ACTION ALERTS

Keep energy production incentives fair…don’t turn back the clock on renewable energy!

On Monday at 6PM Central, join Texas Impact executive director Bee Moorhead, Environmental Defense Fund’s Michael Jewell, and renewable energy expert Jeff Clark for a conversation on renewable energy and remaining legislative challenges.

To join the call, dial (512) 501-3490. No password is needed and you don’t need to register in advance. Please forward this information to other folks you think would be interested!

Remember to sign up for Rapid Response, and to check our website and Facebook page for late-breaking updates. Things move fast—sometimes hour by hour—from now until Sine Die!

Late-breaking Action Needed: Renewable Energy

Discriminatory Study: SB 2232 by Hancock

This bill would study only subsidies for renewable energy while ignoring the environmental effects and subsidies for other power generating sources.

Call House State Affairs and Calendars Committees and tell them to OPPOSE this bill and to STUDY ALL OR NONE.

Tax Credit Transparency: HB 3143 by Murphy

This bill would extend and provide transparency measures for tax credits given to various industries under Chapter 312 Tax Code.

Call your state senator and ask them to KEEP THE BILL CLEAN and to OPPOSE any anti-renewable amendments.

Request a Hearing

Maternal Mortality: HB 744 by Rose

This bill would provide continuous postnatal health care coverage for up to 12 months rather than the current 60 days.

Call the Senate Health and Human Service Committee and ask for a hearing.

Payday Lending Reform: SB 1949 by Watson

This bill would ensure that out of state online lenders must abide by the same regulations as storefront lenders.

Call the House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services Committee and ask for a hearing.

Support in Committee

Support Survivors: SB 212 by Huffman

This bill would require universities to report incidents of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking; and create criminal and administrative penalities.

Ask the House Higher Education Committee to SUPPORT this bill which was heard on April 24.

Support Survivors: HB 3809 by Goldman

This bill would extend the statute of limitations on civil claims brought by survivors of sexual abuse.

Ask the Senate State Affairs Committee to SUPPORT this bill on May 13.

Foster Children: HB 72 by White

This bill would ensure that children adopted out of the foster care system retain their health insurance coverage.

Call the Senate Health and Human Service Committee and ask for SUPPORT on Tuesday, May 14.

Oral Health: HB 3552 by Sheffield

This bill would provide notice to customers before fluoride is removed or reduced in a water supply system.

Call the Senate Health and Human Service Committee and ask for SUPPORT on Tuesday, May 14.

Support on Senate Floor

Prison Healthcare: HB 812 by White

This bill would lower the copay inmates must pay to seek medical care from $100 to $15 dollars.

Call your State Senator and ask them to SUPPORT.

Oppose in House State Affairs

Keep standing firm against discriminatory legislation!

“I’m done talking about bashing on the gay community … It’s completely unacceptable. This is 2019.” – Chairman Dade Phelan

Preemption: SB 15, SB 2485, SB 2486, SB 2487, and SB 2488 by Creighton

These bills prevent local governments from regulating private business’s employment policies such as hiring, benefits, scheduling, leave, water breaks, nondiscrimination, and criminal history.

⇨Update: SB 2486 was voted out of committee on Wednesday, May 1. The bill still adversely affects local control and hourly wage earners, but the committee did reinsert language exempting nondiscrimination ordinances. The amendment to exempt nondiscrimination ordinances is worth a “thank you” to the House State Affairs Committee even though we continue to oppose the bill.

License to Discriminate: SB 17 by Perry

This bill would permit dozens of occupational license holders to claim religion as a reason for not complying with a regulation generally applicable to others in their industry.

Call House State Affairs and ask them to OPPOSE

TAKE ACTION!

NOTE: We have set up toll-free numbers for all members of the Texas House and Senate. We ask that you use those numbers and save them in your phones. Dialing this number allows us to track the volume of calls to each office. If the number stops working, please let us know so we can set up a new number.

Find toll free numbers at texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/

Find your elected officials via the “Who Represents Me” page at http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/Home.aspx

Help Texas Impact staff with this bill by emailing us at engagement@texasimpact.org if the office provides you with any helpful information about the bill or their member’s thoughts/concerns.

