East Texas Lawmakers Pre-File Bills

AUSTIN (AP/STAFF) — Lawmakers have pre-filed more than 500 bills on the first day to propose legislation before the Texas Legislature reconvenes in January. Among the frenzy of would-be laws submitted in both chambers on Monday were several high-profile abortion proposals. One sure to spark heated debate was filed by State Representative Matt Schaefer of Tyler. House Bill 87 would prohibit aborting fetuses with abnormalities after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Current Texas law suspends a post-20-week abortion ban when fetal abnormalities are detected, or if the mother’s life is threatened. State Senator Bob Hall of Edgewood proposes a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to life of unborn children and prohibiting abortion to the extent authorized under federal constitutional law.

Senator Hall also introduced a bill to overrule city ordinances that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and other factors as not granted by state law. Senate Bill 92 would not allow cities or counties to pass laws barring discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, or any other basis for legal protections not explicitly mentioned in state law. Austin is among the Texas cities that protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents from employment and housing discrimination. Hall also wants to eliminate bag bans enacted by Austin and other cities. He proposes a law guaranteeing that businesses may provide bags “made from any material.”

State Rep. Dan Flynn of Canton, filed House Bill 57, which would allow licensed farmers to sell raw or unpasteurized milk. It could be sold in their homes, at their place of business or at a farmers’ market. The proposal, which builds on similar legislation from 2015, would not allow the sale of raw milk in supermarkets. Flynn also filed House Bill 95, a proposal to remove Texas from daylight saving time.

During the last session in 2015, state legislators filed more than 6,200 bills and approved 1,300-plus new laws. The next legislative session begins January 10.