New Year, New Laws for Texans

As the new year begins, Texans are seeing a handful of changes in the law. Many of the legislative developments of the last Congressional session took effect on September 1, 2017 (including the right to carry swords and machetes in public and the prohibition on texting while driving), but a few additional laws -- 26 to be exact -- were slated to launch on January 1, 2018, along with specific sections of eight additional bills. Milk transport, prepaid calling cards, property appraisals, credit card transactions, bingo halls, and the transfer of motor vehicles are all impacted by the changes. To learn more about the 85th legislative session and the laws that took effect on January 1st, visit the websites listed here.