Weekly Witness Action Alert Sample Script

See the list of toll free numbers (https://texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/) for each member of the Texas Legislature and save the number. Using the toll free numbers allow Texas Impact staff to track how many calls are going in to each office.

Sample Script

Hello, my name is _________________and I live in ___________. I am calling to thank Representative/Senator _____________________for his/her service this Legislative Session.

As a person of faith (or clergy) I want to be constructive in working with Representative/Senator _______________ and hope they will oppose SB 17. Discriminatory bills make a mockery of our Constitution by redefining religious freedom to mean religious favoritism.

People in my congregation and network would prefer their senator/representative spend their time on addressing funding for public schools, addressing our health care needs, and other core state issues instead of wasting time on divisive legislation for partisan political gain.

Feel free to use any of the bullet points in the Action Alert above. If your congregation has a special connection to the issue area you are referencing, feel free to briefly reference that connection.

Don’t forget to thank the staff member you are talking to at the end of the call, even if you disagree with their boss on the issue or bill—they are working hard and appreciate being appreciated!

In the past members have occasionally blocked our toll free number because of high call volume from people of faith. We want them to hear your voice, so if you call twice and receive busy signals, email engagement@texasimpact.org and we will update the number.

For updated information, visit www.texasimpact.org, follow us on Facebook or Twitter or contact engagement@texasimpact.org

Texas Impact is a membership organization. Join Texas Impact and be part of Texas’ oldest and largest interfaith action network! For more information, visit: https://texasimpact.org/join

To join the Texas Impact Rapid Response Team and receive updated Texas Impact Action Alerts, visit: https://www.texasimpact.org/take-action

It’s important to do this on Saturday—that’s today! Lawmakers and their staffs WILL be in their offices on Saturday, and even if no one answers, they WILL listen to your message.

More info:

Click Here to Sign the Online Letter

Today is a critical moment for bills in the House Calendars Committee as legislative deadlines loom. If your representative is not on the Calendars Committee, then encourage your friends that live in their districts (listed below) to call. Call as soon as possible as every day that passes makes a bill’s likelihood of passing less likely. The bold words should be enough of a description unless they ask more.

Support in House Calendars

Children’s Health: HB 342 by Cortez

This bill would cut bureaucratic red tape for parents by providing 12 months of continuous coverage for children in the medical assistance program.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Religious Liberty: HB 773 by Davis

This bill would allow a person to choose cremation by alkaline hydrolysis which is more environmentally friendly that embalming or cremation.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Floodplain Notice: HB 993 by Coleman

This bill would provide notice to prospective tenants when a property is located in a flood plain

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Maternal Mortality: HB 1110 by S. Davis

This bill would provide continuous postnatal health care coverage for up to 12 months rather than the current 60 days.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Payday Lending Reform: HB 1202 by Collier

This bill would clarify the definition of “theft” to ensure no one is criminally prosecuted for defaulting on a rent-to-own transaction.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Oral Health: HB 1647 by Deshotel

This bill would create a pilot program to provide basic dental benefits to adults with disabilities.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Consumer Protection in Medicaid Managed Care: HB 2453 by Sarah Davis

This bill would create several reforms for the Medicaid managed care program that would increase transparency and streamline processes.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Oppose in House Calendars

Government Sponsored Religion: HB 307 by Flynn

This bill would unconstitutionally authorize a public school to post the Ten Commandments in a public school classroom

Call House Calendars and ask them to OPPOSE

Payday Lending Preemption: HB 3899 by Springer

This bill would broadly preempt municipalities from regulating any business, including the payday lending ordinances passed in many Texas cities.

Call House Calendars and ask them to OPPOSE

Rep. Price: (877) 563-5346: Amarillo, Borger, Stratford, Dumas, Panhandle.

