Texas’ blessedly short and infrequent legislative session (they meet only once every two years) is drawing to a close. Among the bills passed, two stick out that are worthy of mention on this blog.
The first involves hunting licenses. HB-1718 allows people who are terminally ill, and have a desire to hunt in Texas before they die, to pay only the resident fee for a hunting license. Recently I had an interview with Hunt of a Lifetime published in Western Shooting Journal. Hunt of a Lifetime works similarly to the Make A Wish Foundation, but focuses on providing hunting and fishing trips with the Make A Wish Foundation refuses to provide. This bill will help charitable organizations such as Hunt of a Lifetime to replicas oris better use their funds and spend less on hunting and fishing licenses.
The second bill involves sales taxes on precious metals. Currently, bullion such as gold, platinum, and silver, are sold as taxable goods at a rate of 6.25% plus any local city or county taxes. HB-78 recategorizes bullion as monetary instruments and not subject to sales taxes. This is a boon to those seeking stable forms of savings in the form of gold and silver, and may even kick-start the precious metals retail industry here in the state.