Dear Friends,
Our Capitol warriors had a productive day on Tuesday. Here’s what we accomplished:
- delivered a white paper to 88 Reps on an idea Wes Virdell has to make the school choice bill more palatable
- registered in support of 9 bills in committee hearings today
- wrote and delivered postcards to the 8 Senators on Health & Human Services, encouraging them to pass Lizzy’s Bill favorably out of committee.
- Wrote postcards to the Senate Health & Human Services committee asking them to move SB2119 – which they did!
Thanks to everyone who helped with the work. We finished early, which was a nice surprise, and got home before dinner time!
THIS WEEK-House
Several interesting things happened in the House this week.
BUDGET– After passing the House Budget last week, several grassroots champions made Motions to Instruct. What is that? I asked Tony McDonald to explain:
“It is a non-binding instruction to the house members of the conference committee. Functionally, because the leadership accepted a bunch of conservative amendments in order to avoid debate and a vote on them (and have pretty much said that they are going to strip them out in conference) the motion to instruct reopened an opportunity for debate and forced the members on the record to vote for or against the issue. So now there is some pressure for the conferees to keep those items in the budget or accomplish those goals (such as greater property tax relief). But they can still do pretty much whatever they want and I imagine that most members will rubber stamp whatever is put in front of them.”
The following motions to instruct were made and approved – mostly be a vote of 80 something to 50 something:
- Increase property tax relief to at least $10B ( Tony Tinderholt )
- Ensure Ken Paxton receives his back pay following his acquittal on the sham impeachment (Mitch Little )
- Require state funded hospitals and jails to report how much illegal immigrants are costing (Mike Olcott )
- Defunding the Lottery ( Andy Hopper )
- Ensuring that taxpayer dollars are not used to teach “gender affirming” nonsense. ( Brent Money)
This vote on the budget is just the House version. The conference committee will now take up the 2 budget versions and come up with a final budget for the full body of each chamber to vote on. Unfortunately, the House members of the Conference Committee are 2 Democrats, and 3 of the weakest Republicans in the House. I’d like to extend a big thank you to the representatives who put these things on the record with these motions, after the budget maneuvering by House leadership.
SCHOOL FUNDING: The House passed HB2, the school funding bill, which gives nearly $8 billion to schools for various things. It increases the basic allotment (which schools have been screaming for) but most of the bill involves setting up new programs or expanding existing programs, all of which take additional money and additional staff at the TEA. TEA grows stronger and bigger (and scarier) every time they pass one of these bills.
SCHOOL CHOICE: SB2 passed the House in the wee hours of the morning on Thrusday. It’s been amended several times, so now will go back to the Senate to see if they concur with the amendments. If not, it will go to conference committee. The unofficial vote total was 86 to 63.
OTHER HOUSE STUFF THIS WEEK:
- HB933 – Restores the AG’s ability to prosecute election fraud – passed out of Committee. We now need to get it moved to a floor vote (Calendars’ Committee Green Cards!)
- HB1443 – Bans childlike sex dolls (Ugh!) – passed out of Committee. Need to move to floor vote
- HB1056, the Transactional Gold bill passed out of Committee.
- HB4555 –Right to repair vehicles– sched for hearing 4/23 in Trade, Workforce, & Econ Development
- HB2323 Remove tolls when paid for – still stuck in committee
- HB6 Teachers Bill of Rights (enhanced discipline) Passed the House
- HB3219 – allow ivermectin etc. w/out prescription scheduled for hearing in Pub Health 4/21
- HB3743 – Reduce Mgmt. to Staff ratios in state agencies – in DOGE 4/23
- HB170 Kyles Law still in Calendars
- Good 2A Bills heard in committee 4/14 – Need to get them moved out Homeland Security HB 259, 1337, 2470, 3053, 4201
ABOUT HB2197 – THE EQUAL PROTECTION FOR THE UNBORN BILL
On Wednesday, I sent a message asking you to call Rep. Smithee’s office about scheduling a hearing for HB2197, the equal protection for the unborn bill. Many of you made those calls – Thank you for that! But we soon discovered that the bill had been re-assigned to a hastily organized sub committee called the Sub Committee on New Offenses and Charges, chaired by Rep. A.J.Louderback.
It was back and forth for a while, but we’ve just learned that HB2197 IS SCHEDULED FOR HEARING ON TUESDAY 4/22! And – it’s in the original committee, chaired by Smithee. That’s a good thing! Get there if you can to testify. Thanks to everyone who made calls and sent emails.
THIS WEEK – Senate
The Senate has been super busy at all levels! Biggest news is that SB2119 and SB407 – Fondly known as “Lizzy’s Bills” have both passed out of the Senate Committee and are headed to the floor for a full vote. Thanks to everyone who helped promote these bills so that our Lizzy McCarty and thousands of other students can pursue the career of their choice.
SB1798 – the bill that would ban in-state tuition will be heard in the Senate Education K-16 Committee on Tuesday 4/22. We need as many as people as possible to go and testify on this! It’s really not hard – and we can help you. Please consider it.
SB33 that prevents taxpayer funds used for abortion travel – passed to engrossment. Now it goes to the House. It’s not yet been referred to a committee.