Rep. Moody: (877) 631-8792:  Anthony, Canutillo, El Paso, Prado Verde CDP, Vinton, Westway CDP

Rep. Deshotel: (877) 631-3025: Beaumont, Central Gardens, Fannett CDP, Nederland, Port Arthur, Port Neches

Rep. Frullo: (877) 653-2178: Lubbock

Rep. Goldman: (877) 431-7675: Benbrook, Fort Worth

Rep. Longoria: (877) 735-8640: Harlingen, La Feria, Primera, McAllen, Mila Doce, Penitas,

Rep. Metcalf: (877) 874-5740: Conroe, Willis

Rep. Oliverson: (877) 772-4964: Houston, Tomball, Waller

Rep. Eddie Rodriguez: (877) 537-5697:  Austin, Creedmoor, Garfield CDP, Hornsby Bend CDP

Rep. Rose: (877) 776-4763: Balch Springs, Dallas, Mesquite

Rep. Wray: (877) 665-9149: Ennis, Ferris, Midlothian, Red Oak, Waxahachie, Malakoff, Tool

TAKE ACTION!

NOTE: We have set up toll-free numbers for all members of the Texas House and Senate. We ask that you use those numbers and save them in your phones. Dialing this number allows us to track the volume of calls to each office. If the number stops working, please let us know so we can set up a new number.

Find toll free numbers at texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/

Find your elected officials via the “Who Represents Me” page at http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/Home.aspx

Help Texas Impact staff with this bill by emailing us at engagement@texasimpact.org if the office provides you with any helpful information about the bill or their member’s thoughts/concerns.

Weekly Witness Action Alert Sample Script

See the list of toll free numbers (https://texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/) for each member of the Texas Legislature and save the number. Using the toll free numbers allow Texas Impact staff to track how many calls are going in to each office.

Sample Script

Hello, my name is _________________and I live in ___________. I am calling to thank Representative/Senator _____________________for his/her service this Legislative Session.

As a person of faith (or clergy) I want to be constructive in working with Representative/Senator _______________ and hope they will oppose SB 17. Discriminatory bills make a mockery of our Constitution by redefining religious freedom to mean religious favoritism.

People in my congregation and network would prefer their senator/representative spend their time on addressing funding for public schools, addressing our health care needs, and other core state issues instead of wasting time on divisive legislation for partisan political gain.

Feel free to use any of the bullet points in the Action Alert above. If your congregation has a special connection to the issue area you are referencing, feel free to briefly reference that connection.

Don’t forget to thank the staff member you are talking to at the end of the call, even if you disagree with their boss on the issue or bill—they are working hard and appreciate being appreciated!

In the past members have occasionally blocked our toll free number because of high call volume from people of faith. We want them to hear your voice, so if you call twice and receive busy signals, email engagement@texasimpact.org and we will update the number.

For updated information, visit www.texasimpact.org, follow us on Facebook or Twitter or contact engagement@texasimpact.org

Texas Impact is a membership organization. Join Texas Impact and be part of Texas’ oldest and largest interfaith action network! For more information, visit: https://texasimpact.org/join

To join the Texas Impact Rapid Response Team and receive updated Texas Impact Action Alerts, visit: https://www.texasimpact.org/take-action

Remember to sign up for Rapid Response, and to check our website and Facebook page for late-breaking updates. Things move fast—sometimes hour by hour—from now until Sine Die!

Support in House Calendars

Children’s Health: HB 342 by Cortez

This bill would cut bureaucratic red tape for parents by providing 12 months of continuous coverage for children in the medical assistance program.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Religious Liberty: HB 773 by Davis

This bill would allow a person to choose to be cremated by alkaline hydrolysis which is more environmentally friendly that embalming or cremation.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Maternal Mortality: HB 1110 by S. Davis

This bill would provide continuous postnatal health care coverage for up to 12 months rather than the current 60 days.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Payday Lending Reform: HB 1202 by Collier

This bill would clarify the definition of “theft” to ensure no one is criminally prosecuted for defaulting on a rent-to-own transaction.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Oral Health: HB 1647 by Deshotel

This bill would create a pilot program to provide basic dental benefits to adults with disabilities.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Consumer Protection in Medicaid Managed Care: HB 2453 by Sarah Davis

This bill would create several reforms for the Medicaid managed care program that would increase transparency and streamline processes.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Oppose in House Calendars

Government Sponsored Religion: HB 307 by Flynn

This bill would unconstitutionally authorize a public school to post the Ten Commandments in a public school classroom

Call House Calendars and ask them to OPPOSE

Payday Lending Preemption: HB 3899 by Springer

This bill would broadly preempt municipalities from regulating any business, including the payday lending ordinances passed in many Texas cities.

