Capitol Action Report- 4/11/23
Joleen E Smith | Published on 4/11/2023
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The House passed HB 1, the budget bill, last week with an amendment which would prohibit state funds from being used for vouchers. This morning, the House Public Education Committee will hear several bills that in various ways create vouchers. (Please see the action alert on HB 4340 which creates educational savings accounts below.)
SB 8, the Governor’s voucher bill, passed the full Senate last week as well. Please call your House members and urge them to oppose diverting any taxpayer funds to this effort. These bills provide no public oversight of the private entities and vendors those tax dollars would fund. HB 4340, in fact, prevents any oversight of admissions or employments practices.
Last week, the Senate passed bills increasing penalties for violations of the election code. A bill to eliminate countywide polling places was removed from the intent calendar and not considered by the full Senate. Please see the full report on Voting Rights and Election Law and the action alerts related to these important pieces of legislation below.
So far this legislative session, we have sent over 43,000 emails to legislators through our Take Action Center! Thank you for your determination and vigilance. Keep up the great advocacy!
In League, |
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Voting Rights and Election Law
Stephanie Swanson
Last week, the Senate State Affairs Committee passed numerous elections bills out of committee, and several will be up for a vote on the Senate floor on April 11th. Please be sure to use our Take Action Center to send an email to your senators to oppose this legislation.
SB 1070 would enable the state to withdraw from the Electronic Registration Information Center, also known as ERIC. ERIC is a 34-state, information sharing program that allows states to obtain accurate information on voters who have died or moved out of state. This bill adds new data requirements to be added to the crosscheck program, data which is currently not used in the ERIC program.
SB 1907 & SB 1950 increase the penalties for election workers by threatening jail time and even felony convictions for violating the election code.
SB 990 would eliminate countywide polling. Our counties have invested an extraordinary amount of time and resources to ensure that their Countywide Polling Place Program runs smoothly. Revoking their ability to use this program would cause great confusion amongst Texas voters and potentially disenfranchise thousands of eligible voters.
To read the full update, click here.
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Stop ESAs from Taking Money from Public Schools!
Oppose HB 4340! HB 4340 establishes educational savings accounts (ESAs), which are state funded bank accounts that use taxpayer dollars to fund private education by entities that are not accountable to taxpayers. Use our Action Center to write a letter to your legislators to oppose HB 4340.
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Tell Legislators to Keep Countywide Polling Places
Oppose SB 990! SB 990 would eliminate countywide polling and create more barriers for Texans trying to cast their ballot. Use our Action Center to write a letter to your legislators and ask them to oppose SB 990.
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Stop Demonizing Election Workers!
SB 1907, SB 1911 & SB 1950 increase penalties for election workers by threatening jail time and even felony convictions for violating the election code. Use our Action Center to write a letter to your legislators and ask them to oppose SB 1907, SB 1911 & SB 1950.
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Protect Local Control: Oppose HB 2127
HB 2127 usurps local control in multiple different areas, such a labor and national resources, by importing an arcane concept of Federal preemption into State and local relations, effectively eliminating home rule. Use our Action Center to write a letter to your legislators and ask them to oppose HB 2127.
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League of Women Voters of Texas
1212 Guadalupe St. #107
Austin Texas, 78701
(512) 472-1100
lwvtexas@lwvtexas.org
lwvtexas.org
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