriffs Office during a recording of the now-canceled Live PD TV show last year, many people have argued that we shouldnt allow policing to become entertainment in our community.