Call House Calendars and ask them to OPPOSE

Support on House Floor

Child Welfare: HB 72 by White

This bill would ensure that when a foster child does not lose healthcare coverage once the child is adopted.

Call your Representative and ask for SUPPORT on Monday, April 29

Reducing Recidivism: HB 918 by White

This bill would provide inmates with documents necessary to obtain employment upon discharge or release.

Call your Representative and ask for SUPPORT on Tuesday, April 30

Maternal Mortality: HB 1111 by S. Davis

This bill would establish pregnancy medical homes, high-risk maternal care coordinated services pilot programs, telehealth programs for prenatal and postpartum care, and create a fund for newborn screenings.

Call your Representative and ask for SUPPORT on Monday, April 29

Combating Child Abuse: HB 3809 by Goldman

This bill would extend the period a survivor of child sexual abuse could bring an action in civil court for personal injury.

Call your Representative and ask for SUPPORT on Tuesday, April 30

Request a Hearing

Climate Mitigation: HB 100 by Eric Johnson & HB 928 by Anchia

These bills, respectively, would require state agencies to plan for climate change, and would establish a state climate change commission.

Ask the House Environmental Regulation Committee to set HB 928 and House Natural Resources to set HB 100 for a hearing because it is important to have the policy conversation.

Oppose in House State Affairs

Stand Firm & Do NOT Vote on any discriminatory legislation!

Four Senate bills are posted for Wednesday, May 1, and several are pending and could be voted on at any time. Keep calling, and find friends from the members’ districts in your denominational connections to call the House State Affairs Committee.

Preemption: SB 15, SB 2485, SB 2486, SB 2487, and SB 2488 by Creighton

These bills prevent local governments from regulating private business’s employment policies such as hiring, benefits, scheduling, leave, water breaks, nondiscrimination, and criminal history.

Call House State Affairs and ask them to OPPOSE on Wednesday, May 1

⇨Update: SB 2485, SB 2486, SB 2487, and SB 2488 (benefits, scheduling & overtime, leave, and “ban the box” respectively) are scheduled for public hearing this Wednesday, and lack any language exempting local nondiscrimination ordinances.

License to Discriminate: HB 3172 by Krause

This bill would permit any person to claim religion as a reason for not complying with generally applicable laws, including precluding the state from revoking a license of a child care facility that uses corporal punishment.

Call your House member and  House State Affairs and ask them to OPPOSE the bill

⇨Update: After a very fluid day on Thursday, April 25, your calls effectively held this bill in committee, but continue to stay vigilant.

License to Discriminate: SB 17 by Perry

This bill would permit dozens of occupational license holders to claim religion as a reason for not complying with a regulation generally applicable to others in their industry.

Call House State Affairs and ask them to OPPOSE

License to Discriminate: HB 1035 by Zedler

This bill would codify a religious belief regarding marriage into state law, and then give those holding that religious belief preferential treatment by permitting any person claiming that religious belief to not comply with generally applicable laws, including provisions precluding the state from revoking a license of a child care facility, nullifying local nondiscrimination ordinances, and permitting discrimination in public accommodations.

Call your House member and House State Affairs and ask them to OPPOSE the bill

TAKE ACTION!

NOTE: We have set up toll-free numbers for all members of the Texas House and Senate. We ask that you use those numbers and save them in your phones. Dialing this number allows us to track the volume of calls to each office. If the number stops working, please let us know so we can set up a new number.

Find toll free numbers at texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/

Find your elected officials via the “Who Represents Me” page at http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/Home.aspx

Help Texas Impact staff with this bill by emailing us at engagement@texasimpact.org if the office provides you with any helpful information about the bill or their member’s thoughts/concerns.

