Texas State Rep. Jason Villalba (District 114, Dallas County) has been busy in his first term, filing a number of bills during the state's 83rd legislative session. While much attention has been paid to his proposed bill to place trained armed guards in schools, he has also filed a number of bills addressing other pressing issues in the state.
This was the last week legislators were able to file new legislation in the House of Representatives. During this week, Rep. Villalba filed several pieces of legislation that combat domestic violence, help universities commercialize intellectual property, provide flexibility for local school districts, and help companies who are boosting our local economy.
Combating Domestic Violence
On Wednesday, Rep. Villalba announced a combination of four bills that will increase offense levels and penalties for those who commit family or dating violence in Texas. These four pieces of legislation will increase awareness of domestic violence perpetrators, require mandatory jail time, and increase offense levels for repeat offenders. More information about the proposed measures is available here.
Growing the Economy
Rep. Villalba also announced House Bill 2051, which will enable Texas universities to accept convertible notes in order to expedite licensing and commercialization of their intellectual property. This bill will enable our institutions of higher learning to translate successes in the classroom into real-world companies, and allow new companies to create Texas jobs and grow our economy.
Government Transparency and Ethics
Rep. Villalba is working closely with Rep.Giovanni Capriglione on HB 524, a government transparency bill that requires the inclusion of government contracts in the personal financial disclosures of state elected officials. This common-sense legislation would ensure that elected officials report any contracts which they, their spouse, or their majority-owned business have with a government entity.
Source: Jason Villalba Press Office
Victor Medina writes for Yahoo News and his political blog WhenLiberalsAttack.com. His other writing credits include The Dallas Morning News and SportsIllustrated.com. He has served as a Dallas County election judge and on the Board of Directors of The Sixth Floor Museum. You can follow him on his blog, VictorMedina.com or on Twitter at @mrvictormedina. He can be reached by email at vic@victormedina.com. To be notified of future stories by Victor Medina, click the SIGN UP or SUBSCRIBE button at the top of this page.
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