Lyfisin
08-31-2005, 02:39 PM
I heard on the Radio this morning that there were supposed to be over 700 new laws in effect on September the 1st. Does anyone know if the license plate stuff stayed in? Or maybe someone could tell me who to ask?
Here's a cut of the article we were talking about a few month's ago from the Dallas Morning News.
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Tax bill would bring in estimated $1 billion for state
05/05/2005
By BRANDI GRISSOM / Associated Press
Texans may need only one license plate on their vehicles, shell out more to register most of them and pay more in some areas to drive them. But they won't likely be playing lotto online.
Lawmakers on Wednesday gave tentative approval to a bill sponsored by Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, that he said might generate as much as $1 billion over the next two years for the state's portion of Texas' $139 billion budget.
"Thank you for letting me celebrate Christmas today and for helping me decorate my Christmas tree," said Pitts, chairman of the budget-writing Appropriation Committee to lawmakers who added a number of measures that increased the revenue generated by the bill from $300 million to $1 billion before they gave it tentative approval.
The bill is meant to help lawmakers balance the state's budget needs, including adding $3 billion to the $30 billion K-12 public education system.
Pitts said he hoped it would give lawmakers in conference committee more wiggle room as they attempt to mesh the House and Senate budget plans. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, is working on a similar bill in the upper chamber, Pitts said.
But Pitts didn't get all the bobbles he wished for.
"I was hoping that we would have a lot of options today, like Internet lottery," Pitts said.
Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, attempted to add a measure to the bill that would allow lottery play online. It was expected to generate about $240 million annually. Turner said it would provide money for education and social services such as the Childrens Health Insurance Program.
Opponents, however, said the measure would expand gambling, which they derided as a social ill that takes its biggest toll on poor and minority Texans.
"Let's not allow the children to drown while we be holier than thou and tell them to drown and we'll save you in the afterlife," Turner said, chastising House members who voted 89-52 not to allow online lotto playing.
The bill would save the state $10 million per year by only requiring Texans to have one license plate — on the rear of their vehicles. Current law requires plates on both the front and rear. Neighboring states only require rear plates.
Many Texans' annual vehicle registration will get more expensive under the legislation. It would cost $58.50 to register any car newer than six years old. Cars older than six years would cost $43.
Currently, vehicle models newer than 2003 cost $58.80 to register. Cars made in 2000, 2001 and 2002 cost $50.80, and older cars cost $40.80.
Drivers in the Austin and San Antonio areas, the Valley and Grayson County could pay more for gasoline under a measure that would allow regional mobility authorities to levy a gas tax. Counties could let voters decide whether to allow the authorities to tax up to 10 cents per gallon, in one-cent increments. Some money from the tax would be used to reduce the number of toll roads or the tolls drivers pay.
A portion of the gas tax money would also go to the state, generating about $137 million in the next two years, according to the Legislative Budget Board.
Some cigarettes would cost Texas smokers an additional 40 cents per pack on top of a $1 per pack tax already approved by the House in March. The tax would be added to cigarettes manufactured by companies that have not already settled a tobacco lawsuit with the state.
The total tax on those cigarettes would increase from the current 41 cents per pack to $1.81 per pack.
Pitts said the additional cigarette tax would generate $25 million each year. Under the bill, state employees will continue to wait 90 days after they're hired before getting health insurance and other benefits. Pitts said doing so will save Texas $45 million annually.
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Here's a cut of the article we were talking about a few month's ago from the Dallas Morning News.
---snip---snip---snip---snip---snip---snip---snip---snip
Tax bill would bring in estimated $1 billion for state
05/05/2005
By BRANDI GRISSOM / Associated Press
Texans may need only one license plate on their vehicles, shell out more to register most of them and pay more in some areas to drive them. But they won't likely be playing lotto online.
Lawmakers on Wednesday gave tentative approval to a bill sponsored by Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, that he said might generate as much as $1 billion over the next two years for the state's portion of Texas' $139 billion budget.
"Thank you for letting me celebrate Christmas today and for helping me decorate my Christmas tree," said Pitts, chairman of the budget-writing Appropriation Committee to lawmakers who added a number of measures that increased the revenue generated by the bill from $300 million to $1 billion before they gave it tentative approval.
The bill is meant to help lawmakers balance the state's budget needs, including adding $3 billion to the $30 billion K-12 public education system.
Pitts said he hoped it would give lawmakers in conference committee more wiggle room as they attempt to mesh the House and Senate budget plans. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, is working on a similar bill in the upper chamber, Pitts said.
But Pitts didn't get all the bobbles he wished for.
"I was hoping that we would have a lot of options today, like Internet lottery," Pitts said.
Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, attempted to add a measure to the bill that would allow lottery play online. It was expected to generate about $240 million annually. Turner said it would provide money for education and social services such as the Childrens Health Insurance Program.
Opponents, however, said the measure would expand gambling, which they derided as a social ill that takes its biggest toll on poor and minority Texans.
"Let's not allow the children to drown while we be holier than thou and tell them to drown and we'll save you in the afterlife," Turner said, chastising House members who voted 89-52 not to allow online lotto playing.
The bill would save the state $10 million per year by only requiring Texans to have one license plate — on the rear of their vehicles. Current law requires plates on both the front and rear. Neighboring states only require rear plates.
Many Texans' annual vehicle registration will get more expensive under the legislation. It would cost $58.50 to register any car newer than six years old. Cars older than six years would cost $43.
Currently, vehicle models newer than 2003 cost $58.80 to register. Cars made in 2000, 2001 and 2002 cost $50.80, and older cars cost $40.80.
Drivers in the Austin and San Antonio areas, the Valley and Grayson County could pay more for gasoline under a measure that would allow regional mobility authorities to levy a gas tax. Counties could let voters decide whether to allow the authorities to tax up to 10 cents per gallon, in one-cent increments. Some money from the tax would be used to reduce the number of toll roads or the tolls drivers pay.
A portion of the gas tax money would also go to the state, generating about $137 million in the next two years, according to the Legislative Budget Board.
Some cigarettes would cost Texas smokers an additional 40 cents per pack on top of a $1 per pack tax already approved by the House in March. The tax would be added to cigarettes manufactured by companies that have not already settled a tobacco lawsuit with the state.
The total tax on those cigarettes would increase from the current 41 cents per pack to $1.81 per pack.
Pitts said the additional cigarette tax would generate $25 million each year. Under the bill, state employees will continue to wait 90 days after they're hired before getting health insurance and other benefits. Pitts said doing so will save Texas $45 million annually.
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