Weekly Witness Action Alert Sample Script

See the list of toll free numbers (https://texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/) for each member of the Texas Legislature and save the number. Using the toll free numbers allow Texas Impact staff to track how many calls are going in to each office.

Sample Script

Hello, my name is _________________and I live in ___________. I am calling to thank Representative/Senator _____________________for his/her service this Legislative Session.

As a person of faith (or clergy) I want to be constructive in working with Representative/Senator _______________ and hope they will oppose SB 17. Discriminatory bills make a mockery of our Constitution by redefining religious freedom to mean religious favoritism.

People in my congregation and network would prefer their senator/representative spend their time on addressing funding for public schools, addressing our health care needs, and other core state issues instead of wasting time on divisive legislation for partisan political gain.

Feel free to use any of the bullet points in the Action Alert above. If your congregation has a special connection to the issue area you are referencing, feel free to briefly reference that connection.

Don’t forget to thank the staff member you are talking to at the end of the call, even if you disagree with their boss on the issue or bill—they are working hard and appreciate being appreciated!

In the past members have occasionally blocked our toll free number because of high call volume from people of faith. We want them to hear your voice, so if you call twice and receive busy signals, email engagement@texasimpact.org and we will update the number.

For updated information, visit www.texasimpact.org, follow us on Facebook or Twitter or contact engagement@texasimpact.org

Texas Impact is a membership organization. Join Texas Impact and be part of Texas’ oldest and largest interfaith action network! For more information, visit: https://texasimpact.org/join

To join the Texas Impact Rapid Response Team and receive updated Texas Impact Action Alerts, visit: https://www.texasimpact.org/take-action

Remember to check our website and Facebook page for late-breaking updates. Things move fast from now until Sine Die!

Oppose in House State Affairs

License to Discriminate: SB 17 by Perry

This bill would permit dozens of occupational license holders to claim religion as a reason for not complying with a regulation generally applicable to others in their industry.

Call House State Affairs and ask them to OPPOSE

Preemption: SB 15, SB 2485, SB 2486, SB 2487, and SB 2488 by Creighton

These bills prevent local governments from regulating private business’s employment policies such as hiring, benefits, scheduling, leave, water breaks, nondiscrimination, and criminal history.

Call House State Affairs and ask them to OPPOSE

⇨Update: SB 2485, SB 2486, SB 2487, and SB 2488 (benefits, scheduling & overtime, leave, and “ban the box” respectively) were passed by the Senate. A floor amendment to exempt local nondiscrimination ordinances failed.

License to Discriminate: HB 3172 by Krause

This bill would permit any person to claim religion as a reason for not complying with generally applicable laws, including precluding the state from revoking a license of a child care facility that uses corporal punishment.

Call your House member and  House State Affairs and ask them to OPPOSE the bill

License to Discriminate: HB 1035 by Zedler

This bill would codify a religious belief regarding marriage into state law, and then give those holding that religious belief preferential treatment by permitting any person claiming that religious belief to not comply with generally applicable laws, including provisions precluding the state from revoking a license of a child care facility, nullifying local nondiscrimination ordinances, and permitting discrimination in public accommodations.

Call your House member and House State Affairs and ask them to OPPOSE the bill

Oppose in House Calendars

Government Sponsored Religion: HB 307 by Flynn

This bill would unconstitutionally authorize a public school to post the Ten Commandments in a public school classroom

Call House Calendars and ask them to OPPOSE

Border Wall: HB 4306 by Biedermann

This bill would create a fund to pay for the border wall.

Call House Calendars and ask them to OPPOSE

Oppose on House Floor

Payday Lending Reform: HB 2847 by Goldman

This bill would eliminate “dual licensing requirements” that exist at the state and local level. HOWEVER, after coming out of committee, NOW it would nullify the local city ordinances regulating payday lending.

Call your representative and ask them to OPPOSE or AMEND on Wednesday, April 24

Support in Committee

Immigration Enforcement in Sensitive Locations: HB 652 by Neave

This bill would prohibit immigration enforcement at domestic violence shelters, many of which are supported, or even owned, by faith communities.

