Good morning, 

Following a legislative session roundly derided as “purple,” Gov. Greg Abbott has yet to call a special session for the purpose of enacting the Lone Star Agenda.

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Monday, October 28, 2019
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• More than a month has passed since Gov. Abbott was asked to call a special session addressing commonsense issues and pro-taxpayer reforms that were either killed or ignored in the “purple” session over which he, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and the disgraced House Speaker Dennis Bonnen presided. 
      
• Purple, of course, refers to the fact that while some Republican “red” bills passed the Republican-dominated legislature, a lot of Democrat “blue” bills were passed as well in an effort to please (or at least appease) liberals. This strange political and legislative strategy denied conservatives long-sought victories, depressed the GOP base, and energized Democrats. 
     
• Even the property tax relief touted as the cause célèbre during the session has largely fizzled; most Texans won't see any relief, and the average homeowner "will pay higher taxes."
      
• In response, grassroots activists developed the Lone Star Agenda this summer – spearheaded by Austin businessman Don Dyer.
       
• More than 275 groups and organizations across Texas have put their support behind the Lone Star Agenda. That’s because Texans were disappointed with the lackluster results of the legislative session, and expect Republican lawmakers to deliver something better ahead of the 2020 elections.
     
• Since then, the state’s political scene has been roiled as the duplicitous and dishonorable behavior of Speaker Bonnen was revealed – resulting in grassroots activists pressuring legislators to demand his retirement from public office last week.
   
• By calling a special session on the Lone Star Agenda, Gov. Abbott could not only set right the policy fights surrendered during the regular session, but also excite voters with real results Texans can be proud of. As a benefit, a special session would allow House Republicans the opportunity to elect an honorable speaker to lead the chamber in 2020.
      
• So why hasn’t Greg Abbott listened? Why won’t he take action? What is the governor hiding from? Who is he trying to protect?
      
• Some Republican leaders have privately fretted about Abbott calling a special session for any reason. They fear he might add in topics limiting Texas’ Second Amendment rights. That concern seems to speak volumes about the frustrations that led to the Lone Star Agenda in the first place.
   
• You can find the full text of the Lone Star Agenda below.

Here’s the language of the Lone Star Agenda:

𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆
𝙒𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛-𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙜𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙨:

1. Allow families to make mental and physical health decisions for themselves.
2. Stop wrongful removal of children from families by restoring due process rights for parents.
3. Stop local ordinances that interfere in private employer-employee relationships.
4. Increase protections for unborn Texans.

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
𝙒𝙚 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙏𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚:

5. Improve election integrity (paper ballot backup audit trail; citizenship verification).
6. End taxpayer funded lobbying.
7. End union dues withholding from public sector paychecks.
8. Protect Texas monuments.

𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆
𝙒𝙚 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙞𝙣𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚:

9. Secure the southern border (interior enforcement to end the “magnet” effect).
10. Stop human trafficking.
11. Protect the rights of Texans to bear arms.