While most of the more than 700 new laws that were passed by the 2017 regular and special sessions of the Texas Legislature took effect in September, some, due to either legal concerns or the need to put new procedures in place, took effect with the new year, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
For example, the changes to the state's Voter ID law, which are meant to meet the concerns of a Corpus Christi federal judge who as repeatedly declared the current law to be unconstitutional, took effect when the fireworks went off at Hemisfair Monday morning.
Another new law which took effect on Monday will make it more likely that you will be asked to show an ID when paying with a debit card, in a move demanded by merchants and banks to cut down on debit card fraud.
Another new state law will make it easier for you to appeal your property appraisal, and grants new groups and avenues for appeal.
Other new laws that took effect on Monday involve individual industries. For example, laws concerning the transport of milk, how auto sellers should deal with odometer readings, and extending taxes to prepaid calling cards, all took effect with the start of 2018.