September 17th is Constitution Day! On this day in 1787, the United States constitution was signed in Philadelphia by members of the Constitutional Convention. The constitution established the structure and operation of the United States government by outlining the three branches of the federal government, clarifying the federal government's relationship to the states, and explaining the amendment and ratification process. 

The SLL is proud to be a part of the network of federal depository libraries across the country, and we're excited to celebrate our free access to government documents from all three branches of government on this historic day. Courtesy of the U.S. Government Publishing Office, we will have free pocket constitutions and promotional pencils available in the library for those who would like to celebrate with us in person. Be sure to ask at the desk!

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Many Texans have heard that a new bill allows people to carry a handgun without a license in Texas, but aren't clear on the specifics. The bill in question is House Bill 1927, which went into effect on September 1st. While the bill does allow certain individuals to carry a handgun without a license, it does not extend this option to everyone. 

We've added a Legal FAQ on HB 1927 to help address questions people may have about the new bill, and you can also find more info on the Carry of Firearms page of our Gun Laws guide. 

New laws often take effect on September 1st after a legislative session ends. This year 666 bills were passed during the 87th Regular Session that go into effect on the 1st of September. Here's a quick primer on how to find these new Texas laws and a look at several new laws that have been in the news lately.

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The United States Supreme Court has issued a ruling [PDF] striking down the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's nationwide moratorium [PDF] on evictions of residential tenants in counties with high levels of COVID-19 transmission. The CDC's order was set to expire on October 3rd but is no longer enforceable after the Supreme Court's ruling. This is a developing story, and we'll update you with any additional information that may affect Texas tenants.

Tenants who were previously protected under the CDC moratorium from evictions due to nonpayment may now be at risk of eviction. If you're facing eviction or think you may be at risk of an eviction suit in the future, you may want to review our resources for finding help and information on the eviction. 

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The legislative recaps for the 87th Texas legislative session are now available on our site! After each session concludes, many news organizations, nonprofits, state agencies, and other organizations publish summaries of how the new legislation affects various issues. It's a great way to sift through bills you may have missed and get an overview of the successes and failures of each session. This collection also includes recaps of previous sessions, starting with the 83rd session in 2013.

We will update this page as new recaps are published, so be sure to check back!

We've had a lot of questions from people wondering why some businesses are still requiring masks if the statewide mask mandate is over, and we've created a Legal FAQ on the subject to help address this question. Private businesses still have the right to require masks for customers and employees, but most state and local government entities can no longer do so.

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