Texas Impact Honors Eight With Legislative Leadership Award

Submitted by Bee on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 9:01pm

AUSTIN—Interfaith legislative network Texas Impact today presented its Legislative Leadership Awards for the 82nd legislative session to five House members and 3 senators. The four Republicans and four Democrats included Senators Kirk Watson, John Carona and Robert Deuell, and Representatives Lois Kolkhorst, Vicki Truitt, Ruth Jones McClendon, Ryan Guillen and Eddie Rodriguez. The eight were authors and sponsors of legislation Texas Impact and other faith groups championed in 2011 as part of a “Community-Building Agenda for Texas.”

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Summer Food Service Program

Submitted by Selena Xie on Wed, 01/25/2012 - 7:30pm

Is your house of worship considering joining the Summer Food Service Program to feed hungry kids this summer? If so, please join USDA for a webinar for faith based organizations. For more information and to register, click here.

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Faith Stands Behind President on Keystone XL Decision

Submitted by amanda on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 2:59pm

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., January 18, 2012 — President Obama has just announced his decision against the issuance of a special permit for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. What follows is a reaction by Interfaith Power & Light’s President, The Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham:

“Interfaith Power & Light applauds President Obama for demonstrating leadership in deciding against the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. His actions today will help to ensure a clean, healthy and safe world for our children. Transporting dirty tar sands oil through the heartland of America will unnecessarily risk catastrophic damage to ecosystems and aquifers that millions of people depend upon for their livelihood. People of faith are called to be good stewards of God’s Creation, and to love our neighbors and take care of the vulnerable among us.

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SOPA, PIPA and Online Advocacy

Submitted by Sean on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 2:47pm

 

Many sites around the Internet today are limiting access to their content, or taking down their sites altogether, in response to upcoming legislation about online regulation. These bills, the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA for short, in the Senate) and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA for short, in the House of Representatives), attempt to address the piracy or counterfeiting of US copyrighted materials. 

As a long-time supporter of open-source web development and the distribution of fair use political media, Texas Impact believes that SOPA and PIPA threatens the participatory advocacy environment that can be built online and limits the tools available for small advocacy organizations to make a difference in political life. 

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Texas Payday Lenders Face New Rules, Scrutiny

Submitted by Bee on Fri, 01/06/2012 - 7:45am

Texas faith communities worked hard in the 2011 legislative session for payday lending regulation. Here's a great article from the Texas Tribune on implementation of the new laws.

 

by Thanh Tan, The Texas Tribune

Payday lenders are about to come under the microscope. 

New laws aimed at curbing predatory lending take effect this week, meaning payday and auto title loan businesses will have to be licensed by the state and post a schedule of fees in a visible place, similar to the overhead menus seen in fast food restaurants.

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Local Faith Leader Speaks Out Against Austin Energy's Proposed Rate Increase

Submitted by Andrea Earl on Thu, 12/15/2011 - 5:16pm

Wednesday, December 14th, Austin Energy announced to the Austin City Council their proposal for a rate increase targeted for April 2012.  Reverend John Wright spoke to KVUE on the impact of the rate increase on the ministries of the First United Methodist Church in Austin.  Texas Impact's General Counsel, Mr. Joshua Houston, also spoke to KVUE on the proposed hike on Austin's faith community.  Local news broadcast channel KVUE captured Rev. Wright and Mr. Houston's response.

 Austin City Council plans to hold public hearings allowing members of the community the opportunity to provide input and voice their concerns about the proposed rate increase. If Austin Energy’s proposed new rate structure is implemented in its current form, many Austin congregations will experience a doubling of their electric bills over the next three years. As a group, worship facilities could face an average increase of 80%, far greater than the planned increases for most of Austin Energy’s other customer classes.

To watch KVUE's news report, please click here.

To learn more about the rate case and how you can get involved, please visit ourpoweraustin.com 

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