The True Texas Project Board has adopted their legislative priorities for the 87th session of the Texas Legislature. TTP, known as one of the most influential grassroots groups in the State, has been doing this every session year since 2013. Once the priorities are established, the TTP Citizen Advocates go to work promoting legislation that supports them, and opposing legislation that does not. Our Citizen Advocates make frequent trips to Austin during session, engaging legislators and key players. We talk to representatives and staff, we testify at hearings, we record support or opposition for other bills being heard in committee, we send emails and letters and make phone calls, we write and deliver position papers, and we work closely with other grassroots groups to magnify our voice, and achieve our common goals. Most importantly, we hold elected representatives accountable for their actions! If you are interested in joining the TTP Citizen Advocate efforts, please contact Fran Rhodes, President, at [email protected].
Legislative Priorities, 87th Session of the Texas House and Senate
True Texas Project Citizen Advocates will focus legislative efforts in 2021 on the following priorities, based on our Core Beliefs:
Support legislation that protects life from conception to natural death. Including but not limited to:
- Abolishing on demand abortions
- Protecting families and individuals’ rights to make end of life decisions
- Abolish the 10 Day Rule in the Texas Advanced Directives Act
CORE BELIEF: PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Support legislation that prohibits the practice of gender modification for minor children. Including but not limited to:
- Ban chemical castration, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and genital mutilation surgery on all minor children for transition purposes.
CORE BELIEF: PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Support legislation that promotes Election Integrity. Including but not limited to:
- Legislation that protects the integrity of our elections
- Compel the Secretary of State & Attorney General to strictly enforce current voter protection laws, and prosecute abusers where appropriate, including felony penalties for Election Code violations.
- Demand that the Secretary of State verify citizenship of new voter registrations through DPS.
- Demand uniform election dates, and closed primaries
CORE BELIEF: RULE OF LAW, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Support legislation that promotes Real Property Tax Relief. Including but not limited to:
- Find a substitute for Property Taxes (consumption tax)
- Eliminate the inconsistencies and unfair practices of the State’s Appraisal Districts
- Address the inequities of the school funding formulas, and repeal Robin Hood
CORE BELIEF: FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT
Support legislation that ends the practice of Taxpayer Funded Lobbyists. Including but not limited to:
- Legislation that protects all taxpayers from the abuses of taxpayer funded lobbyists who lobby on behalf of school districts, cities, counties, and other taxing entities against the best interests of the taxpayers.
- Limits on access and influence of taxpayer funded lobbyist to the legislative process
- Ensure that any new legislation affecting Taxpayer Funded Lobbyists is applied to ALL Texas regions (not just larger urban areas)
CORE BELIEF: FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT
Support legislation that will limit Executive Emergency Powers. Including but not limited to:
- Amending the Disaster Act of 1975
- Requiring immediate special session of the legislature if a disaster declaration is extended beyond 30 days
- Prohibit the suspension or modification of laws by the Governor (per the Texas Constitution Article 1, Section 28)
CORE BELIEF: RULE OF LAW, CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT
This list is NOT all inclusive, and TTP will continue to work for any legislation that is in line with our Core Beliefs, or oppose those that are not.
We look forward to developing relationships and interacting with our State Representatives & Senators. If you would like to contact TTP in regards to our Citizen Advocate program or on any of the above issues, please contact us at: Fran Rhodes, President, 817-676-3628, [email protected], or Julie McCarty, Chief Executive Officer, 972-670-7692, [email protected]