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Weekly Legislative Update
  We are very pleased to announce that both the Sonogram (HB 15) and Choose Life License Plate (SB 257) bills, as well as bills that would increase access to health care (SB 423) and to quality, affordable child care (SB 265) were passed by both chambers and will go to the Governor for signing.
We are working on several issues this week and have sent alerts on HB 12 and HB 3790 - you can also see these alerts below, as they are still active. If you haven't called your Representative, please call him/her on both of these bills as soon as possible. We have also issued the floor letters on those bills, you can read the letter on HB 12 here and the letter on HB 3790 here.
Finally, be sure to check out our News section below for news on the Vatican response to the death of bin Laden as well as articles from two Texas bishops on Blessed Pope John Paul II.
Action Alert - Urge your Representative To Oppose HB 12
The Texas House of Representatives will hear HB 12 today, Friday, May 6, 2011. The Texas Bishops oppose HB 12 because it is not the responsibility of local law enforcement to enforce federal laws and therefore opposes any legislation that would punish state agencies that do not enforce federal laws. The Texas Catholic Conference maintains that immigration reform must be dealt with federally through comprehensive immigration reform. Please call your Representative today and ask him/her to oppose HB 12. Please act by Friday May 6, 2011.
Click here to find out who represents you. Be sure and call your Texas Representative. To receive email action alerts that include your legislators' contact information, sign up for our Texas Catholic Voice e-newsletter here and be sure to fill out your address or district information.
Sample Message: “Hello, my name is NAME and I am a Catholic in CITY, Texas. As a Catholic, I believe in promoting the life and dignity of all human life, including the lives of immigrants in our communities. Therefore, I am asking you to oppose HB 12. This bill threatens public safety and endangers the civil and constitutional rights of Texas residents. It is an expensive way to make our cities less safe and our schools less safe. This bill could encourage discrimination, co-opt local law enforcement, and scapegoat immigrants who are valuable contributors to our society and our state. Solutions to our nation's broken immigration system must be implemented through federal comprehensive immigration reform. Piecemeal policies such as HB 12 only serve to separate and weaken the communities in our state. For more information you can contact the Texas Catholic Conference at 512-339-9882. Thank you for your time."
Ask your Representative to Support Representative Christian's Amendment to HB 3790 to Ban Taxpayer Funding for Abortion (page 290 of Pre-Filed Amendment Package)
Last week we sent an action alert on HB 561, which 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. HB 561 is going to be proposed as an amendment today to HB 3790, which is set to be heard today on the House floor. Please contact your Representative today and ask him/her to support this amendment. Click here to find out who represents you. Be sure and call your Texas Representative. To receive email action alerts that include your legislators' contact information, sign up for our Texas Catholic Voice e-newsletter here and be sure to fill out your address or district information.
Sample Message: "Hello, my name is <<First Name>> and I am a Catholic in CITY, Texas. As a Catholic, I believe that all human life is sacred, from conception until natural death. As a constituent, I am asking that you support Representative Christian's amendment on page 209 of the pre-filed amendment package for House Bill 3790, which will ensure that taxpayer dollars do not fund abortion in Texas. Abortion takes the life of an innocent human being, and using public funding for abortion violates the consciences of taxpayers in Texas. For more information you can contact the Texas Catholic Conference at 512-339-9882. Thank you for your time."
Please act by May 7, 2011. We welcome you to contact TCC with feedback here.
We have already sent several action alerts and will continue to send them during the session. You will receive alerts based on your subscription settings. Remember that if you are subscribed to "all news updates", you will receive action alerts on all issues. If you do not want to receive all updates, you can uncheck the box next to "all news updates" and check the boxes next to the issue areas for which you want to receive email updates. You can update your subscription settings at any time.
US Bishops Welcome House Passage of 'No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act
The Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) welcomed passage of the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” (H.R. 3) by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill codifies a permanent, government-wide policy against taxpayer subsidies for abortion and abortion coverage, improves federal conscience protection for health care providers and entities, and closes various loopholes that give tax-preferred status to abortion. Co-sponsored by Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Dan Lipinski (D-IL), the pro-life bill passed with bipartisan support by a vote of 251-175 on May 4.
“By passing the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, the House has taken a decisive step toward protecting human life, reflecting the will of the American people,” Deirdre McQuade, assistant director for policy and communications of the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, said. Read Full Story >>
In Committee Next Week:
- HB 275 - Authorizing use of the rainy day fund for current biennium (support)
- SB 1847 - Education tax credit (support)
- SB 35 - Students with disabilities (support)
- SB 224 - Public health (support)
- SB 436 - Increase access to quality day-cares and group-homes (support)
- SB 9 - Local Law Enforcement of Federal Immigration Law (oppose)
- SB 876 - Access to ID Documents for people who are homeless (support)
- HB 824 - Promote fathers' involvement with children before birth (support)
- HB 1965 - Improved coordination between the state and faith and community based organizations (support)
- SB 122 - Wrongful conviction (support)
- SB 377 - Expansion of the use of the death penalty (oppose)
Voted Out of Committee:
- HB 59 - Affordable housing (support)
- HB 2322 - Allows accredited private schools to participate in UIL activities (support)
- SB 146 - Immigration law enforcement (oppose)
- SB 975 - Dropout prevention (support)
- HB 301 - Establishes English as official state language (oppose)
- HB 910 - Surrogacy contracts (oppose)
Passed Originating Chamber:
- HB 122 - Access to identification documents (support)
- HB 818 - Reduce dropout rate and increase access to to quality, affordable child care (support)
- HB 1122 - Human Trafficking (support)
- HB 1834 - Removes collaboration that increases access to pre-k programs (oppose)
- HB 1930 - Human trafficking (support)
Voted Out of Committee in Non-Originating Chamber:
- SB 61 – Juvenile Justice reform (support)
- SB 963 - Parking privileges for people with disabilities (support)
- HB 27 - Indigent Defense (support)
- HB 350 - Juvenile justice reform (support)
- HB 1567 - Increased access to health care for the incarcerated (support)
- HB 2014 - Human Trafficking (support)
- HB 3000 - Human Trafficking (support)
Passed Both Chambers:
- HB 15 - Access to sonogram (support)
- SB 265 - Access to quality, affordable child care (support)
Sent to the Governor
- HB 238/SB 257 - Choose Life License Plate (support)
- SB 423 - Increases access to health care (support)
Read this entire Voice e-newsletter online here. You can sign up to get the Voice here.
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