Connecting today’s news with the research & opinion you need

Silencing Constituents

What to Know: Dallas ISD may soon make it harder for the public to participate at school board meetings. The district is currently considering new rules to reduce a speaker’s time to address the board, limit an agenda item’s overall discussion to one-hour, and turn off a person’s microphone if they veer off-topic.

The TPPF Take: School boards should welcome the opportunity to hear public comments. Instead, some are trying to quiet their constituents.

“Texans deserve to be heard by their elected officials. They do not deserve to be silenced,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “Now more than ever, we need our institutions to encourage dialogue and operate transparently.”

Policing Reform

What to Know: The new Legislature will consider additional reforms to policing when it meets in January.

The TPPF Take: To keep Texans safe and free, we should limit arrests for non-jailable offenses.

“During the 85th Legislature, a complete package addressing both the law enforcement and jail issues surrounding Sandra Bland’s tragic death were filed,” says TPPF’s Derek Cohen. “Unfortunately, the law enforcement component—arguably the only element that could have guaranteed Ms. Bland’s death could have been avoided—was stripped from the bill before final passage. We should restrict arrests for non-jailable offenses, while allowing officers to make arrests in certain circumstances.”

Counting in Secret?

What to Know: Congressman Lance Gooden is suing the Dallas County elections department for violating the proper procedures for counting ballots—by not letting Republican poll watchers observe.

The TPPF Take: No matter how the election turns out, we should work to see that future elections are more transparent.

“Voting shouldn’t be ‘easy’ or ‘hard,’ it should be safe,” says TPPF’s Quico Canseco. “Regardless of how a voter chooses to cast their ballot, public officials must ensure that their ballots will be protected, and that illegitimate votes are properly challenged and removed.”