Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law several pro-business bills designed to support small businesses. The bills were filed by Republicans and one Democrat and passed with bipartisan support.

"Most businesses in the state are actually small businesses," Abbott said at the bill signing at a Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership event. “They employ about half of all employees around the entire state. We wanted to make sure that we passed laws that would improve the process of doing business in the state, and we took strategic steps to achieve just that. The laws being signed today reduce barriers for small businesses and prioritize ordinary Texans."

Pro-business bills were a legislative priority of both the Texas Senate and House and were introduced in response to the findings of a Small Business Freedom Council Abbott launched last year. The council was tasked with reviewing government efficiency for Texas businesses and providing recommendations to cut unnecessary government regulations.

Abbott also instructed the Office of Small Business Assistance to recommend what rules, fees and regulations should be eliminated that created barriers to the success of small businesses and entrepreneurs. After convening, the council published a report making recommendations that were incorporated into the bills Abbott signed.

Abbott signed HB 346 into law, which streamlines the fee process for new businesses. Currently, new business owners pay different fees to register their business with the state; fee amounts range in price and the registration process has been burdensome, the bill analysis says. The expenses and process “can be a barrier of entry, especially for small businesses with limited capital,” it states. “Considering Texas' positive reputation as a business-friendly state, entrepreneurship should not be hindered by unnecessary regulations and fees.”

HB 346 authorizes the secretary of state to work with state and local governmental entities to minimize licensing and regulatory fees for businesses in their first year of operation. It also allows small businesses expedited business filings and makes a new-veteran-owned business franchise tax exemption and business filing waiver permanent. It becomes effective Sept. 1.

Abbott also signed into law HB 2464, which prevents local municipalities from imposing regulations on certain home-based businesses. It became effective immediately.

The law protects “homeowners against lengthy, uncertain, and expensive licensing and permitting processes that prevent people from working from home instead of in a traditional office by prohibiting the governing body of a municipality from prohibiting the operation of a home-based business that does not impact the residential area in which it operates,” according to the bill analysis.

Abbott also signed into law HB 5195, which requires state agencies to modernize their websites to make it easier to do business. It becomes effective Sept. 1.

“Under current law, there is no uniform requirement for how state agency websites should be designed, maintained or made accessible,” which results in “inconsistent, outdated and difficult-to-navigate platforms that create barriers for small businesses, elderly users, individuals with disabilities and Texans with limited Internet access,” the bill analysis says. HB 5195 requires agencies to assess and improve their websites and service portals, reduce reliance on paper forms and adopt user-centered design principles.

He also signed into law SB 2206, which amends the tax code to increase the research and development franchise tax credit up to 11% for qualified research expenses and creates a refundable franchise tax credit. It becomes effective Sept. 1.

He also signed House Concurrent Resolution 142, which designates Fort Worth as the aviation and defense capital of Texas for a 10-year period ending in 2035.

Fort Worth was established as a military frontier outpost in 1849. During World War I, it was home to Camp Bowie, where 100,000 soldiers in the U.S. Army ’s 36th Infantry Division trained. During World War II, Carswell Air Force Base was established and B-24 and B-32 bombers were built in the city.

In 1951, Bell Textron, Inc., opened in Fort Worth. It was the first factory in the world specifically designed to manufacture helicopters. Since then, it’s produced and delivered more than 35,000 Bell rotorcraft and is expanding operations at a new advanced manufacturing facility for the U.S. Army ’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft.

In the 1970s, Fort Worth became a manufacturing hub for the F-16, one of the world’s most widely used fighter jets. Today, Fort Worth-based Lockheed Martin Aeronautics assembles the F-35 Lightning AII, the most advanced fifth-generation fighter jet in the world.

Since 1974, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport has served the North Texas region and has become one of the busiest airports in the world, with more than 86 million annual travelers, generating more than $37 billion in annual economic impact. In 1979, American Airlines relocated its corporate headquarters to Fort Worth. It currently employs more than 36,000 in North Texas and operates thousands of daily flights to more than 350 destinations in more than 60 countries.