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Bill passed to protect local officials’ privacy


The bill by Rep. Phil King (R-Weatherford), which would allow local office holders to withhold their home address and phone number from public disclosure, is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk for a signature.

House Bill 1082 has been passed by the House and Senate.

The bill aims to provide the same privacy to local office holders currently offered to state elected officials, attorney general office employees, Texas Department of Criminal Justice employees, peace officers, Child Protective Services employees and members of the military.

The legislative analysis of the bill claimed the law would reduce harassment of local elected officials by ensuring their privacy is protected and would enhance security for them by preserving their confidentiality in the same manner as state officials.

“Last year I was texting with the mayor of Dallas as he was rushing home because protesters were at his house, and it was terrifying his wife and children,” King said. “We later discussed the home address of local elected officials needs to be protected. After all, our spouses and children are not the ones that ran for office. This protection exists for elected state officials, police and firefighters. This bill extends that same protection to local officials.”

King’s House Bill 1444, which would require sheriff candidates to hold a peace officer license, was passed by the House and is headed to the Senate’s local government committee.

King’s House Bill 323, which would provide grants to law enforcement agencies to become accredited, was also passed by the House and will be heard by the Senate’s finance committee.

Tim Tebow bill moves to third reading
The Texas House Wednesday approved the second reading of House Bill 574, which would allow homeschooled students to compete in UIL extracurricular activities within their local school district.

The law has been referred to as the “Tim Tebow Bill,” the former Heisman Trophy winner who played in public schools as a home-schooler in Florida.

King voted for the bill.

The bill will now await a third reading and vote before heading to the Senate.

Sunday beer sales law out of committee
The bill by District 30 Sen. Drew Springer (R-Muenster) to allow beer and wine sales on Sunday starting at 10 a.m. moved out of committee and is on the intent calendar Friday.

Current law does not allow wine and beer sales on Sunday until noon.

Abbott signed into law Wednesday House Bill 1024, which allows restaurants to sell alcohol to-go. The drink sales must be with food orders. The alcohol also must be sealed in original manufacturer container or a tamper-proof container that is labeled with the business’ name and the words “alcoholic beverage.”

Hillcrest North MUD approved
The House and Senate have approved the creation of the Hillcrest North Municipal Utility District on County Road 4010 east of Decatur.

The Senate Bill 2205 will now head to Abbott for his signature.

The bill allows for the developers of the housing addition to issue bonds to build infrastructure and collect a property tax to pay for the bonds.

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