In a fundraising email, Texas Republican Chairman Matt Rinaldi hailed Sept. 1 “is a huge day for Texas.”

A Republican-led legislature saw some major victories from the 87th regular session, many of which go into effect today.

That’s when all the bills passed by our Republican legislature during the regular legislative session and signed by Governor Abbott turn into law.

• Like the Heartbeat bill – a bill banning abortion once a baby’s heartbeat is detected…
• The Constitutional Carry bill – a bill that affirms our Second Amendment rights by allowing folks like you and me to carry a firearm without government approval…
• And HB 1239 – a religious freedom bill that exempts churches from being shut down by government mandated emergencies like COVID-19…

All of these legislative victories are directly thanks to folks like you who helped us guide our elected officials and hold them accountable on the issues that matter most to us.

It wasn’t all cheers from the newly selected chairman: “Now is not the time to get complacent. There is still a handful of our Legislative Priorities still outstanding. Like banning child gender modification and ending taxpayer funding lobbying,” the fundrasing letter said. Unmentioned was the election reform bill which recently passed both chambers and awaits the governor’s signature.

As the second special session comes to a close, and Gov. Greg Abbott‘s priorities such as school mask mandate bans and bail reform are in jeopardy, finality is given to a total of 666 bills (according to Texas Tribune’s count). Also going into effect today are:

• The 2022-23 budget, including a line-item veto for legislative staff salaries which may be restored in the remaining week of the second special session
• Reforms to SNAP nutritional assistance removing the lengthy interview and application process for eligible persons
• The 1836 Project to revival the New York Times’ historical revisionist 1619 Project
• Critical race theory (CRT) ban
• Requirement that the National Anthem be sung at professional sporting events in which state funding is a part
• Reducing the size of Pre-K classes in public schools to 22 students
• Cash-balance plan for state employment retirees
• Lawsuit immunity for ridesharing companies when it comes to drivers involved in accidents
• An “active shooter alert” system which prompts mobile phones of a suspected dangerous, armed person in the immediate area
• Police body cameras to be required during investigations (the Botham Jean bill)
• Police chokehold ban
• Online mail-in ballot tracking system by the Texas Secretary of State’s office
• Sanctions on cities which defund the police
• Felony classification for blocking emergency vehicles during a protest
• Homeless camping definitions, making it a state misdemeanor crime of up to $500 for camping in a city-unapproved area

From the hip: Not every bill signed into law during the regular session will go into effect today, such as the vaccine passport bill which became law upon Abbott’s signature, and several others which carry a Jan. 1, 2022, effective date. Those bring the total well-past 666 (*whew!).