SB22 the bill that gives billions of dollars to the film industry, passed the Senate. It’s been received in the House, but no committee assignment yet.
SB30 Passed the Senate. Several of you have asked me about this tort reform bill. I still can’t decide if it’s a good thing or a bad thing! We asked attorney Tony McDonald, and here’s what he said about it.
“SB 30 is a bill being pushed by Texans for Lawsuit Reform to make it harder to recover damages in civil lawsuits. There has been some opposition that has popped up in recent days, both from the trial lawyers (for obvious reasons) but also from some grassroots groups who are concerned the bill may make it harder to file certain lawsuits, such as against abortionists and transgender doctors.
While I was once a believer in “tort reform” I tend to think these changes aren’t needed, and will make it harder for people with legitimate damages to get legal counsel and get an adequate recovery.
There were some concerns early on that the bill would eliminate plaintiffs’ rights to recover for the damages related to dismemberment, loss of limbs, etc.”
Lt. Gov. Patrick put out this statement about the bill. He thinks it’s a good thing. I guess you’ll each have to decide for yourselves! Exorbitant awards in civil suits create higher costs for service providers and ultimately, the customers they serve. I don’t know why the courts can’t just use common sense and control these things at the court level. But I guess that’s just too much to expect.
SB11 – the bill that would allow a moment of prayer in schools has been referred to Senate State Affairs, where we can urge the committee to hold a hearing.
SJR 4 – which would raise the cap on rainy day fund passed Senate and is now in the House.
WHERE’S THE RELIEF?
If you know me, you know that numbers and budgets and math and such make my brain hurt. So, I’m not going to comment on the supposed $51 billion in property tax relief that legislators are bragging about, except to say “IT’S A BIG FAT LIE!”. I’m going to let Bill Peacock do it, in his excellent commentary called Excellent Thought. And it truly is excellent thought. Read it and weep right here. Spoiler alert – there is no relief!
POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE
I’d like to brag for a minute on Texas Scorecard, TTP, and YOU! Scorecard has produced this excellent analysis of priorities from 11 groups, and TTP is one of them. It’s an honor and privilege to be grouped with these patriot warriors. (with 3 exceptions – the list includes the Speaker, Lt Gov., and Governor). But I digress! The analysis looked at over 100 priority items and identified key issues that received widespread support from all groups. It’s called the Consensus Priorities Project. YOU guys helped establish these priorities either at RPT Convention or by your involvement in TTP or other grassroots groups. YOU guys are awesome!
TTP’s priorities are included in all but 4 of the issues covered. The Consensus Priorities Project also identifies key legislation that accomplishes the priority issue, and includes a chart showing the progress of each of the bills through the process. It’s just an excellent tool, and I hope you will take advantage of it, and while you’re at it, show some love and appreciation to Texas Scorecard staff.
NEXT WEEK
We’re going to have a busy day on Tuesday! An important bill in the Border Security Priority will be heard in Senate Education Committee. It is SB1798 by Middleton, which would ban in-state tuition for illegal aliens. We need as many people as possible to testify. Don’t be afraid! And reach out if you need help. It’s time we end this ridiculous practice and focus our efforts on Texans, not illegal aliens. The Committee meets after the Senate adjourns for the day, so testimony may go late. Just be prepared for that possibility.
SB324, the bill that would mandate use of E Verify for legal status is also in committee on Tuesday. This one is Business & Commerce, and it meets at 8:00 am. Need people to testify!
HB2197, the equal protection for the unborn will be heard in the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee on Tuesday at 10:00 am. Please testify on this one!
Beyond testimony, we will have plenty of bills to register for or against at the Kiosks, as always, and we will need to contact various committee members above moving bills through the process, and we may deliver some more position papers.
MEET UP
Let’s meet Tuesday the 22nd, in the Seal Court (Extension level 2) at 10:00. I’ll have paperwork and assignments for everyone. Please let me know if you’re coming – it really helps me prepare and not have wasted papers. Just pop me an email – [email protected]
If you want to carpool from DFW area – Email me!
WHAT YOU CAN DO FROM HOME
1) Use the On-Line comment form to comment on House bills:
HB3219 – allow ivermectin etc. w/out prescription scheduled for hearing in Pub Health 4/21 (SUPPORT)
https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c410
HB3743 – Reduce Mgmt. to Staff ratios in state agencies – in DOGE 4/23 (SUPPORT)
https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c233
HB4555 – Right to Repair – in Trade Workforce & Econ Development 4/223 (SUPPORT)
https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c473
HB2197 – equal protection for the unborn – in Criminal Jurisprudence 4/22
https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c220
2) Call and/or Email Members of the Senate Education K-16 Committee, for support of SB798 to end in state tuition for illegals. The link will give you phone numbers of their offices. The email addresses are always [email protected]
3) Pray for everyone!
That’s it for this week! Sorry it’s such a long one, but there’s just a lot going on. It’s going to be that way for the rest of the session. After doing nothing for 5 weeks, the House is going to have to hustle. May 12 is the last day for House committees to report House bills out, and May 15 is the last day for House to consider 2nd reading of House bills. Yikes!
Be safe and stay engaged!
Fran Rhodes, President.