New laws in Texas as of September 1, 2009

New Texas laws as of September 1, 2009

RULES OF THE ROAD

Seat belts: All vehicle occupants must be strapped in. Violations are subject to fines up to $200.

Child car seats: Any child younger than 8 – unless they are taller than 4 feet 9 inches – must be in a safety seat. Only warning tickets will be issued until June 1, after which fines of $25 will be imposed.

Cellphones: No one younger than 18 can use a cellphone while driving. No one of any age can use a cellphone in a school zone, unless it’s to make an emergency call, the vehicle is stopped or a hands-free device is used. Fines will be up to $200.

Insurance: Driving with a suspended license or without insurance gets more costly – up to 180 days in jail and fines up to $2,000. So does driving without a valid license or uninsured and causing injury or death in an accident – up to a year in jail and a maximum $4,000 fine.

Licensing: For those younger than 18, a driving skills test will become mandatory to get a license. Also, the prohibitions against driving from midnight to 5 a.m. or driving with more than one person younger than 21 (unless a family member) are extended from six months to one year after obtaining a license.

Motorcycles: Proof that a certified training course has been completed will be needed to get a license. No passengers younger than 5 can ride. Fines are $200.

DWI: Police can draw blood from drunken-driving suspects if records show a history of DWI offenses. Such drivers cannot refuse the test.

OTHER LAWS

•Taxes increase for users of smokeless tobacco.

•A proper method for folding the state flag becomes law.

•Concealed handgun license holders will no longer face license suspension for refusing to display their weapons to peace officers on demand.

•Carrying a concealed handgun into a bar will still be a Class A misdemeanor, but it’s defensible if the business does not clearly state that 51 percent or more of its income is from the sale of alcoholic beverages.

•Defaulting on a student loan will no longer disqualify an applicant for a concealed handgun license.

•A larger amount of wine can be shipped directly to a consumer in a given month or year.


For more information on building, buying, selling or leasing residential real estate, contact Troy George and Lucy Noonan of The George Group, Synergy Realty at 817-410-8769 or visit our website at http://www.troygeorge.com.

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