With new year comes new state laws
If you’re thinking about doing some shopping for the new year, have your ID ready.
Bill 1381 allows retailers the option to decline a debit or credit card transaction if you cannot verify your identity.
Andrew Candelaria works at Chuco Relics in West El Paso. In the past he’s witnessed people trying to use unauthorized credit cards. He likes the new law, which aims to protect shoppers and merchants against fraudulent charges.
“It will be easier to ask for it (ID) and it will be the standard. I think people are going to have to get used to it but I think after a while it’ll be a safety thing for everyone,” Candelaria said.
On the topic of IDs, Senate Bill 5, the voter ID law, comes fresh out of a ruling from a federal court that said Texas’ previous requirements for voter identification at the polls discriminated against minority voters.
The new law allows voters who have a “reasonable impediment” to getting a photo ID to show such things as a bank statement or a paycheck as a form of identification.
The law also includes a stiff penalty, which can include jail time, for anyone who lies about their inability to obtain a photo ID.
Texas is now one of six states nationwide to cover the cost of a 3-D mammogram.
Medical professionals say it can detect cancer earlier and reduce false positive testing results.
“The woman with a dense breast would be a candidate to have an advantage to this. Women with post-surgical breasts, woman at high risk woman who have had previous breast surgeries all of those would be excellent candidates,” said Dr. Michael Cohen, Director of breast imaging for Emory Healthcare.
Previously, those who went for their annual mammogram were asked if they’d like to pay an extra charge to upgrade to this advanced test.
Another law that passed is for semi-trucks delivering milk.
Milk haulers can now carry 90,000 pounds of milk as opposed to 80,000 pounds in the years before.
If you’d like to take a look at all the Texas laws that were past in 2017 you can click here.
