May 2021 Action News

May 2021 Action News!

Hello Aileen,

Thank you for using the Texas League's Action Alerts to voice your concerns to your Texas Legislators about the issues that are important to you!

If you would like to keep up-to-date on these issues, sign up to receive Texas League newsletters! You may sign up below and you can unsubscribe at any time.

FYI: The League of Women Voterspublishestwo newsletters:

1. TheAction News!is sent outon the first Monday of each monththroughout theyear with updates on issues and actions addressing our mission: Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.

2. TheCapitol Action Reportis sentout every Monday, while the Texas Legislature is in session (except the first Monday when the Action News! is published). The Capital Action Report focuses on the Leaguepriorityissues at the Legislature.

Below is our May Action News! Have a look. If you find this information interesting and useful, please sign up.

Click Here to Sign Up for League Newsletters

If you don't sign up for our newsletters, follow us onFacebookand keep checking theLeague's Take Action Centerfor new Action Alerts on the issues you care about. Let your legislators know what you think!

Thank you so much for keeping your representatives informed of your positions on key issues before our Texas Legislature! Your voice counts!

‌

Grace Chimene

President, League of Women Voters of Texas

P.S. Extend your impact,Aileen!Make adonationto support the League's Take Action Center today. We have the month of May to make difference at the Capitol!

President's Message:

Grace Chimene

Dear Aileen,

SB 7 and HB 6 is now a Frankenstein Voting Bill!This scary movie scenario is now playing at the Texas Capitol where two of the most dangerous for democracy voting bills are being combined into one giant voting bill.The "Frankenstein" bill is a very apt description. It will be a monster preying on the voters of Texas. It includes provisions thatrestrict early voting, complicate vote-by-mail, will allow poll watchers to intimidate voters by photographing and videotaping voters, and creates five new criminal offenses that target election officials. More details on ourTake Action Centerand ourVoting Rights & Election Law webpage.

Voting Rights Omnibus Bill SB 7 passed out of House Elections Committee in a shameful power maneuver. The Chair of the House Elections Committee announced during the hearing on April 29, that SB 7 was being wholly substituted by the language in HB 6 - the other voting rights omnibus bill - and asked for a vote on the newly substituted SB 7 over the very vocal objections of some committee members. The vote took place late in the evening despite the lack of public notice and public input, as well as the Chair's failure to recognize committee members who were proposing amendments. SB 7 passed out of committee on a partisan vote and is headed to the House Calendars Committee. It is expected to be considered by the entire House in the coming week.

You have power!Light your torches of truth and fight the monster:flood your legislators' offices with the truth and appeal to their better angels to defeat it!

Use thisNEWAction Alerttoday to tell your legislators thatany version of SB 7/HB 6 is a threat to Texas Voters!

It is amazing how many League members and supporters have used theTake Action Center !Thank you,Aileen!

Only one month to go! Make sure you follow us onFacebookor check theTake Action Centerto keep up with the last-minute actions. If you have not received an Action Alert text from the League, sign up by texting "Action" to 80123.

Thank you for standing with the League against these Frankenstein bills!

Your Texas League in Action!

Action at the Capitol

Janet Imhoff, Vice President - Advocacy

Monday, May 10 is an important day for advocacy!It’s the last day a House Committee can vote on a House Bill.So that means even if a bad bill has passed the Senate, we can try to stop it in the House.Or we can urge a good House bill to get a hearing before it dies.

We need your action now on these issues!

Permitless Carry– Action Alert to tell Senators to vote NO!It passed both the House and a special Senate committee on April 29.
Transgender Children– Action Alert to tell the House Calendars Committee to stop these two bills!They are ready for a House floor vote and must be stopped!
Redistricting Transparency Act– Action Alert to tell the Redistricting Committee to give this bill a hearing!They have one week!
Prison Gerrymandering– Tell the House Corrections Committee to hear this bill!They have one week!
Vote By Mail– This bad bill would make the process more confusing. It is in House Calendars.Tell them NOT to schedule it.
Radioactive Waste in Texas– Stop the dumping!HB 2692 has been scheduled for a House vote on May 4!Act now!
Women's Health– SB 8 has passed the Senate and is now in the House Calendars!.Tell the Calendars Committee not to schedule it, and your Representative not to vote for it!
Appeals Courts– Keep our Appeals Courts system strong and representative of our population!SB 1529 has passed the Senate and is now in the House State Affairs Committee.Tell them NO!

I Was “In the Room Where it Happened” -- Pushing Through SB 7 (make that HB 6!)

Cinde Weatherby, LWVTX Voting Rights & Election Laws Issue Chair

Surely by now, everyone following Texas Legislative voting rights and election law actions has heard about the dust-up in last Thursday’s House Elections Committee. If you haven’t -- or want to see what those of us in the room saw -- check out the video, then read the rest of today’s issue updateHERE.

Warning-PG 13 (language):Courtesy of Texas Impact TVvideo of the attempt to adopt SB 7.

Not a suggestion-- but a plea! Please use thisnew SB 7/HB 6 Action Alert!

Hey Texas Legislators! Don't Suppress our Vote!

Hey Texas Legislature! Don't Suppress Our Votes! Julie

Julie Espinoza from Frisco, Texas explains how important mail-in ballots and assistance at polling places are to her.

Find the other videos created by our partners atRev Up!HERE.

Hey Texas Legislature! Don't Suppress Our Vote! Jerrie

Jerrie Champlin from Spring Branch, Texas shares that the real problem with voting in Texas is the many barriers voters face.

See all the "Hey Texas Legislator!" videos on the League websiteHERE.

The Texas League is pleased to co-sponsor "A Costly Failure: Why the Death Penalty Must be Abolished." The webinar features an impressive line-up of speakers.

Local Leagues in Action!

LWV Midland Hosts Redistricting Q and A Session

League of Women Voters Midland hosted a question-and-answer with State Rep. Tom Craddick and state Sen. Kel Seliger about redistricting.See photos and article in the Midland Reporter-TelegramHERE.

LWVSA Report on Economic Inequity in Bexar County

LWV San Antonio Study

LWV San Antonio held the first in a series of four forums onEconomic Inequity in Bexar County as part of a League study on these issues.

A study of the facts of an issue is the first step Leagues take before taking a position and advocating on an issue.

Great job, San Antonio!

LWV Comal Area Poster Contest

To encourage adults to vote, student artists from the Comal Independent School District, years away from being eligible to vote, created eye-catching posters in the"Your Vote Is For Me Art Contest"sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Comal Area.

Working with CISD Director of Fine Arts Carla Schumann, the League developed the contest to challenge kindergarten through eighth-graders to create posters that encourage adults to vote using one of the statements“My Future is in Your Hands - VOTE” or “Be My Voice - VOTE.” LWVCA Youth Empowerment DirectorJanyth Fredricksonexplained that “the theme was chosen because adult votes shape students’ futures by choosing the elected officials in the Comal area,in Texas, and in the United States."

LWV Hays County

Redistricting

LWV Hays County is advocating, along with Hays County Judge Ruben Bacerra, for Hays County to implement a Citizens Advisory Commission on Redistricting. The County Commissioners will vote tomorrow, May 4.

Your Texas League in the News!

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez blasts 'constitutional carry' bill as it flounders in Texas Senate - Houston Chronicle 4/28

Community leaders againstTexaspermitless carry bill, say it's unsafe-Hays Free Press 4/28

‘It’s absolute crap’: Heated exchange at Texas Capitol after lawmaker tries to push election bill through - KXAN 4/29

Support Democracy!

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