Greetings Citizen Advocates!

As the 2nd week of the FOURTH special session draws to a close, we have seen some movement on the Governor's priority issues.  In the Senate, they got busy the first week, quickly passing SB1, 2, 3, and 4, addressing the 4 issues on the special session call.  Of course, the House is dragging their feet, with several days of both Democrats and Republicans not showing up, so that they did not have a quorum to conduct business.

Here's where things stand TODAY:

SENATE BILLS:

• SB! - Senate version of school choice:  passed Senate, referred to House Committee
• SB2 - Additional funding for schools & teachers:  passed Senate, referred to House Committee
• SB3 - Border Barrier funding:  passed both chambers, but House amended it so it will have to go before the Senate again for approval of the amended version.
• SB4 - Criminal offense to enter:  passed both chambers, on it's way to the Governor.

HOUSE BILLS

• HB1 - House version of school choice w/other funding for basic allotment, teacher raises etc:  Being debated in the House TODAY! (assuming they have a quorum)
• HB2/HJR1 - School safety funding (constitutional amendment):  Being debated in the House TODAY!

If you're interested in watching the House debate, you can watch it live here starting at 10:00 am, today,  Friday Nov 17.

DADE PHELAN

Meanwhile, Speaker Phelan seems to be doubling down on antics to gum up the works, including long recesses, approval for members not showing up (referenced above), and siding with Democrats.  Lack of action in the House (time stamp 1:30) continues to be the theme for the 88th Sessions.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

You know by now that all but one of the 14 amendments were approved by voters.  This is very disappointing and underscores the need for better education of the electorate.  TTP is committed to education as our primary mission and we will continue to promote awareness and provide learning opportunities.  But as the old saying goes - "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."  In this case, "you can lead a voter to the polls, but you can't make him THINK."

In the current special session, there is yet another constitutional amendment proposed to provide funding for school safety measures. HJR1 and HB2 would create the state school safety fund.  Everyone wants schools to be safe, and most voters will vote Yes on this amendment if it makes it that far. But it's just another attempt to spend money off budget!  Like props 5, 6, 7 and 8 on the recent ballot, it's the legislature's way of spending money without breaking the spending caps.  Grassroots activists should push back against these efforts every time!

So my challenge to you on this subject is help spread the word about the real story behind some of these proposals.  Share our TTP information with friends, neighbors, social media networks.  We are doing our best to provide information for our supporters, but we're preaching to the choir.  We need YOU to spread the messages beyond the TTP circle. 

TEXIT CON 2023

We welcomed a whole bunch of new True Texans at the TEXIT Convention last weekend.  Julie and I were invited to have a vendor table, 4 breakout workshops, and be featured speaker on the main stage. It was a great way to spread the TTP message, meet new friends, and recruit new supporters.  Thanks to TNM for the opportunity!

COMMENTARY ON THE HOUSE SCHOOL CHOICE BILL
Instead of taking up the Senate's school choice bill (which the Senate has passed 5 times now), the House is debating it's own version.  I've expressed concerns about the Senate bill in the past. And in my opinion, the House Version, HB1, is even worse than the Senate's, SB1.

If you support "universal school choice", you should be very careful about supporting the legislation that is being proposed to accomplish it.  With these bills, it is not universal, participation will be means tested for income levels, creates a new bureaucracy within the Comptroller's office to administer ESA programs, and it will have strings attached (required testing with approved testing tools).  These bills are less about school choice and more about throwing more money at a problem that government created in the first place, and appeasing as many different stakeholders as possible with taxpayer dollars.

I used to think that school choice meant that parents would be able to take whatever money they paid in property taxes to the school district and use it for alternative education situations of their choice.  But that's not what is in these bills!  And the outcry from the educrats that school choice will  de-fund public schools is just not true either. 

Vance Guinn, Texas Public Policy Foundation, explains it better than I could in a Twitter Post:

"This bill, which could create school choice, is dramatically expanding government schools’ monopoly even while doing very little for the number of kids needing it."

Be careful what you with for!

ACTION ITEMS

1) Contact Speaker Phelan's office and tell him to start acting like a responsible member of the elected class and remember that it was Republicans who got him elected.  Wait - maybe that's too much to expect! We can at least try!  Phelan's Capitol office:  512-463-1000,  District Office: 409-745-2777.

2) Help us educate the voters!  Spread our TTP messages outside the TTP Circles.  Our next big push will be the primary elections.  Get all the information we have on elections from our website Elections 2024 page. Find a challenger to a bad incumbent and support them in any way you can. (you don't have to live in the district to support candidates!)  Many people still do not understand the difference between a primary and a general election.  Help them know that the primary is the most important!  Be bold! Speak up!

3) Watch the debate this morning starting at 10 am on the House School Choice bill, then contact your representatives with your opinion.

Unless something outstanding happens in the legislature, there will be no Friday Message next week. I'll be taking a break to give thanks with my family.  I wish all of you a blessed and peaceful Thanksgiving.  We have much to be thankful for, but we also have much work to be done!

God Bless You All, and Stay Engaged!

Fran Rhodes, President

PS:  Don't forget the TWO (yes TWO!) Christmas parties coming up very soon.  Get your tickets today!  We keep hearing from people "Oh, I wish I'd known sooner - I would have gone".  We do our best to tell you about EVERYTHING we have going on, multiple times - but it's up to YOU to pay attention.

Houston Area Party - Dec 7th.  Get Tickets here.

DFW Area Party - Dec 14th:  Get Tickets here.