Action on Iran; New Laws for Securing Borders, Texas Land, Our Citizens and Elections

Let me first begin by expressing gratitude to President Donald Trump, his national security team, and the brave members of our military who executed the weekend bombing mission against Iran’s nuclear facilities with excellence and precision. As the most dangerous and hostile nation in the Middle East, Iran must never, ever be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and I am thankful that President Trump took decisive action. Now that the pilots and personnel involved in the mission are home safely, we must pray for the 40,000 troops stationed in the Middle East as well as pray for lasting peace in the region.

New Laws Passed to Secure Our Borders, Texas Land, Citizens’ Safety, and Elections

We accomplished so many good and even historic things during the recently adjourned legislative session. Over the coming weeks, I will be highlighting some key bills in my newsletters. This week provides an update on important legislation aimed to improve border security, stop foreign adversaries from owning Texas land, reforming our bail system to stop violent criminals from being released, and further securing the integrity of our elections.
 
Border Security:

The return of President Trump to the White House has brought many benefits to the nation, but none may be so apparent as the dramatic decrease in illegal crossings at the southern border. From March of last year to now, illegal border crossings have decreased by 95%. While this news should be celebrated, we cannot solely rely on the federal government to enforce law and order.

This session, we passed SB 8, which requires all Texas counties with a county or private jail to enter into an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration laws under delegated federal authority. This bill also provides population-based grant funds to counties to assist with participation in this program.
 

Foreign Ownership of Land:

We took significant steps to end the purchase of Texas land by hostile foreign nations, their citizens and their entities. The passage of SB 17 prohibits the purchase of any agricultural land, commercial or industrial property, water rights or residential property by foreign adversaries.
 

 
Homeland Security:

The Legislature took significant steps to ensure that Texas can effectively respond to threats and disasters without relying solely on the federal government. SB 36 creates the Homeland Security Division within the Department of Public Safety to lead multi-agency efforts to enhance law enforcement and maintain the safety and well-being of Texas citizens. The Homeland Security Division will oversee the state’s border security operations and be responsible for developing a comprehensive homeland security plan, which includes planning for the physical protection of critical infrastructure in worst-case scenarios.
 

Bail Reform:

With horrific headlines in the news of violent offenders being released with minimal bail requirements, the Legislature passed SB 9 to ensure that prosecutors can appeal inadequate bail decisions made in cases involving the most heinous crimes and repeat felony offenders. This bill also provides that only elected judges, not appointed magistrates, may reduce the amount or conditions of bail. With voter approval, SJR 5 would amend the constitution to require a judge to deny bail to a person charged with the most violent crimes such as rape, murder or human trafficking when the state proves the defendant is a threat to public safety or is at risk of not showing up for trial. Additionally, SB 40 prohibits local governments from using taxpayer funds to support nonprofit organizations that pay bail for criminal defendants.

Only Citizens are Allowed to Vote:

SJR 37 – The Texas Legislature passed a measure to make abundantly clear that people who are not citizens of the United States are not allowed to vote in any election in this state. This measure will go before Texas voters for approval in November.

Todd Starnes Interview on June 18th

On Wednesday I had the opportunity to join Todd Starnes on his podcast and speak about my bill to once again display the Ten Commandments in our public schools. Starnes is a best-selling conservative author and journalist, who formerly worked at Fox News Channel. If you’d like to listen to the podcast, click HERE.
 

Annual Firearms Certification

Last week I was honored to speak to Parker and Palo Pinto County high school students who participate in the Weatherford Police Department’s Junior Police Academy as they spent a day at the pistol range. These students have an interest in a career in law enforcement, and the Junior Police Academy gives them hands-on experience towards that goal. I was also able to complete my annual retired police firearms qualification while there with the students.