2013 HOUSE VOTES

  1. CSCOPE: RV#1007, SB 1406 by Rep. Toth gives the elected State Board of Education oversight of the anti-Christian, error-ridden CSCOPE curriculum used in 80% of TX public schools. TEF supported it; signed by Gov. Perry.
  1. CHARTER SCHOOLS: RV#878, SB 2, Amendment #13 and #14 by Rep. Zedler will require charter school administrators to be qualified voters and require the school check registries to be online. TEF supported both Amendments that passed; bill signed by Gov. Perry.
  1. CLEAN NEEDLES: RV#470, HB 3238 by Rep. McClendon would have required taxpayers to provide clean needles to drug abusers. TEF opposed this bill; it failed.
  1. DRUG SCREENING: RV#1054, SB 21 by Reps. Creighton/D. Bonnen/Riddle/ R. Sheffield would mandate drug testing for welfare recipients. TEF supported it; Gov. Perry signed it.
  1. UNIONS: RV#386, HB 1548 by Rep. Callegari would have protected state entities from mandatory union contracts. TEF supported it, but it died in the Senate Government Organization Committee.
  1. NEW TAXES: RV#577, HB 3536 by Rep. Otto will impose new fees on cigarettes and chewing tobacco. TEF opposes any new fees/taxes; Gov. Perry signed it.
  1. MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY: RV#998, Amendment #26 by Rep. Leach on SB 7 would limit Medicaid to only those who qualified only if federal matching funds were available under the eligibility criteria in effect on 12/31/13. TEF supported Amendment #26 which passed; bill signed by Gov Perry.
  1. TAXPAYER-FUNDED SUMMER SCHOOL: RV#1254, HB 742 by Rep. Strama funds summer school for educationally disadvantaged children. TEF opposed the bill; Gov. Perry signed it.
  1. PAY EQUALITY: RV#1257, HB 950 by Rep. Thompson mirrors the federal Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act creating a lawsuit haven for women to sue for wage equality in Texas courts. TEF opposed it; Gov. Perry vetoed it.
  1. THREAT TO LIBERTY: RV#811, SB 346 by Rep. Geren was vetoed by Gov. Perry and TEF agrees with his reasoning. It unconstitutionally targeted non-profit organizations’ freedom of speech and association and “could lead to retribution against those wanting to engage in politics.”
  1. MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING: RV#1090, SB 460 by Rep. Coleman requires public school teachers to have training to assess students’ mental and emotional health claiming that 1 in 5 students in the U.S. have a mental illness or addiction. TEF opposed the bill; Gov. Perry signed it.
  1. VOTE HARVESTING: RV#1178, HB 148 by Rep. Burkett will penalize those who act as couriers for mail-in ballots if they tell the person how to vote or unlawfully accept compensation for mail-in ballots. TEF supported the bill; signed by Gov. Perry.
  1. LOTTERY: RV#282, HB 2197 by Rep. Anchia continues the TX Lottery Commission. The House voted to abolish the lottery before voting to continue it on a motion to reconsider by Rep.Larson. TEF opposes gambling; Gov. Perry signed it.
  1. SCHOOL MARSHALS: RV#561, HB 1009 by Reps. Villalba/G. Bonnen/Fletcher/ Menéndez/Keffer authorizes school marshals--armed law enforcement officers in public schools.TEF supported the bill; signed by Gov. Perry.
  1. UNLAWFUL SEIZURE: RV#562, HB 1314 by Rep. Creighton upholds the 2nd Amendment by providing penalties for unlawful seizure of a firearm by a government officer or employee. TEF supported HB 1314 that passed the House, but failed in the Senate.
  1. AMMUNITION EXEMPTION: RV#567, HB 1076 by Reps. Toth/Klick/Springer/Phillips/D. Bonnen would have exempted firearms, firearm accessories, and firearm ammunition within the State of Texas from federal regulation. TEF supported HB 1076 that passed the House, but failed in the Senate.
  1. CONCEALED HANDGUN LICENSE: RV#571, SB 864 by Reps. Flynn | White | Cook reduces the required classroom hours to obtain or renew a concealed handgun license. TEF supported SB 864; Gov. Perry signed it.
  1. CAMPUS CARRY: RV#574, HB 972 by Reps. Fletcher | Flynn | Lavender | Burkett | Bell would have allowed concealed handguns on college campuses. TEF supported HB 972, but it died in the Senate.
  1. FIREARM EXEMPTION: RV#578, Amendment #2 by Rep. Herrero on HB 928 by Reps. Krause/Sanford/Fletcher/Lavender/Sheets would exempt felons from the law that would protect Texans from federal firearm regulations it deems too restrictive, prohibitive or punitive. TEF opposed Amendment #2; HB 928 passed the House, but failed in the Senate.

