New statutes take effect today.
You have been warned.
Happy New Year!
State statutes effective today
AUSTIN — State laws going into effect or enforcement today will impact tanning, tobacco and taxes for all Texans, while one of them stirred a debate over whether it would protect a single legislator's ability to rebuild his house damaged by Hurricane Ike.
Most of the laws passed by the Legislature last year took effect in September, but about three dozen did not until today. Some that already had become law will start being enforced today.
The most controversial new law, which allows people whose homes were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Ike to retain their homestead exemption while rebuilding, was criticized after Rep. Wayne Christian, R-Center, got a provision inserted into it to allow him to rebuild his Bolivar Peninsula home even though the storm apparently had moved it onto the public beach.
