John Carona ... a strong voice for us in Austin

John Carona has led and vigorously supported efforts to improve our quality of life. Most of these efforts take the form of major legislation. Here are recent bills Senator Carona has championed:

PROTECTIONS FOR OUR CHILDREN

• SB 9, requiring a national criminal history background check for all certified public school employees
  
• HB 323, addressing long-overlooked school bus safety issues
• HB 3190, placing tighter restrictions on who can become a school bus operator
  
• HB 8, strengthens protections from sex offenders

PROTECTIONS FOR OUR SENIORS

• SB 1315 requiring an alert system for missing senior citizens

PROTECTIONS FOR ALL

• SB 378, removing the requirement that persons attempt to retreat before using deadly force to defend themselves
  
• HB 1815, allowing a person to carry certain weapons of self-defense on their own premises or in their own motor vehicles
  
• SB 112, protecting a person's right to bear arms during a declared disaster or emergency
  
• HB 991, making Texas concealed handgun records confidential.
• HB 1355, requiring dog owners to properly secure their dogs on their property

TRAFFIC/SAFETY

• HB 586, eliminating the option of having a speeding ticket dismissed by driving safety courses for those who are found guilty of driving faster than 95 miles per hour
  
• SB 153, making it an offense for the accompanying licensed passenger of a driver with a learner's permit to sleep, be intoxicated, or to engage in any activity that prevents the passenger from observing and responding to the actions of the driver of the vehicle
  
• HB 84, requiring drivers 85 years of age and above to pass a vision test in order renew their drivers licenses
  
• SB 1786, requiring a real-time database in which automobile dealers are required to maintain information about temporary license plates for newly sold automobiles

  » Get to know John Carona
  
  » John Carona, your neighbor
  
  » Review Senator Carona's honors and awards
  
  » Review Senator Carona's legislative track record
  
  » What does a State Senator do?
  

"Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, compared Carona’s principled style to that of Alamo hero Davy Crockett, who served in the Tennessee legislature before coming to Texas.

"'Be always sure you’re right, then go ahead,' Wentworth said, quoting Crockett. 'John Carona is a personification of that."

The Austin American-Statesman
May 28, 2007