John,

As the Texas legislative session draws closer to the end, we have an opportunity this week to kill some harmful bills. If a House bill does not get heard on second reading on the House floor by the end of Thursday, it will be dead in the water. Now is the time to keep the pressure on and defeat bad legislation.

Here is your run-of-show for the week.

LGBTQ Equality

Contact House Speaker Dade Phelan ASAP to demand that SB 29 and HB 1399 are not allowed on the House floor. SB 29 would ban transgender kids from participating in school sports, while HB 1399 would prevent young transgender Texans from getting gender-affirming and medically-recommended care they need.

Reproductive Rights

HB 1171, a harmful bill which allows an attorney or guardian ad litem to be appointed for the fetus in a judicial bypass hearing for minors seeking abortion care, has been set on the House calendar for tomorrow. Use this link to find your representative (click on their name to get their phone number) and call your rep to tell them you oppose this bill. This guide from our friends at Jane’s Due Process has more info on the bill that you can use when you call.

Voting Rights

The right to vote is still very much on the line at the Texas Legislature. Contact legislators and tell them that voting is fundamental to our democracy and should be free, fair, and accessible for all who are eligible.

Thank you for being a fighter for a better, more progressive Texas. Stay tuned next week for more actions.

In the fight,

Jules Mandel
TFN Outreach & Advocacy Strategist

Our Rapid Response Fund enables us to mobilize against bad bills at the Capitol. Please consider making a gift today to help us continue to defend democracy and protect our shared progressive values.