Legislative Updates

Texas GOP Passes Unanimous Resolution Calling For Special Legislative Session On Colony Ridge

By Spencer Lindquist | Sep 25, 2023 DailyWire.com

The Republican Party of Texas unanimously passed a resolution calling on Governor Greg Abbott to convene a special legislative session to address Colony Ridge, the massive housing development north of Houston that’s become a hub for illegal immigrants.

The resolution, which passed by a vote of 61-0, says a special legislative session must be convened in order to “prevent further settlement of illegal aliens in Colony Ridge and any other areas of Texas.” The power to call a special legislative session is with Abbott, who has already been urged by the state’s Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick to do the same.

Governor Abbott Announces Second Special Session Agenda

June 27, 2023 | Austin, Texas | Press Release

Governor Greg Abbott today announced Special Session #2 and issued a proclamation identifying agenda items for the special session that begins at 3:00 PM today, Tuesday, June 27.

“We achieved a great deal during the 88th Legislative Session that I have signed into law, including laws to provide more than $5.1 billion for border security, hold rogue district attorneys accountable, and add $1.4 billion to make schools safer, but the job is not done,” said Governor Abbott. “I am bringing the Texas Legislature back for Special Session #2 to provide lasting property tax cuts for Texans. During the five-month regular session, the Texas House and Texas Senate both agreed on cutting school district property tax rates, while the House wanted to add appraisal caps and the Senate advocated for increased homestead exemptions.

Abbott Issues 76 Vetoes…

In the final hours of which he could sign legislation into law, Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed 76 bills—a personal record number since he took office in 2015 but short of the state’s all-time high of 82 vetoes issued by Rick Perry in 2001. Brandon Waltens has the details.
Abbott had threatened last week to veto bills as the two chambers failed to reach a compromise on property tax relief, causing Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to say Abbott was “threatening to destroy” the work of the Legislature in a “ploy to apparently get his way[.]”
The vetoed bills represent around 6 percent of the 1,250 House and Senate bills that were sent to the governor for his consideration; 54 Senate bills were vetoed, compared to 22 House bills.
In statements attached to the majority of his vetoed bills, Abbott offered an explanation: “This bill can be reconsidered at a future special session only after property tax relief is passed.”
On other bills, notably those by school choice opponents like State Reps. Glenn Rogers (R–Mineral Wells) and Ernest Bailes (R–Shepherd), Abbott said they could be considered after school choice legislation is passed.

Abbot Signs Ban On DEI Into Law

As college students across Texas head home for the summer, Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation prohibiting public universities from creating diversity, equity, and inclusion departments. But, as Katy Marshall reports, there are certain loopholes in the law.
Senate Bill 17 by State Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe) bans Texas’ public universities from establishing a DEI office, using DEI criteria in their hiring practices, or requiring employees or prospective employees to attend DEI trainings.
The restrictions do not apply to academic instruction, student organizations, student admissions, guest speakers, or research.
The state auditor will review each university at least once every four years, and any institution that still has a DEI department or fails to meet the law’s other requirements will no longer receive state funding.

BREAKING! HB 900 “The READER Act”:

HB 900 “The READER Act” passes its third reading in the Senate 19 to 12. It will head to Governor Abbott’s desk for signature.

Congratulations to Rep. Jared Patterson & Senator Angela Paxton for getting this to the Governor’s desk with NO amendments.

Grassroots, we couldn’t have gotten this across the finish line without you. The relentless Capitol visits, emails, and phone calls moved the needle.

Let us all pause and give HONOR and GLORY to the One to whom ALL honor is due: our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We will rest easy tonight knowing that the children of Texas are now safe from these #filthybooks.

Thank you to North Texas Conservatives for this content.

#ntxconservatives #txlege #txlege88 #RPT #rptpriorities

Legislative Priorities Report for 6.2.23

POSTED 6.02.2023 – by RPT Staff at RPT website

Last summer, during the Republican Party of Texas (RPT) State Convention, delegates voted for eight legislative priorities that fall roughly into one of two categories: protection of children, and protection of conservative values and God given inalienable rights. This 88^th regular session succeeded on the first and yielded mixed results on the second.

Regarding the protection of children, banning Child Gender Mutilation has been a top priority two sessions in a row. This session, thanks to Senator Donna Campbell and Representative Tom Oliverson, SB 14 was passed prohibiting medical providers from practices that attempt to change a child’s physical characteristics to approximate the opposite sex. Medical providers will lose their license if they violate this law.

There were five bills passed that met the priority of Stopping the Sexualization of Texas Kids. They include HB 900 by Rep. Patterson, prohibiting sexually explicit materials in Texas public schools, HB 1181 by Rep. Shaheen, which requires strict age verification for online porn, SB 12 by Sen. Hughes, prohibiting sexually oriented performances in the presence of minors, including drag shows, SB 1527 by Senators Hancock and Huffman, which provides a criminal penalty for sexually grooming children, and HB 4520 pertaining to educator employment and retirement consequences for selling, distributing, or displaying harmful materials to children.

These are all excellent bills, and we are very appreciative for the hard work of those legislators who championed them and got them to the Governor’s desk. Ultimately, culture must change to protect children. But we believe these bills will encourage that change and provide needed safeguards until it does

Governor Abbott Announces Immediate Special Session Agenda

May 29, 2023 | Austin, Texas | Press Release

Governor Greg Abbott today announced special session #1 and issued a proclamation identifying agenda items for the Special Session that begins at 9:00 PM on Monday, May 29. Governor Abbott issued the following statement:

GREAT NEWS OUT OF AUSTIN:

Last night, SB14 (Ban Gender Modification of Children) passed its second vote in the House! It will now go on to its third reading, which is a matter of procedure.

It now appears as though Child Gender Modification will be banned in Texas. There is amended language that will make this effective immediately, once the bill formally becomes law.

There is hope, in that several Democrat Representatives voted with Republicans to ban the gender modification of children in Texas.

We want to thank everybody that had a part in supporting SB 14 and HB 1686. The Grassroots Movement made their voice heard. Thank you to those who made phone calls, sent emails, posted on social media, and made their presence known at the state capitol. We are grateful to conservative media that covered this cause in an effort to inform the people. Your efforts made a difference.

Let’s continue to lean forward and push hard as we power through the remainder of this 88th legislative session. Glory to God and Texas.

This is video from last night in the Texas House of Representatives where it appears that TX House Speaker Dade Phelan is either really drunk or having a stroke.