AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Flanked by law enforcement officers from across the state, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday signed a number of bills into law aimed at stopping cities across the state from defunding police.
"The men and women of law enforcement put their lives on the line every day to keep Texans safe, and they deserve our enduring support and gratitude," Abbott said. "Efforts to defund the police are downright dangerous, and these laws will prevent cities from making this reckless decision."
The four bills Abbott signed include House Bills 9, 1900, and 2366, along with Senate Bill 23.
Abbot was flanked by members of the Legislature, as well as representatives from the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT), the Texas Fraternal Order of Police, the Texas Municipal Police Association, the Austin Police Association, the Texas State Troopers Association, and the Justices of the Peace and Constables Association of Texas.
During his State of the State address, Abbott made defunding the police an emergency item for the legislative session.
"These laws also help protect our law enforcement officers in the line of duty by enhancing penalties for crimes committed against them such as using fireworks or laser pointers to harm or obstruct the police. With these laws, we are bolstering our support for law enforcement while ensuring a safer future for all Texans. I applaud the Texas Legislature for joining me in passing these priority items and for making sure Texas remains a law-and-order state.”
HB 9 enhances the criminal penalty for anyone who knowingly blocks an emergency vehicle or obstructs access to a hospital or health care facility, making it a state jail felony.
HB 1900 would freeze the property tax revenues for any city with a population of 250,000 or more that chooses to defund the police. A city designated as "defunding" would lose its annexation powers for 10 years, and any area annexed by a defunding city in the past 30 years can vote to dis-annex from the city. The state would also be able to withhold sales taxes collected by the Texas Comptroller and provide those to the Department of Public Safety in order to pay for the cost of state resources used to protect residents of a defunded municipality.
HB 2366 enhances the criminal penalties for those who shine or aim laser pointers at law enforcement officers, and creates an offense for the use of fireworks to harm or obstruct the police.
Finally, SB 23 calls on counties with a population of greater than one million to seek voter approval prior to reducing law enforcement budgets. If counties reduce their law enforcement budgets without that voter approval, the county's property tax revenue would be frozen.