Legislative Priorities Report Oct. 12, 2021

We have had an eventful last few days regarding our Legislative Priorities. 

As I mentioned last week, our SREC has a new committee focused on the vaccine mandates.  Thursday we participated in a press conference with Sen. Hall, Rep. Toth, Rep. Middleton, Rep. White, Rep. Cain, Rep. Slayton, Rep. Vasut and Rep. Swanson who have filed or support legislation to ban vaccine mandates.  On Friday, we released a letter to Governor Abbott to protect employees of private businesses from mandatory vaccines.  Over 1,800 grassroots activists have since signed on to the letter as well. Some have expressed concern about requesting an expansion of executive order to do this, but what is important to remember that we are asking him to protect individuals’ Constitutional rights, which is the responsibility of government.  We are not asking for an expansion of governmental power.

Thankfully Governor Abbott listened and Monday evening issued an executive order banning vaccine mandates immediately and added the item to the third special session. We thank Governor Abbott for his attention to this issue and ask the legislature to move quickly with just a little over a week left before the 3^rd special session ends.

In other news, the full forensic audit of elections and the election integrity fix is so important that President Trump called for a primary challenger to Speaker Dade Phelan if bills addressing this issue are not passed.

We’ve included President Trump’s statement below in case you hadn’t seen it.

These remarks were prompted by Speaker Phelan’s refusal to move SB 47, Senator Bettencourt’s bill calling for a full forensic audit of the 2020 general election, to the floor for a vote.  Additionally, President Trump criticized Speaker Phelan for reducing some penalties for voter fraud from a felony to misdemeanor in the recently passed Election Integrity bill.

We continue to urge Speaker Phelan to fix this issue, which is an insult to the people of the state of Texas.  To pass a bill touting toughening of our elections process yet actually weakening it is a slap in the face to Republicans.

Another important event occurred on Thursday, when the House Committee on Rights and Remedies heard HB 25, the bill to protect biological girls’ sports.  After hearing testimony from both sides all day, the committee voted the bill out 8-4.  The following day, HB 25 appeared to get hung up in Rep. Ashby’s office, but was finally moved to Calendars that afternoon.  Now it must get scheduled for a vote on the floor either Tuesday or Wednesday, after redistricting votes are completed.  It is critical this bill passes with no amendments attached.  We are hearing there is a push to add a study to the bill. This is simply a tactic to weaken and kill the bill that should be summarily rejected.

Much appreciation goes to Concerned Women of Texas, Eagle Forum, Texas Values, True Texas Project, Grassroots Gold, and Texas Conservative Grassroots Coalition for sending people to testify and emails and action alerts about this bill.  Thank you to all our wonderful activists and Republican voters who have been watching this legislation and making those calls.  This bill is not as robust as we would prefer, as it doesn’t include collegiate sports, but it is a step in the right direction and there is NO REASON our Republican legislature cannot get this bill passed!

Action Steps:

1.  Contact Speaker Phelan and ask for SB 47 to be moved through committee for a floor vote.  Also ask for a fix to the Election Integrity bill.
   1. Speaker Phelan’s phone number: 512-463-1000
   1. Send an email here.
2. Contact the chair of Calendar’s, Rep. Burrows, and ask him to get HB 25 scheduled for a floor vote Wed.
3. Contact your Representative and tell him or her to vote for HB 25 without amendments and to quickly move legislation banning vaccine mandates as requested by Gov. Abbott.
   1. Find your Representative here.

Please stand for liberty and make your voice heard to our elected officials.  Our freedoms depend on it.

For God and Texas,

Jill Glover
SREC, SD 12
Chair, SREC Legislative Priorities Committee