Texas car safety inspections will no longer be required in 2025, after HB 3297 passed the Legislature in 2023. The Austin American-Statesman reported inspections end Jan. 1, though drivers living in and near major Texas cities will still be required to take their vehicles in for emission tests.
Although actual inspection is ending, all noncommercial vehicles in Texas still will be charged a $7.50 inspection fee when the vehicle is registered with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
Counties requiring emission tests to comply with federal clean-air requirements are Brazoria, Collin, Dallas, Denton, El Paso, Ellis, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Johnson, Kaufman, Montgomery, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant, Travis and William- son. Costs range from $11.50 to $35.50, depending on what tests are required.
Diesel vehicles and motorcycles are exempt from emissions testing.
Deer disease threatens state’s breeding industry
Texas deer breeders say their livelihoods are threatened by steps being taken by the state to limit chronic wasting disease, The Texas Tribune reported.
with the National Deer Association, said.
Breeders in areas where CWD has been reported can’t sell or transport their deer outside the state-declared containment zone. Breeders have complained that having a facility inside a containment zone has hurt business. Breeders who have a deer with CWD are required to either euthanize their remaining deer herd or perform additional testing in order to segregate deer who test negative.
PUC secures refunds, credits The Public Utility Commission has secured refunds and bill credits totaling $502,982 for Tex as electric, water and telecom- munications customers for fiscal year 2024, which ended Aug. 31. Nearly 13,000 complaints were filed by consumers during the fiscal year.
“Protecting consumers is the first commitment listed in our agency’s mission statement, and our staff works every day to make sure Texas utility consumers are treated fairly and receive high quality service,” Chris Burch, with the PUC, said.
The bulk of refunds and credits were for electric customers.
Customers who believe they were unfairly charged can file a complaint at puc.texas.gov/consumer/ complaint.
Bitcoin plant expansion faces backlash in North Texas A proposal to build a new 300-megawatt power plant next to two existing neighborhoods in Granbury drew about 150 an gry residents to a public meeting hosted by the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality last week.
Marathon Digital, a Florida- based cryptocurrency com- pany, operates a 300-megawatt bitcoin mine on property owned by Constellation Energy, according to the San Antonio Express- News. Residents have complained about the constant noise coming from thousands of fans
Texting scams target TxTag customers
Toll customers in Texas are being targeted by scammers claiming the customer has a balance due or past due, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. The agency is working to have fraudulent websites taken down.
While TxTag does communicate with customers via email, text and phone, it does not send text messages concerning final payment reminders or past-due balances. Customers can report messages they believe to be fraudulent by calling 1-88-4689824 or going online to TxTag.
org.
“TxTag takes customer ac- count security and verification very seriously,” the news release said. All customers are required to confirm their account infor mation and verify their identity upon contacting TxTag.
Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress. com.
