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TX Passes Bill Eliminating Mandatory Vehicle Inspections

Gov. Greg Abbott on last month signed a bill that will eliminate the annual vehicle inspection requirement for most vehicles in Texas.

Texas lawmakers passed House Bill 3297 earlier this month, eliminating the inspections for vehicles in all but 17 Texas counties.

Texans living in the most-populated counties will still have to appear annually for an emissions test. The 17 counties that require emissions inspections include those surrounding the major metro areas, other than San Antonio: Harris, Fort Bend, Brazoria, Montgomery, Galveston, Williamson, Travis, Dallas, Tarrant, Denton, Collin, Rockwall, Kaufman, Ellis, Johnson, Parker, and El Paso. In 2025, vehicle safety inspections will be replaced by an annual $7.50 fee — the same as the current inspection fee, but without the need to actually take your vehicle into the shop. Drivers in new vehicles that have not previously been registered will pay $16.75 upon registration. That money will benefit the Texas mobility fund, the clean air fund and the state’s general revenue. Vehicle hit home in Lubbock, then driver ran off, LPD said After the bill passed, Travis County Constable Stacy Suits urged Abbott to veto it, citing concerns over road safety and air quality. Suits joined other law enforcement officials who testified against the bill during the legislative session.

The Senate, with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick at the helm, focused on also implementing an increase to the state’s homestead exemption, which lowers the amount of a home’s value that can be taxed to pay for public schools. As the session dragged on, the two chambers could not agree on the best approach.

Abbott remained adamant this week that he would keep calling special sessions until property tax legislation made it to his desk.

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Zachary Robert Hernández has recently accepted a position as a Professor of Literature at Texas A&M International (TAMIU) in Laredo, Texas. At TAMIU he will teach Chicano and American literature classes in the Department of Humanities as well as continue his research on the cultural contributions of Mexican Americans in the United States. He received his PhD at Texas Tech University, where he also worked as an archivist at the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library (SWC). His research focuses on Chicano and Mexican Literature, and he is interested in highlighting Mexican American history and literature in the southwest. His current book project focuses on Teresa Urrea, an Indigenous folk saint that incited uprisings against the Díaz dictatorship in the years leading up to the Mexican Revolution of 1910. He and his wife, Alexandria Macias Hernandez, are excited about the opportunity to continue his research and mentor students in South Texas. While in Lubbock he has cherished learning about the rich history and culture of Latinos in the city.

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