Texas Eagle Forum
State Legislative Alert #4 (March 7, 1999)

by Cathie Adams, president, cathieadams@texaseagle.org

IN THIS ISSUE: Legislative Handbook
E-mail your request for a copy of our Texas Legislative Handbook and send $5 by snail mail to PO Box 795354, Dallas, TX 75379. Contact your State Legislator
Capitol switchboard: 512-463-4630
Legislator’s e-mail:
    House member: firstname.lastname@house.state.tx.us
    Senate member: firstname.lastname@senate.state.tx.us

PUBLIC HEARINGS THIS WEEK:

Abortion
Committee hearings will take place in the Senate Chamber (Capitol) at 8:30 AM Committee on Human Services on Wednesday for SB 30 (Shapiro, parental notification), SB 65 (Nelson, parental consent), SB 83 (Harris, informed consent). We fully support these bills that would protect some unborn children.

Constitution
On Tuesday, March 9th, the Senate State Affairs Committee will consider revision/rewrite of the Texas Constitution, SJR 1 by Ratliff. We oppose this attempt.

Exempting religious seminaries from state regulation
Rep. Wohlgemuth’s HB 1126 would exempt seminaries from state regulation. A public hearing will be held in the Committee on Higher Education on Tuesday, March 9th. We support this bill.

Hate Crimes
The House Judicial Affairs Committee will hear public testimony on Thursday, March 11th on HB 938 by Rep. Senfronia Thompson. We oppose this bill that attempts to make penalties for crimes “politically correct” by granting special protection to only certain Texans.

Taxes
Rep. Culberson’s HJR 12 is a constitutional amendment that would require a 2/3s vote of each house of the legislature to enact certain tax bills. We will be supporting the bill at a public hearing on Monday, March 8th.

Business Income/Franchise Tax
The House Ways and Means Committee will hear HB 219 by Hilderbran, HB 551 by Goolsby and HJR 11 by Corte on Wednesday, March 10th. The bills attempt to limit or eliminate the state income tax on some businesses. We support the bills.

“Well-child” examinations under the state Medicaid program
Rep. Janek’s HB 1285 would require attendance of a child’s parent or guardian for the exams. We support this bill because it could prevent the horrible incidents in other states where children have undergone genital exams without parental notification as a result of the federal education program Goals 2000.


NEW FILED BILLS:
Casino gambling (we oppose)
Rep. Wilson filed HB 2368 that would establish and operate state-owned casinos. The 31-page bill will probably not get far this session, but pro-family citizens must make their opposition known to their legislators. Oftentimes such bills are merely meant to break down barriers and weaken resistance for future efforts to establish casinos.

School-based sex/health clinics (we oppose)
Rep. Tillery filed HB 2202 to enable school districts to establish school-based clinics.

NON-partisan judicial elections (we oppose)
HB 10 by Gallego would eliminate partisan statewide judicial elections. The Secretary of State shall certify the candidates. Texas’ Secretary of State is Elton Bomer, a Democrat appointed by Republican Gov. Bush.

Vouchers: The Parent Trap (We oppose government control of private schools. See March newsletter, the Torch, for details.)
Senator Bivins SB 10:  exempts home schools from participation redefines a “private school” that accepts state and local funds as a “free” school is available only to students in counties with a population of more than 575,000 is available only to students who did not perform well on the TAAS mandates that public schools notify parents of eligibility of their children parents may not receive the funds; funding goes to the school mandates transportation to the new “free” school from the student’s public school,
the “free” school must certify compliance with the state comptroller,
the “free” school must be accredited,
the “free” school may not refuse to enroll a child on the basis of religion or academic achievement,
the “free” school must give priority to students at risk of dropping out of school,
the “free” school must provide bilingual education services (Additionally, HB 2282 by Garcia would increase the funding allotment for bilingual education programs.)
the “free” school may not expel a student without state approval,
the “free” school shall report to the commissioner concerning performance on
the academic excellence indicators,
the “free” school shall administer the “state-required” assessment, i.e. the TAAS,
the commissioner may disqualify a “free” school,
the State Board of Education (SBOE) shall be responsible for an annual evaluation of student performance, student attendance, student’ grades, student discipline, socioeconomic data on students’ families and parents’ satisfaction of the “free” school,
the state comptroller shall be given the right to review “free” school finances,
the “free” school will be required by federal law to adhere to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
the SBOE, the commissioner, or the comptroller will regulate the “free” school to ensure the school’s compliance with this bill,
students at “free” schools must perform at least 10% higher than public school students.
In other words, the newly defined “free” schools will be enslaved by government controls. Other voucher schemes are HB 709, HB 2118 and HB 2366.

TEXAS BUDGET
Comments were presented at a meeting of The Lone Star Foundation on March 2nd. Speakers included Steven Moore of the CATO Institute and John Berthoud of the National Taxpayer Union.

Conversation about the economy in Washington, D.C. and in Austin, TX surrounds “budget surpluses.” Whether there is a surplus in Washington, D.C. is dubious, regardless, in Austin and Washington, the legislators are discussing more ways to raise spending rather than refund our money.

In 1981, the Texas budget was $10 billion. It grew to $20 billion by 1990, $30 billion by 1995 and the fastest growth has been in the last 4 years to $40 billion.

From 1990 to 1998 our expenditures grew 92%, the second largest in the country. (Oregon is first, but who wants to move there since they legally kill people who are no longer useful to society!) When adjusted for population growth, we still have the fifth largest growth in eight years: 34%. Comparing employment growth of government versus private employment growth, Texas ranks 14th. We have outspent Bill Clinton!

When Texas lawyers joined the tobacco lawsuit, we were told that it was because the Texas taxpayers deserved to be reimbursed for the health care costs caused by tobacco-if indeed that’s factual and measurable. Now, the Texas legislators are creating new PROGRAMS with what they said was OUR money, including putting up matching funds for the federal socialized medicine scheme called Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP). Legislators are still arguing over what percentage of the federal poverty level they’ll use to insure children under CHIP. Refunding the taxpayers hard-earned money is not even part of the discussion.

David Hartman, chairman of The Lone Star Foundation, closed the meeting advocating TAX CUTS-not tax credits which simply allows government to grant favors to lobbyists. Limit government, it’s the right thing to do!