TEXAS — This was a big year for Texas politics with one regular and two special legislative sessions at the state capitol.

Some of the new laws created this year will take effect on Jan. 1, and they range in topic from AI to tax relief and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

House Bill 9

Starting in the new year, some Texas businesses will get tax relief. House Bill 9 creates an exemption of up to $125,000 of business inventory from being taxed.

Senate Bill 8

Under Senate Bill 8, most Texas counties will now be required to have jails cooperate with ICE. Prior to the law, the relationship between ICE and county jails was voluntary.

In return for their cooperation, the state is opening a grant program to help offset the additional participation costs.

“There are significant amounts of money that many sheriffs will find very difficult to turn away from, that are used as incentives to draw out that cooperation and that money can be used for local purposes,” said Dr. Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University. “So, I think some sheriffs will give in and cooperate.”

House Bill 149

In a world where it feels like AI is developing faster than we can say “artificial intelligence,” Texas lawmakers are introducing a council to oversee new innovations in Texas.

The new law will also set rules banning discriminatory or harmful practices and focus on privacy protection, but the law, also called the Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act, could put the state in hot water with the federal government.

“President Trump, in the last week announced an executive order in the last week telling states to stay out of the way because there was going to be a non intrusive federal government policy for the whole country so Texas is now in the position of deciding whether or not to confront President Trump, which they normally don’t like to do over the sense that AI does pose some threats that need to be understood and regulated,” said Jillson.

Senate Bill 2420

This year, Texas lawmakers also made it a requirement for minors to have parental consent before downloading apps or making purchases. However, the law is in federal court, tied up over First Amendment and privacy rights.

Additional

While not passed this year, drivers in Fort Worth are seeing the fruits of a law passed two years ago regarding variable speed limits. The state is rolling out digital flashing signs that will lower the speed limit if there is construction, weather or traffic ahead. It changes the speed limit in real time.

Some of these signs have already started popping up along I-35 in the Fort Worth area.

It stems from a law created two years ago after a deadly pileup from icy road conditions in Fort Worth.