ACCOUNT [[link removed]]

READ ONLINE [link removed]

Good morning!

Here is the Texas Minute for Thursday, June 29, 2023.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

Special Session, Round 2... One day into the new special session, the icy relationship between the Texas House and Senate has not yet thawed after the first special session ended in deadlock. Brandon Waltens has the details [[link removed]].

As a reminder: All legislation constitutionally resets with each special session – requiring votes of the two chambers, according to their processes, to advance legislation.

The House is advancing the same legislation it did in the first special session: putting $12.3 billion toward the compression of school taxes – fulfilling to the letter the call issued by Gov. Greg Abbott. The House has not yet passed their measure for this special session.

The Senate, meanwhile, has. Senators are also sticking to their plan of using the $12.3 billion to compress tax rates and increase the "homestead exemption" so that homeowners get a larger break. In addition, the Senate's tax plan exempts more small businesses from the state's gross margins tax.

Also yesterday, senators unanimously added a $2,000 bonus payment to teachers in urban school districts and $6,000 to rural districts. That has an estimated price tag of $3.2 billion. It was advanced by State Sen. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio), who has been rumored to be a potential candidate for the U.S. Senate against Ted Cruz.

The Senate's tax relief and teacher bonus measures were both sent to the House. House Members Re-file Measure to Eliminate Property Taxes The governor's special session call includes his ask for legislation putting the state on a path toward eliminating school property taxes. Emily Medeiros reports [[link removed]] two Republican House members have again filed legislation to accomplish that.

State Rep. Brian Harrison (R–Midlothian) has introduced a plan that would abolish school property taxes in five years. Harrison also wants to require any other entity that levies property taxes to get 60 percent approval from voters.

State Rep. Briscoe Cain (R–Deer Park) is promoting his plan that would reduce the tax more slowly. MILLER: "They Blew It." In a new commentary, Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller explains [[link removed]] his frustrations with the Texas Legislature and why he is going on a "RINO hunt."

"I’m on the side of the millions of Texans that voted for reforms only to be laughed at by lying politicians that manipulated them for votes and power." – Sid Miller [[link removed]] City Rejects Appraisal District Budget City officials in Corsicana rejected the Navarro County appraisal district’s proposed 2024 budget, saying doing so would reward poor government performance. Erin Anderson reports [[link removed]] the city council wants other local jurisdictions to join them in fighting the appraisal district.

The Navarro Central Appraisal District has proposed increasing its 2024 budget by 15 percent over last year.

“Not only does this budget increase the size of government and their ability to collect citizens’ data, it uses our tax dollars to reward poor government performance,” said Corsicana City Councilmember Chris Woolsey [[link removed]]. “This year’s Appraisal District budget spends carelessly and recklessly, and they want to stick you with the bill.” Fort Worth School Requires Choir Participation According to Biological Sex In the face of LGBT activists demanding that gender-confused girls be allowed to sing in the boys choir, the board of directors at the Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts has decided that participation will remain based on biological sex. Sydnie Henry has the story [[link removed]].

Following a vote of 4-2, the charter school will now require proof of biological sex, as marked on birth certificates, when students join the choirs.

Fort Worth activist Carlos Turcios took to social media [[link removed]] to declare the action a “major win for parents,” adding that the “artificially created transgender ideology has no place in our schools!” Parents Protest ‘Filthy’ Books in New Braunfels Library

Local and school librarians continue to use their profession to ramp up LGBT activism around Texas, reports Valerie Muñoz [[link removed]].

Concerned parents recently met at a New Braunfels City Council meeting to read excerpts from pornographic books that the local public library highlighted for minors during “Pride Month.”

Far-Left DEM Brags About His Leadership Position In Campaign Push In a fundraising email, a far-left Democrat placed in leadership by House Speaker Dade Phelan says his chairmanship within the Republican-led Legislature will help him be re-elected to office. Soli Rice has the story [[link removed]].

State Rep. Joe Moody (D-El Paso) has been serving in the House since 2009 and has been a top lieutenant for Republican House Speaker Dade Phelan of Beaumont. Moody was Phelan's choice to be the number two official in the House in 2021, a position he had to give up following the Democrats' failed quorum bust.

But Phelan has kept Moody in leadership, appointing the Democrat to chair the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence.

“I’m in the unique position of having a significant leadership role despite being in the minority party,” Moody bragged [[link removed]] in his re-election announcement.

State Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R–Arlington) acknowledged [[link removed]] Moody’s place of leadership. “He’s telling the truth. Establishment Republicans continue to put far-left Democrats in leadership positions in the Texas House. It’s no wonder Republican priorities keep dying.” Quote-Unquote

"The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted."

– James Madison​

🔒 Donate to Texas Scorecard 🔒 [[link removed]] Today in History

On June 29, 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court declared the death penalty unconstitutional. Public opinion strongly supported executions for heinous crimes, and just four years later the Supreme Court moved to reauthorize the punishment.

Number of the Day

184

Number of inmates on death row in Texas.

[Source: Texas Department of Criminal Justice [[link removed]]]

Update Your Subscription & Information [[link removed]]

John xxxxxx



[email protected]

Directory of Your U.S. & Texas Lawmakers [[link removed]]

This information is automatically inserted based on the mailing address you provide to us. If you'd like to update your contact information, please visit our subscriber portal [[link removed]].

U.S. Senator [[link removed]]

John Cornyn (R)

(202) 224-2934

U.S. Senator [[link removed]]

Ted Cruz (R)

(202) 224-5922

Governor of Texas [[link removed]]

Greg Abbott (R)

(512) 463-2000

Lt. Governor [[link removed]]

Dan Patrick (R)

(512) 463-0001

State Board of Education [[link removed]], District

Update your address ( )

Main (512) 463-9007

U.S. House [[link removed]], District

Update your address ()

Congressional Switchboard (202) 225-3121

Texas Senate [[link removed]], District

Update your address ()

Capitol Switchboard (512) 463-4630

Texas House [[link removed]], District

Update your address ()

Capitol Switchboard (512) 463-4630

Speaker of the Texas House

Dade Phelan (R)

(512) 463-1000

Something not right?

Make sure we have your address right [[link removed]]!

Request A Speaker [[link removed]] A product of Texas Scorecard

www.TexasScorecard.com

(888) 410-1836

PO Box 248, Leander, TX 78646

Presented by Texas Scorecard, the Texas Minute is a quick look at the first news of the Lone Star State so citizens can be well informed and effectively engaged. It is available weekday mornings in your inbox!

This message was originally sent to:

John xxxxxx |

Be sure to put “ [[link removed]]” on your safe-senders whitelist.

If you ever stop receiving our emails, it might be because someone to whom you forwarded the email unintentionally removed you from the list. No worries; it is easy enough to reactivate your subscription immediately by visiting:

[link removed]

Before you click the link below... If someone forwarded this email to you, please don’t! Clicking the link will end the subscription of [email protected].
Unsubscribe [link removed]