Keeping our citizens and our border secure is critical to our continued prosperity. Because public safety is a core function of a limited government, Dan has worked tirelessly with his colleagues in the legislature to improve our safety at home, in our neighborhoods, in our schools and on the road. His accomplishments include:
Securing our border: Dan has voted to invest $230 million in additional law enforcement along our border.
Increased penalties for burglary of a motor vehicle: Car burglaries account for 25% of all serious crime in Dallas, which is why Rep. Branch was a principle author of the law to enact tougher penalties for automobile break-ins and punish repeat offenders with a state jail felony.
Background checks for all public school employees: To prevent child predators from obtaining a job of any kind on public school campuses, Dan sponsored the law to require every campus employee to clear a background security check.
Limiting cell phone use in active school zones: Dan passed his law to protect our most vulnerable – our children – by restricting handheld mobile devices in active school zones. This balanced approach allows the use hands free devices, affecting drivers within active school zones only, and was passed overwhelmingly by the Legislature.
Background checks for Attorney General’s employees: Dan sponsored the law that expands background checks to all potential employees to ensure that those hired to protect Texans are worthy of our trust.
Enacted 1st Texas highway safety law addressing elderly drivers: Katie Bolka was just 17 years old when she was killed on her way to school by an elderly woman who drove through a major Dallas intersection over 20 seconds after the light had turned red. "Katie's Law," assigns drivers 85 years of age and older a two-year renewal cycle with a vision test upon renewal.
For his tireless work on behalf of Texas families, Capitol Inside has named Dan to its Best of the Texas Legislature list for 4 straight sessions. In addition, The Dallas Morning News said Dan Branch received praise for being "one of the Legislature's most effective leaders."
