Special Session Update, Sales Tax-Free Weekend, Apprehending Criminals and More

As you know, the Governor called a legislative special session which began on July 21st. I previously shared a list of the Governor’s items he placed on the agenda, also known as the “call.” If you would like to review this list, please click HERE. In the meantime, here’s an update on action in the Texas Senate. 

Senate Passes Ban on Taxpayer Funded Lobbying

This week, I voted for SB 12, which bans the use of taxpayer dollars to pay for lobbyists. For many years, your tax dollars have gone to fund associations that have lobbied directly against conservative priorities, and this practice must stop.

Tens of millions of dollars have been spent by political subdivisions to pursue policies that are often not in the best interests of taxpayers. This creates an uneven playing field, where smaller communities are left at a disadvantage, unable to compete with larger, well-funded communities that employ professional contract lobbyists.

There is a great deal of misinformation being promulgated primarily by independent, contract lobbyists who generally contract with larger political subdivisions. SB 12 will NOT prohibit local government employees or elected officials from advocating before the legislature in their official capacity, nor will it prohibit a local government from participating in state associations as long as that association does not hire or contract with a registered lobbyist. Under SB 12, an elected officer or employee of a political subdivision may still: 

• Provide information to a legislator or appear before a legislative committee;
• Influence or attempt to influence the outcome of legislation in their official capacity; and
• Receive reimbursement for direct travel expenses incurred by the officer or employee for engaging in lobby activities.

This is common-sense legislation that prioritizes the interests of taxpayers. As a reminder, this measure is one of the top eight official legislative priorities of the Republican Party of Texas. In the 2020 Republican Primary, voters were asked their opinion on the following ballot measure: “Texas should ban the practice of taxpayer-funded lobbying, which allows your tax dollars to be spent on lobbyists who work against the taxpayer.” Over 94% voted YES.

THC Ban, SB 5, Passes Texas Senate

I served in law enforcement for many years, including 15 years as a police officer with the Fort Worth Police Department. As a result, I tend to view many public policy decisions through the lens of what is best for public safety. I support SB 5 because we must stop the onslaught of dangerous addictive products sold in everything from gas stations to specialty shops located very near – sometimes next door – to schools. It’s no surprise that every law enforcement association in the state of Texas is strongly supporting this ban.  

Study after study proves the harmful effects of these unregulated products, including stunting brain development in our young people. There are also strong implications of organized criminal activity, including money laundering, in this industry that has exploded across our state. In just the last three years, over 8,000 storefronts have opened …. compare that with only about 1,200 McDonald’s in all of Texas! SB 5 is NOT a ban on appropriate, doctor-supervised medical uses for marijuana and THC products.

Improving Election Integrity

SB 11 will allow the Attorney General’s office more power to prosecute crimes related to elections, including voter fraud. This is needed because history has shown if there is potential election fraud, local officials may be able to block local prosecution due to political pressure. Additionally, there are occasions when these cases may involve violations across more than one county, requiring a statewide approach to prosecution. 

Congressional Redistricting

On July 9th, Governor Abbott added congressional redistricting to the special session call. Subsequently, I was named by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to Chair the Senate Special Committee on Congressional Redistricting.

On Monday, July 21st, I presented a resolution to the Texas Senate to address the unique nature of redistricting and to ensure a fair and transparent process. The procedures in this resolution are exactly the same as we adopted in 2021 (SR 4) and then again in the 2023 redistricting (SR 2). I shared with my colleagues my belief that it is in our best interest to carry out the same procedures and process this session. My goal for this resolution is to equip us for success in adopting lawful maps through a fair and transparent process. The resolution was adopted.

This resolution allows the Committee to hold regional hearings in the Capitol and provide a process for the public to participate in those hearings via video conference. The Committee held four regional hearings, and they allowed us to have conversations with people from all parts of the state about their local communities to assist us in the critical task of redistricting. 

We have re-established the public-input portal on the Committee website that has been used in prior sessions so that any interested party can submit written comments on redistricting. All portal submissions are shared with senators and publicly posted on our website. The portal will remain active throughout the redistricting process, and can be found by clicking HERE. 
 

Recent Attack on Johnson County Officer Results in Arrests 

On July 4th, an unarmed Alvarado police officer was shot when a group of 11 people attacked an ICE facility in Johnson County in what has been described as a “coordinated ambush.” While 10 people were arrested not long after the attack, the 11th suspect remained at large. I’m happy to report that the last suspect was apprehended on Tuesday, July 15th, through joint efforts of the FBI, DPS, and SWAT teams. We commend our brave law enforcement officers who were doing their job and implementing policies as outlined by President Trump. We are grateful that all suspects have been arrested, and that the officer who was shot will survive. I spoke to the Alvarado Chief of Police who shared that had the bullet landed just a couple of inches away, the officer would have died.
 

The last suspect in the July 4th attack was arrested on Tuesday, July 15th.

Mark Your Calendar: August 8-10 Is Sales Tax Free Weekend
It’s hard to believe that the start of school is just around the corner for kids across SD 10 and our state. A reminder that next weekend, August 8-10, is the annual Sales Tax Holiday Weekend. No sales tax will be charged on purchases of most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks (backpacks must be under $100). For more information, and to see a full list of qualifying items, please click HERE.