- The Texas Report
- Posts
- The Texas Report
The Texas Report
Happy Monday!
Congressman Tony Gonzales
Written by: Jay Williamson
Statewide News Round-Up
In a 57-5 vote, the Republican Party of Texas officially censured Congressman Tony Gonzales (R-San Antonio). The party censured Gonzales over votes, supporting the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (written in response to the Uvalde mass shooting located in Gonzales district), the Respect for Marriage Act, and choosing not to support a border security bill by fellow Texas Congressman Chip Roy (R-Austin). Gonzales said, "The reality is I've taken 1,400 votes, and the bulk of those have been with the Republican Party."
Effectively the censure does little to impact Gonzales besides allowing the state party to support primary opponents against Gonzales. (Texas GOP Statement). This is only the second time a censure has been used by the state party, with the first being against former House Speaker Joe Strauss (R-San Antonio) in 2018.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (which is the campaign arm for House Congressional Republicans) expressed support for Gonzales, and their spokesperson said, "Congressman Gonzales is a valued member of the House majority, and we look forward to supporting his re-election." The NRCC is one of if not the largest organizations dedicated to electing Republican candidates to congress.
Texas House member Justin Holland (R-Rockwall) chimed in on Twitter and said, "There was a time when the Texas GOP held some clout in politics. Now that's a badge of honor for Tony." (More here)
Nate Paul, an Austin real estate investor involved in the corruption allegations with Attorney General Paxton, was recently found in contempt of court and fined more than $180,000, and ordered to serve jail time by a state judge in Travis County. The allegations were detailed in a whistleblower lawsuit by four former Paxton deputies who alleged they were improperly fired for reporting their suspicions to the authorities.
According to a Friday letter sent by a staff attorney, the judge found Paul in civil and criminal contempt, concluding that he had offered false testimony. He was ordered to serve ten days in jail beginning March 15. (More here)
We will keep you updated on the Governor's rural tour for voucher programs and educational freedom. Thus far, he's made stops in Corsicana, Conroe, and Amarillo.
Florida Governor Ron Desantis spoke at a Houston-area Republican event Friday and proclaimed that without the partnership of Texas and Florida, "our entire country would be one big woke Neo-Marxist Dumpster Fire." DeSantis also attended a similar event in Dallas on Saturday. (More here)
This week the decision by the state to take over the largest independent school district may become official. To understand why the Texas Education Agency (TEA) is considering taking over Houston ISD, you have to start back in 2015 with a law passed by the Texas Legislature requiring the head of the TEA (Commissioner of Education) to penalize a district that has been failing for more than four consecutive years, by either shutting down or taking over the district. Fast forward to November 2019, when Commissioner Morath announced they would take over Houston ISD to "prevent imminent and substantial harm to the welfare of the district's students." Morath sent a letter to Houston ISD leadership citing two main reasons for the decision: the school board's "failure of governance" and repeated low academic performance of Wheatley High School. (More on the history)
Houston ISD (HISD) then sued to stop the takeover and were granted a temporary injunction. The case eventually reached the Texas Supreme Court, which threw out the injunction in January, clearing the path of the TEA takeover. Morath has said no final decision has been made, and the HISD superintendent has yet to see an official notice from the TEA. Houston area legislators and politicians have been weighing in. (Letter on state takeover)
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said, "The TEA rumored plan to take over HISD is outrageous at best and a thinly-veiled threat to democracy at worst. The issues TEA had with HISD in 2019 no longer apply in 2023. HISD is a school district that is moving upward. Wheatley High School is no longer failing. The school board TEA found an issue (with) that no longer exists." (County Judge Statement)
Houston ISD is the largest school district in the state, with 276 schools and 196,943 students.
We are still on the lookout for the Speaker's "groundbreaking" border security bill that he said would drive national news and create a new national model on border issues.
State Leaders Social Media Update:
Governor Abbott recently tweeted about school choice saying, "Texans from every community — rural, urban, and suburban — support expanding school choice in our state. This session, we will ensure Texas parents are empowered to choose the best educational opportunity for their child." (Official Tweet)
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick recently participated in a podcast where he discussed his various priority bills, the Texas Legislature, and more. (Podcast)
House Speaker Dade Phelan won the "254 Award" from the Texas Republican County Chairman's Association for grassroots support of down-ballot candidates. (More here)
Texas Democrats posted a video of Gary Bledsoe, President of the Texas NAACP, saying that Senate bill (SB 2) by Senator Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola), which would increase the penalty for illegal voting, would "ruin many lives." Due to potentially punishing innocent voting mistakes. (Official Interview)
Committee schedule for this week: (More to be announced)
The House will meet Monday at 2:00 pm.
Monday - House Committees on Business & Industry, Higher Education, Public Health, Ways & Means, and Resolutions Calendars.
Tuesday - Senate Committees on Business & Commerce and Criminal Justice. House Committees on Human Services, Insurance, International Relations & Economic Development, Public Education, Criminal Jurisprudence, and Homeland Security & Public Safety.
Wednesday - Senate Finance Committee. House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock, Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence, and Land & Resources Management, County Affairs, General Investigating, and State Affairs.
Potential Articles of Interest
Check out our Social Media
Legislative Report Full Bill Report Friday
Over 5,125 bills have been filed as of 3/6/23.
87 days till Sine Die (Last day of the legislative session)
Five days till bill filing deadline
State Budget
Senate Finance will meet on Wednesday to discuss SB 30 by Senator Huffman (R-Houston), which is this session's supplemental appropriations budget to cover some of the anticipated costs from the biennium. House subcommittees and Senate workgroups are meeting to decide on budget riders which should continue over the next week or so. (Budget riders are additions to the budget proposed by various stakeholders like lobbyists or special interests groups to fund certain budget priorities)
Public Health
House Committee on Public Health meeting on six different bills.
HB 49 by Representative Stephanie Klick (R-Arlington) deals with public access to certain hospital investigation information.
HB 576 by Representative Richard Raymond (D-Laredo) would allow the next of kin or a legal representative of a deceased person to have discretionary access to a photograph or x-ray of a body taken during an autopsy.
House Committee on Human Services will have a hearing on seven bills this week.
Business & Commerce
The Senate Business & Commerce Committee is meeting on ten bills this week.
SB 58 by Senator Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) would prohibit the sale or use of technology that disguises the identity of online purchasers, allows someone to bypass the purchasing process, purchase a number of goods that exceeds the maximum that may be sold to one purchaser by the seller on the website.
Education
SB 11 by Senator Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville) is a Lt. Governor priority bill and the Senate's primary school safety proposal.
House Public Education will meet on four bills.
HB 131 by Representative Andrew Murr would allow schools to excuse a student from attending school to visit a professional at their workplace during the student's junior and senior years of high school. (Two days during junior and senior year.)
Insurance
House Insurance will meet on four bills.
HB 150 by Julie Johnson (D-Dallas) would bar claimants and insurance from entering into an oral release for claims arising out of property damage or an injury for which the insurer may be liable under an automobile insurance policy.
Thanks for reading!
Please let me know of anyone who may be interested in this newsletter!
Happy Monday!!
Reply