There are 600 new laws here in Texas that have gone into effect starting January 1, 2014. Mixed drinks will now be taxed an additional 8.5 percent. Previously only beer and wine had the extra tax.
There is a new law that went into effect January 1, 2014 that protects renters in Texas. Tenants living in apartment complexes that offer “all bills paid” must be given fair notice if their utilities face disconnection because the landlord failed to pay the bills. And there’s a new law that states that domestic violence victims can break their lease if it’s for their safety and security.
If you apply for a concealed handgun license in the State of Texas, you don’t have to give your social security number. And the required number of classroom instruction hours has been reduced from 10 to 4 hours.
Best of all? If you want unemployment benefits you have to take a drug test.
There is a full list of statutes that take effect on January 1, 2014 here:
http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/sessions/effDates/billsEffective83.cfm#January14