NEWS
DPS implement House Bill 1729 requirements
AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) today announced that customers conducting driver license transactions may now make a monetary donation to the sexual assault evidence testing program. House Bill 1729, which passed into state law during the 85th Texas Legislative Session, requires DPS to establish a program to allow customers to provide voluntary financial contributions for testing evidence related to sexual assault or other sex offense cases. DPS officials and others today joined State Representative Victoria Neave, the bill author, at the Garland Driver License Center to announce the start of the program.
Customers applying for or renewing a driver license (DL), identification card or commercial driver license can donate $1 or more. Donations can be made at DL offices or online.
All funds collected will go to the Sexual Assault Evidence Testing Grant program, administered by the Criminal Justice Division of the Office of the Governor. Since the program began on Jan. 8, DPS has received more than 8,900 donations for a total of nearly $25,000.
For more information about House Bill 1729, visit: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=85R&Bill=HB1729 or http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/85R/billtext/pdf/HB01729F.pdf#navpanes=0.
For more information on how to apply for or renew your DL or ID card, visit http://www.dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/ApplyforLicense.htm. A sample application can be found at http://www.dps.texas.gov/internetforms/Forms/DL-14A.pdf.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Trustees of the Bowie Independent School District welcomed one new member this week following the Nov. 5 election and accepted the 2023-24 outside audit with no exceptions.
Incumbent Trustee Jacky Betts returned to place one and Angie Christmas took the place two seat. After the board officers were dissolved with the new ones taking the oath, officers were elected. Betts will continue as president, Guy Green as vice president and Kent Dosch as secretary.
Paul Fleming of Edgin, Parkman, Fleming & Fleming, PC, presented the audit telling there were no issues and the process went smoothly. He noted the biggest change was the Legislature compressing the district tax rate and additional changes in the tax law. State aid formula grants increased due to the state’s funding formula compensating for lost property tax revenue due to the law change previously mentioned.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Information was the watchword for the second hospital/emergency room community meeting Tuesday night, as the steering committee was announced along with additional financial considerations.
About 50 people attended the meeting. Melody Gillespie, who was named chairperson for the committee, said the goal is to gather information to get it out into the community. This group was formed after the Bowie emergency room was closed by Faith Rural Health System in early October just shy of one year of operating in Bowie.
Kylie Ward, one of the public relations volunteers, said, “This committee is not here to force things on you and there are assumptions already we are proposing a tax. We are not, we don’t have that ability, we are just a research team here to explore all the options.”
Other members of the committee include Tiffany Chandler and Damon Benton handling finance and grant research; Jennifer Tellef, secretary; Valerie Tomerson, grant research; Ann Smith, PR and Margin Latham and Gillespie, legislative research. It was pointed out there are other members of the sub-committees who are helping with research, but they also invite anyone interested to help with the process.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
Top photo – Jack County Judge Keith Umphress spoke at this week’s steering committee meeting. (Photo by Barbara Green)
The following indictments were filed with the 97th District Clerk following the November session of the Montague County Grand Jury.
There were a total of 13 indictments with one sealed awaiting the arrest of a suspect.
A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Read the full list of indictments in your mid-week Bowie News.
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