Ask House State Affairs Committee to SUPPORT

Payday Lending Reform: HB 190 by Bernal

This bill would require payday and auto title lenders to assess a borrower’s ability to repay before extending credit.

Call House Pensions and ask them to SUPPORT on Thursday, April 25

Payday Lending Reform: HB 874 by Walle

This bill would prohibit payday or auto title lenders from threatening to bring criminal charges against a borrower who is unable to repay

Call House Pensions and ask them to SUPPORT on Thursday, April 25

Support in House Calendars

Child Welfare: HB 72 by White

This bill would ensure that when a foster child does not lose healthcare coverage once the child is adopted.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Religious Liberty: HB 773 by Davis

This bill would allow a person to choose to be cremated by alkaline hydrolysis which has environmental benefits

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Payday Lending Reform: HB 1202 by Collier

This bill would clarify the definition of “theft” to ensure no one is criminally prosecuted for defaulting on a rent-to-own transaction.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Support on House Floor

Protecting Fluoride in Community Water: HB 3552 by Sheffield

This bill would require a water supply system to notify customers before it removed or reduced fluoride levels

Call your representative to SUPPORT on the House floor on Wednesday, April 24

Support on Senate Floor

Hurricane Harvey: SB 339 by Huffman

This bill would require sellers of residential real estate to enhance their notice about flood-prone properties

Call your state senator to SUPPORT on Senate Intent Calendar Monday, April 22

Online Lending Reform: SB 1949 by Watson

This bill would give state regulators jurisdiction over loans made by out-of-state lenders to a Texas customer on the internet   

Call your state senator to SUPPORT on Senate Intent Calendar Monday, April 22

TAKE ACTION!

NOTE: We have set up toll-free numbers for all members of the Texas House and Senate. We ask that you use those numbers and save them in your phones. Dialing this number allows us to track the volume of calls to each office. If the number stops working, please let us know so we can set up a new number.

Find toll free numbers at texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/

Find your elected officials via the “Who Represents Me” page at http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/Home.aspx

Help Texas Impact staff with this bill by emailing us at engagement@texasimpact.org if the office provides you with any helpful information about the bill or their member’s thoughts/concerns.

Weekly Witness Action Alert Sample Script

See the list of toll free numbers (https://texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/) for each member of the Texas Legislature and save the number. Using the toll free numbers allow Texas Impact staff to track how many calls are going in to each office.

Sample Script

Hello, my name is _________________and I live in ___________. I am calling to thank Representative/Senator _____________________for his/her service this Legislative Session.

As a person of faith (or clergy) I want to be constructive in working with Representative/Senator _______________ and hope they will oppose SB 17. Discriminatory bills make a mockery of our Constitution by redefining religious freedom to mean religious favoritism.

People in my congregation and network would prefer their senator/representative spend their time on addressing funding for public schools, addressing our health care needs, and other core state issues instead of wasting time on divisive legislation for partisan political gain.

Feel free to use any of the bullet points in the Action Alert above. If your congregation has a special connection to the issue area you are referencing, feel free to briefly reference that connection.

Don’t forget to thank the staff member you are talking to at the end of the call, even if you disagree with their boss on the issue or bill—they are working hard and appreciate being appreciated!

In the past members have occasionally blocked our toll free number because of high call volume from people of faith. We want them to hear your voice, so if you call twice and receive busy signals, email engagement@texasimpact.org and we will update the number.

For updated information, visit www.texasimpact.org, follow us on Facebook or Twitter or contact engagement@texasimpact.org

Texas Impact is a membership organization. Join Texas Impact and be part of Texas’ oldest and largest interfaith action network! For more information, visit: https://texasimpact.org/join

To join the Texas Impact Rapid Response Team and receive updated Texas Impact Action Alerts, visit: https://www.texasimpact.org/take-action

Week of April 15, 2019

Remember to check our website and Facebook page for late-breaking updates. Things move fast from now until Sine Die!

Oppose

License to Discriminate: HB 3172 by Krause

This bill would permit any person to claim religion as a reason for not complying with generally applicable laws, including precluding the state from revoking a license of a child care facility that uses corporal punishment.

