Texas Executive Branch structure and functions

Texas Governor

The Texas legislature approved a bill that would force online or catalogue retailers with a physical presence in Texas to collect state sales tax on every transaction. This has been called an "affiliate nexus" tax and would include any retailer that has a nexus (stores, or distribution centers) inside the state of Texas. The bill also dictates that a retailer's corporate subsidiaries be included when discussing any individual company. Governor Rick Perry vetoed the bill because, as he stated, he had "serious concerns about the impact and appropriateness" about the bill. ("Gov. Perry Vetoes HB 2403") The governor's concerns included such things as unintended consequences due to the nature of catalogue and internet retail business. I agree with the Governor because these types of business can have a number of offices or centers in a number of states, and bills like HB 2403 can force individual companies to pay state taxes in numerous states. Companies cannot possibly pay several state's taxes and still be economically viable, and like the Governor, I believe that some agreement between federal and state governments should be reached in order to save businesses disruptive financial consequences.

In an effort to make the roads safer, the Texas legislature passed HB 242, a bill that would make it illegal for anyone to text while driving a motor vehicle. The current law of Texas already made it illegal for teens to text and drive, but HB 242 would expand this prohibition to all drivers, regardless of age. Governor Rick Perry vetoed the bill because he felt that the bill was an attempt by the government to "micromanage the behavior of adults." ("Governor Perry Vetoes HB 242") In this case I strongly disagree with the governor and feel that he was wrong by vetoing the measure. The government already regulates all sorts of personal behavior, particularly the type of behavior that can be dangerous to, not only the person engaging in the behavior, but the general population as well. Texting while driving has become a serious problem on America's roads and HB 242 was a good attempt to cut down on preventable deaths. Fortunately, the bill's sponsor, Tom Craddick, plans to reintroduce the bill again. ("CBS 7 Exclusive Report")