If you're having trouble viewing this email, you cansee it online.
[Are these emails too small? Is half of it clipped? At the very top of this email, click the link that says "see it online". It will open in normal size and with full content!]
Week 10: 89th Texas Legislature
Dear Friends!
Are you mad yet? I am furious! And you should be too! One of the top priorities for TTP, RPT, and many other organizations was gutted Wednesday night in the Senate.The primary purpose of the bill is to stop organizations like TASB, TASA, TML, TAC, and others from using our taxpayer money paid to municipal governments, to lobby against the best interests of taxpayers, and to promote woke liberal ideology. During debate on the bill Wednesday night, Senator Robert Nichols filed an amendment that removed the section baring nonprofit organizations representing cities, counties, and school districts from employing lobbyists.
SEVEN Republicans joined all Democrats in voting for the amendment, which passed.Then the bill passed 20/11, which means all Republicans voted to pass the amended, weakened bill.The 7 who voted with Nichols’ for the amendment are Campbell, Hancock, Huffman, Kolkhorst, Perry, and Schwertner.For more details on what went down, check out this Texas Scorecard article.
The bill now goes to the House, where it has failed in previous sessions, and this year we’ve been told there is support for it.But here’s the thing…The House has 2 identical bills filed. One by Mike Olcott, and one by Jared Patterson.I suspect that Olcott’s bill will be left to die, while Patterson’s will move through the system with the Nichols amendment will be added and the House will eventually pass the same weakened bill. Why? because Olcott is a freshman, (and grassroots favorite) while Patterson is best buds with Speaker Burrows. Remember - Patterson was the one who filed the resolution to close debate on House Rules back in January. Patterson and Burrows are two sides of the same coin.
When the watered down bill passes, both chambers members will then go home and brag about passing this RPT Priority legislation and what a wonderful "conservative" session we had!When in fact, the bill is completely stripped of the main purpose of it, making it basically worthless.
These are the games people play in the Texas Legislature!
Garnering my anger on the House side, once again Rep Brian Harrison is standing up to the tyranny of Democrat control in the House.Watch this recording from the Appropriations Sub-Committee on Article V, VI, VII and VIII.The Democrat chair of this committee (did you think we had eliminated Democrat chairs? Wrong!) clearly doesn’t know what he is doing, as he completely ignores the House Rules that he and his colleagues voted for. He cut off Rep Harrison's mic because he didn't want to address the point of order!
The House also continues to “stand at ease” instead of actually adjourning to avoid the constitutionally required vote on adjournment for more than 3 consecutive days.It’s absolutely astounding to me that the majority of members just ignore this behavior by Speaker Burrows. But here we are.
THIS WEEK IN THE SENATE
The Senate did pass several priority bills this week without making them worthless:
Protecting Children
SB18 - no drag queen story hours at public libraries passed 20/11
SB412 – remove the affirmative defense for distributing sexual materials passed 23/8(8 people want to keep porn in schools!)
SB13 – prohibits books that meet Fed Communications Commission definition of indecent materials passed 23/8 (Again - 8 people want to keep porn in schools!)
SB12 – Parental Bill of Rights – protects parental involvement in education – passed 20/11
SB10- Ten Commandments required to be displayed in schools passed 20/11
SB11 – Allows a moment of prayer/study in school each day passed 24/6(this one is surprising.Five Democrats voted to allow prayer in schools)
SB406 – prohibits changing sex on birth certificate is on intent calendar for 3/24 – AG opinion says court cannot order changes. Expected to pass.
Protect Texas Land
SB17- prohibits foreign ownership of TX land passed 24/7
THIS WEEK IN THE HOUSE
CRICKETS
The House debated zero bills and passed zero bills.
NEXT WEEK:
Tuesday the 25th is our Kids at the Capitol Day.This day will be devoted to the kiddos – helping them understand how government works, introducing them to the Capitol complex, and giving them a small taste of citizen advocacy.
There will be no regular TTTP Tuesday Activities for the 25th (enjoy a week off!).For those registered for the Kids Day, you will receive emails about the agenda, where/when to meet up etc.Watch for those and if you don’t see it, email me.[email protected]
ACTION ITMS FOR EVERYONE THIS WEEK:
1)Contact the 7 Republican Senators who voted for the amendment to weaken SB19.Let them know you do not approve and you are very disappointed.Then, if your Senator is one of the other 13, ask them why they voted for the watered-down bill after the amendment passed.
3)Contact Mike Olcott’s office and Jared Patterson’s office.Let them know you expect their version of banning taxpayer funded lobbying to maintain the prohibition for nonprofit organizations, which is the main reason we need the legislation.Olcott’s bill is HB3257, and Patterson’s is HB4860.Olcott’s bill has been referred to State Affairs, so we could also contact Chairman Morgan Meyer to urge him to schedule a public hearing quickly.
We do our best to offer citizens opportunities to be engaged in our State Government in Austin. Can you help cover some of the costs? Your donation of $25, $50, or $75 will help us to continue these opportunities.
True Texas Project works hard to train and engage activists. Can you help? We are 100% donation-based. Click here to donate to our movement. TrueTexasProject.com
To update your profile with a new email address, satellite location, or other details, or to adjust your recurring donations, please click here. BONUS TIP: remove the "unsubscribe" line at the bottom of your email before you forward it! Otherwise the recipient may unsubscribe YOU!
This email was sent to [email protected]. Click here to unsubscribe.
.png)