Series of Amendments on the BUDGET BILL:

  1. REDISTRIBUTING FUNDS: RV#157, SB 1, Amendment #23 by Rep. Klick on SB 1 would have redirected funds from feminist groups to the Teacher Retirement System. TEF supported Amendment #23; it failed.
  1. INSURANCE EXCHANGES: RV#177, Amendment #51 by Burnam/C. Turner/Martinez Fischer on SB 1 was amended by Rep. Zerwas to set up insurance exchanges, a KEY to Obamacare. TEF opposed Amendment #51 that passed, then was reconsidered and withdrawn.
  1. REDUCE FUNDING: RV#162, Amendment #71 by Rep. Schaefer on SB 1 would have reduced and redirected funding from the Historical Commission to the Teachers Retirement Fund. TEF supported Amendment #71; it failed.
  1. SEXUAL ORIENTATION: RV#163, Amendment#84 by Rep. Burnam on SB 1 would have added special protections for homosexuals in the Education Code.TEF opposed Amendment #84; it failed.
  1. SPANISH PARENT EDUCATION: RV#165, Amendment #86 by Rep. Farrar on SB 1 provides funding for parent education programs in Spanish. TEF opposed the funding; it passed.
  1. FUND VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT.: RV#173, Amendment #116 by Rep. Simpson on SB 1 would have provided financial assistance to volunteer fire departments, while reducing funding to Economic Development & Tourism. TEF supported Amendment #116; it failed.
  1. IMPROVE RACIAL DIVERSITY AT A&M & UTA: RV#176, Amendment #122 by Rep. Giddings on SB 1 will require UT Austin and TX A&M to use funds to improve racial diversity of the student body. TEF supports student academic merits and opposes quotas; Amendment #122 passed.
  1. TARGETING NON-PROFITS: RV#992, Amendment #12 on SB 219 by Geren would have unconstitutionally required non-profit organizations to disclose donors. TEF opposed Amendment #12; it passed, but was vetoed by Gov. Perry.
  1. PUBLIC INTEGRITY: RV#994, Amendment #27 by Rep. P. King on SB 219 would have transferred the duties of the Public Integrity Unit of the Travis County district attorney’s office to the office of the attorney general. TEF supported Amendment #27; it passed, but was vetoed by Gov. Perry.
  1. TRANSPARENCY IN GOV’T: RV#995, Amendment #30 by Rep. Capriglione on SB 219 would have required candidates and elected officials to report contracts with government entities. TEF supported Amendment #30; it passed, but was vetoed by Gov. Perry.

FIRST Special Session:

  1. WEAKENING MEDICAL EVIDENCE: RV#31, Amendment #1 by Rep. N. Gonzalez on SB 5 was an attempt to weaken pro-LIFE language. TEF opposed Amendment #1; it failed.
  1. RAPE & INCEST: RV#32, Amendment #2 by Rep. S. Thompson on SB 5 would have exempted rape and incest abortions AFTER 20 weeks. TEF opposed the exemption since pregnancy due to rape or incest is known long before 20-weeks; it failed.
  1. SECOND READING VOTE ON PRO-LIFE: RV#45 on SB 5. TEF supported SB 5; it passed the House, but failed in the Senate due to “SAUL ALINSKY BEHAVIOR” in the Senate gallery. Gov. Perry then called a SECOND special session and put this bill on the call.

SECOND Special Session:

  1. RAPE & INCEST II: RV#3, Amendment #1 by Rep. S. Thompson on HB 2 would have exempted rape and incest abortions AFTER 20 weeks. TEF opposed the exemption since pregnancy due to rape or incest is known long before 20-weeks; it failed.
  1. ABORTION REIMBURSEMENT: RV#5, Amendment #4 by Rep. Menendez on HB 2 would have required taxpayers to pay for abortions and travel expenses for pregnant women who live beyond the 30-mile radius of an abortuary. TEF opposed Amendment #4; it failed.
  1. SEX ED: RV#12, Amendment #12 by Rep. McClendon on HB 2 would have exempted from the requirements of HB 2 a pregnant woman “if effective instruction relating to human sexuality school districts” was not provided before her pregnancy. TEF opposed Amendment #12; it failed.
  1. DEATH PENALTY EXEMPTION: RV#22, Amendment #22 by Rep. Dutton on HB 2 would have abolished the death penalty before implementing HB 2. TEF opposed Amendment #22; it failed.
  1. 20-WEEK WAIVER: RV#24, Amendment #24 by Rep. Dukes on HB 2 would have provided a waiver for low-income pregnant women to obtain an abortion after 20 weeks unless taxpayers paid for her prenatal care, childbirth and child care for her other children. TEF opposed Amendment #24; it failed.
  1. TAXPAYER-FUNDING FOR ABORTUARIES THAT REFUSE TO UPGRADE FACILITIES: RV#25, Amendment #25 by Rep. Herrero on HB 2 would have provided taxpayer funds to abortuaries for one year if they chose not to meet ambulatory surgical center standards. TEF opposed Amendment #25; it failed.
  1. PRO-LIFE FINAL PASSAGE: RV#29 on HB 2 by Rep. Jodie Laubenberg final passage. TEF supported HB 2; it passed.
  1. RAINY DAY FUND: RV#35 on Amendmen t#5 by Rep. Simmons would have protected the Economic Stabilization Fund, a.k.a. the Rainy Day Fund, from depletion by transportation expenses. TEF supported Amendment #5; it failed.