Second week of third special session has seen some activity in the House. The House State Affairs Committee and the House Appropriations Committee held hearings this week on several bills that were passed by the Senate last week. So far, all of the bills heard in those committees have been left pending. On Tuesday, Natalie Ibe (WillCo Satellite) and I delivered hand written notes to all the members of State Affairs in support of SB4, SB7, and SB11 urging them to move the bills out of Committee.

The Senate's version of "School Choice" (which was the impetus for the 3rd special session) is SB1, which passed the Senate last week. It was received in the House and assigned to the Select Committee on Educational Opportunities, but has not yet been scheduled for a hearing.

Both the House and Senate met in session on Monday, then adjourned until Thursday.

You might remember from last week, we told you about Speaker Phelan shutting down Rep Tony Tinderholt when he tried to make a parliamentary inquiry about a motion to vacate the chair. Rep Tinderholt has now been banned from asking questions without prior approval of the Speaker. Looks like the first amendment to the US Constitution doesn't exist in the Texas House!

I asked you last week to contact the Speaker's office and let him know what you think. And boy, y'all delivered. I got many responses sharing what was sent, or telling me that their phone calls were not well received by the irritable staff. I LOVE THAT! Keep it up! Grassroots pressure works.

TTP is circulating a petition about the shutdown of Rep Tinderholt. Sign the petition to stand with Tinderholt and Dump Dade! Then share it with friends.

Sign Petition

Also - Continue to make calls, emails, postcards to Phelan's office:

Contact for Speaker Dade Phelan

[email protected]

Phone:

512-463-1000 (Capitol office)

409-745-2777 (District Office)

Snail Mail: PO Box 2910, Austin, TX 78768

PARENTAL RIGHTS IGNORED BY THE SPECIAL SESSION ON EDUCATION

The Governor has put a laser focus on his desire to pass school choice legislation with an ESA program, but he has ignored the most important aspect of education - parental rights. Parents are tired and frustrated with the way public schools interfere in their families, badgering students with constant surveys, questionnaires, and interventions, and stonewalling grievance procedures. As our friends at TFVC like to say "Parents Call the Shots"! Parents should be calling the shots in the education of their child!. Unfortunately, in public schools today parents often do not call the shots. School Districts and ISD Trustees go out of their way to block parents from what's happening in their child's school day, or filing an opposition or grievance to a school policy, and that needs to stop.

During regular session, many parental rights bills were left unaddressed, or simply killed. One of those was HB1149 by Rep Valoree Swanson. It was passed out of the Education Committee, but killed in Calendars during the final days of the regular session.

Rep. Swanson has filed the bill again in the 3rd special session, HB120, but since it's not an issue on the Governor's call, it will not receive any movement. I've been told she has plenty of co-authors lined up to sign on if it can get added to the special.

ACTION ITEM #2!

Let's all contact the Governor and ask him to add Parental Rights to the Third Special Session call, so that all of these important parental rights issues can be addressed.

Contact information for Governor

512-463-2000
Opinion Hotline (512) 463-1782

Email: https://gov.texas.gov/contact & click on “I want to share my opinion.”

BORDER SECURITY BILL IN HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

On Monday, 10/23, The House Appropriations Committee will hear public testimony on HB6, Relating to making an appropriation for the construction, operation, and maintenance of border barrier infrastructure. If you can get to the Capitol to testify, please do. If not, use the on-line comment option to voice your opinion on the bill. The bill appropriates $1,500,000,000 from general fund to the Governor's office for use in infrastructure and construction of border barriers.

Attend the Appropriations Committee hearing on Monday, or make an on-line comment about HB6, border barrier construction appropriations.

I'll be at the Capitol on Tuesday Oct 24th if you'd like to join me. We'll decide that day what we will do, after seeing what actions happen this week. Meet up in the Rotunda at 9:00 am and we'll make a plan!

Thank you for participating in our Citizen Advocate action items! We are slowly seeing the results of our engagement at the State level. As I visited with legislators' office staff this week, several expressed appreciation for TTP's grassroots engagement. They recognize that we are doing the boots on the ground work that makes a difference. They know and respect our name now, because we've put in the time talking to them, testifying at hearings, writing notes, making phone calls, and sending emails. Make sure you use the power of the TTP name when contacting lawmakers on behalf of TTP issues and action items. It actually works!

PS: Remember that you can always contact members of the committees of both chambers to express your opinions. Their phone numbers are on their member pages on the TLO, and emails are: