If you are like most people, you NEED a reason to care about local politics and government. Well, I can give you 678 reasons. Yes 678! Those are the number of laws that took effect on September 1, 2015, in Texas alone. 

    If that number is not impressive enough, consider that was only about half of the laws that Governor Greg Abbott recently signed into effect. 

    As a “newbie” in reading about local government the task of trying to read a long and complicated article about new laws was frightening.  Which is the reason The Texas Tribune got my attention with their 31 Days, 31 Ways.  It is a collection of mini-articles highlighting some of the new laws.  Not only does it educate but it puts into perspective how much local government affects our everyday lives.  

    For instance did you know that before September 1^st hairdressers were not allowed at weddings? How about that revenge porn, “a term used to describe sexually explicit images of individuals posted online without their consent” is now illegal in Texas?  Have old gift cards with such little value that they are not even worth using?  One of the new laws now allows you to cash in gift cards with value of less than $2.50 in for cash!