AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- As fireworks ring in 2022 tonight, nearly two dozen new laws passed by the Texas Legislature will go into effect. Here's a breakdown of some of the changes.
One of the new laws will make it more difficult to sue Uber or Lyft.
"Now it's required that you go after the driver first," says Dallas attorney Sid Scheinberg. "There has to be liability against the driver before you can attack the Uber or Lyft insurance."
A couple of new laws target food delivery apps such as Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats. They will no longer be allowed to charge restaurants fees unless they mutually agree to do so in writing.
And there are new regulations for those drivers who deliver alcoholic beverages.
"The Uber driver has got to put the alcohol in the backseat," says Scheinberg. "It's got to be wrapped, it's got to be labeled. They've got to make certain the person's over 21 that picks it up, etc."
Another new law targets cities that look to cut funding for law enforcement.
"If a city such as Austin tries to defund the police, then the state can take away an equal amount of funding from that city," says Scheinberg.
Scheinberg says that new law appears to be politically motivated, since it only applies to counties with more than a million residents.
"It only applies to probably the Democratic strongholds," Scheinberg notes. "Most of the major counties are Democratic here in the state. It applies to Travis County, Harris County, Dallas, Tarrant."
Also, any effort to reduce law enforcement funding would be subject to voter approval.
Another of the 23 new laws greatly benefits disabled veterans.
"If a veteran is 100% disabled, they pay zero in property taxes.," Scheinberg says.
Non-profit organizations which provide housing or services to homeless people will also be subject to property tax exemptions.
Another new law deals with what can and cannot be included in property valuations.
"You cannot, as a taxing authority, value a chicken coop is part of the property value," says Scheinberg.
Other new laws that go into effect at midnight tonight:
- Landlords must tell prospective tenants whether their property is located in a 100-year flood plain, or if there was flooding and damage within the last five years. (The previous law applied only to buyers)
- Dentists can now offer tele-dentistry to their patients.