Yesterday the Texas Senate passed two bills authored by State Senator Lois Kolkhorst, the first legislation for her to pass as a member of the Texas Senate.

In passing Senate Bill 759, Kolkhorst repeals two state taxes. The first tax abolished is currently applied to the rental of premises for conducting bingo, a popular pastime in much of her Senate District 18. The second tax repealed in her bill is regarding liquefied gas (LPG) used to power motor vehicles.  By eliminating both of these taxes, Kolkhorst said that the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts will now be able to focus resources on more productive areas of the state’s tax laws.

“There’s a reason the first bill I’ve passed as a Texas Senator is to cut taxes.  Texas is a national leader because we are constantly looking for ways to lower our tax burden. That’s why I’ve worked with our Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar to craft a bill to eliminate taxes that were not worth the time and effort to collect.”

In passing Senate Bill 791, also known as “Maddie’s Law,”  Kolkhorst calls for increased public education and outreach programs to inform women of the risks, symptoms, and treatment of Congenital Cytomegalovirus (CMV). The bill calls for a screening for CMV if an infant does not pass their initial newborn hearing screening.  Kolkhorst named the bill “Maddie’s Law” based on Maddie Armstrong, who was a Ft. Bend county infant who succumbed to CMV.

“There is a severe lack of information given to the public on how to prevent CMV and every year more infants die or are permanently disabled from an infection that could have been prevented.” said Kolkhorst. “Texas is going to be a national leader in preventing infant deaths and permanent disabilities from a preventable infection like CMV. I am proud to author and pass this legislation on behalf of my constituents who have been touched by CMV.”

Texas Senate District 18 includes all or parts of 21 counties including Aransas, Austin, Burleson, Calhoun, Colorado, DeWitt, Fayette, Fort Bend, Goliad, Gonzales, Harris, Jackson, Lavaca, Lee, Matagorda, Nueces, Refugio, Victoria, Waller, Washington, and Wharton. Senator Kolkhorst and her husband Jim have been married for 27 years and have two children, Lois Kate and Jake. Senator Kolkhorst had previously served House District 13 in the Texas House of Representatives for 14 years.