Weekly Update

The Lord is Risen! We pray that you are having a wonderful and blessed Easter Season! Last week, our first tracked bill, SB 24, a human trafficking bill that we support, was signed by the Governor. Another bill we support , SB 423, which increases access to health care coverage, has been sent to the Governor. Unfortunately, SB 9, an immigration law enforcement bill that we oppose, also passed the Senate this week. We will continue to work on opposing this bill.

We have little over a month left in the 82nd Regular Session, and several deadlines for action are approaching. Please pay close attention to our action alerts in these Voice emails, such as the 3 important alerts immediately below, and if you're able to, please check our action alerts page, facebook, and/or twitter page, to access our most up-to-date alerts. 

Be sure and check our our New Section below - we have several articles written by Texas Bishops and a great article on Pope John Paul II, whose beatification will be on May 1, 2011.

Ask Calendars Committee to Set  "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion" Bill (HB 561) and 3 other Bills 
HB 561 prohibits a hospital district from using tax revenue of the district to finance the performance of an abortion. The Texas Catholic Conference supports this bill to stop public funding of abortion in Texas.Click here to view testimony of Marie Seale, Director of the Office of Pro-Life Activities and Chaste Living for the Diocese of Austin, on this bill.

This bill has passed from its committee and is "stuck" in the Calendars committee. Additional bills that are stuck in this committee are:

• HB 670 (Ban on Smoking in Workplace)
• HB 816 (Ban on Abortion Coverage in a Health Care Exchange)
• HB 2828 (Ban on Abortion Coercion)

Please act by May 7, 2011. If you contact the office and this alert has already expired, you may ask for your legislator's position and thank him or her or express your disappointment accordingly. Please feel free to write to us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to let us know about your advocacy experience and about any responses you receive.

Choose Life License Plate Action Alert
The Choose Life License Plate Bill (HB 238) has been set on the House Calendar for May 2, 2011. Please contact your Representative and ask that he or she support this important legislation.

 Sample Message: "Hello, my name is Name and I am a Catholic in  CITY,  Texas and as a constituent I ask that you support the Choose Life License Plate Bill, House Bill 238, which is set on the House Calendar for May 2, 2011. I also ask you to support its companion bill, Senate Bill 257. This legislation would allow the issuance of "Choose Life" license plates. A portion of the purchase price of every plate would be collected into an account from which grants would be distributed to charitable organizations that help pregnant women place their children for adoption. I support this bill, which promotes a Culture of Life and creates support for pregnancy centers that advocate for adoption and not abortion. Thank you for your time. For more information you can contact the Texas Catholic Conference at 512-339-9882."

Please act by May 2, 2011. If you contact the office and this alert has already expired, you may ask for your legislator's position and thank him or her or express your disappointment accordingly.Please feel free to write to us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to let us know about your advocacy experience and about any responses you receive.

Parental Consent to Abortion Action Alert

Last week, we were forced to withdraw our support of HB 2555  and instead oppose it, due to a committee substitute bill that eliminates the parental consent language that was passed in 2005. The removal of this language significantly reduces parental involvement. While there are problems with the way that judicial bypass works in some jurisdictions, it is far better to look for ways to strengthen parental consent rather than taking away current parental consent altogether. See a sample message below and the committee member's contact information in the table below. 

Sample Message: "Hello, my name is Name and I am a Catholic in  CITY,  Texas. I believe that human life is sacred, and that it begins at conception. I believe that abortion takes the life of an innocent unborn child. It is with this conviction that I urge you to oppose HB 2555 because it would damage parental rights in Texas. While the practice of abortion is an atrocity, removing parental consent weakens the parent-child relationship and reduces the opportunity for parents to guide and teach their daughters. Thank you for your time. For more information you can contact the Texas Catholic Conference at 512-339-9882."