New Texas laws will equip more police officers with body cams, make direct dialing of 911 from businesses or motels easier, require peace officers to undergo training in non-lethal force when dealing with dogs and gives citizens the ability to hold

The 84th Texas Legislation passed more than 600 new bills into law which went into effect on Tuesday including laws dealing with those convicted of a first offense driving while intoxicated charge.

Lawmakers hope “Kari’s Law,” which requires hotels to provide direct-dial 911 emergency lines, will prevent tragedies. The law stems from a hotel room murder in Marshall, in which the 9-year-old daughter of a stabbing victim tried unsuccessfully to call for help during the attack.

House Bill 593 will require Texas law enforcement officers commissioned on or after Jan. 1, 2016 to receive canine interaction training. The new law stems from a surging number of pets shot by police.

A high profile shooting occurred in Rains County this spring when a deputy arrived to answer a burglary call by Cole and Jayna Middleton. Middleton was on his tractor working in an adjacent field when the deputy arrived at their home.

The Middleton’s blue-heeler, Candy, approached the deputy barking and was shot.

State Representative David Simpson, R-Longview, said he was thrilled his bill, House Bill 2165, was passed into law, which allows families of those suffering injury or death from synthetic marijuana to seek damages.

“It goes after and holds makers of these products, which are being used as a drug, accountable for unfair and unsafe trade practices,” he said.

Law makers have made synthetic marijuana, also known as incense, illegal, but manufacturers continue to switch minute ingredients to skirt the law.

Across the nation deaths have been reported among users of synthetic marijuana users.

“They market this stuff as incense, but they know it’s being smoked by those buying the product,” Simpson said.

Another bill that became law on Tuesday was House Bill 2246, which requires a judge to restrict any person whose license has been suspended after the conviction of an intoxication offense to the operation of a motor vehicle equipped with an ignition interlock device.

Once suspended for the intoxication-related offense, a defendant may only operate a motor vehicle during the suspension period if an ignition interlock device is obtained and an occupational driver license is issued with the proper designation.

To see the complete list of new laws visit http://www.capitol.state.tx.us.