Call your House member and  House State Affairs and ask them to OPPOSE the bill

License to Discriminate: HB 1035 by Zedler

This bill would permit any person to claim religion as a reason for not complying with generally applicable laws, including provisions precluding the state from revoking a license of a child care facility using corporal punishment, nullifying local nondiscrimination ordinances, permitting discrimination in public accommodations, and regulating bathroom use.

Call your House member and House State Affairs and ask them to OPPOSE the bill

Government Sponsored Religion: HB 307 by Flynn

This bill would unconstitutionally authorize a public school to post the Ten Commandments in a public school classroom

House Public Education Committee hearing on Wednesday, April 17

Preemption: SB 15, SB 2485, SB 2486, SB 2487, and SB 2488 by Creighton

These bills prevent local governments from regulating private business’s employment policies such as hiring, benefits, scheduling, leave, water breaks, nondiscrimination, and criminal history.

Call House State Affairs and ask them NOT to hear the bills

⇨Update: SB 2485, and SB 2487 (benefits and leave, respectively) were passed by the Senate. A floor amendment to exempt local nondiscrimination ordinances failed.

License to Discriminate: SB 17 by Perry

This bill would permit dozens of occupational license holders to claim religion as a reason for not complying with a regulation generally applicable to others in their industry.

Call House State Affairs and ask them NOT to hear the bill

Support

Maternal Mortality: HB 25 by Mary Gonzales

This bill would create a pilot program to allow children to ride with their mothers to their medical appointments under the Medicaid transportation program.

Ask your Representative to SUPPORT on the House floor Monday, April 15

Mandatory Reporting: HB 85 by Mary Gonzalez

This bill would end a discriminatory provision that forces mandatory reporters—like youth ministers—to report as child abuse a same-sex relationship between high school students that would not have to be reported if the relationship were between students of the opposite sex.

Ask your representative to SUPPORT on the House floor  Tuesday, April 16

Immigration Enforcement in Sensitive Locations: HB 445 by Mary Gonzales and HB 652 by Neave

These bills would prohibit immigration enforcement at schools, colleges, and hospitals (HB 445) and domestic violence shelters (HB 652), many of which are supported, or even owned, by faith communities.

House State Affairs Committee hearing Wednesday, April 17

Safe Water: HB 997 by Collier

This bill would test for lead in the drinking water at public schools.

House Public Education Committee hearing Tuesday, April 16

Pollinator Health: SB 2170 by Rodriguez

This bill would develop educational materials regarding best practices for avoiding adverse effects from pesticides on bees and other pollinating insects.

Senate Agriculture Committee on Monday, April 15

Climate Mitigation: HB 100 by Eric Johnson & HB 928 by Anchia

These bills, respectively, would require state agencies to plan for climate change, and would establish a state climate change commission.

Ask the House Environmental Regulation Committee to set the bills for a hearing

TAKE ACTION!

NOTE: We have set up toll-free numbers for all members of the Texas House and Senate. We ask that you use those numbers and save them in your phones. Dialing this number allows us to track the volume of calls to each office. If the number stops working, please let us know so we can set up a new number.

Find toll free numbers at texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/

Find your elected officials via the “Who Represents Me” page at http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/Home.aspx

Help Texas Impact staff with this bill by emailing us at engagement@texasimpact.org if the office provides you with any helpful information about the bill or their member’s thoughts/concerns.

Long committee hearings continue and floor action is picking up. This week’s action alert has a mix of bills having hearings, bills that need hearings, and updates on bills moving on the floor.

Support

Hurricane Harvey: HB 3616 by Hunter

This bill would create a faith-based task force related to disaster relief.

House Homeland Security Committee hearing Wednesday, April 10

Hurricane Harvey: SB 339 by Huffman

This bill would require sellers of residential real estate to enhance their notice about flood-prone properties

Senate Business and Commerce Committee hearing Tuesday, April 9

Hurricane Harvey: HB 3815 by Morrison

This bill would require sellers of residential real estate to enhance their notice about flood-prone properties

House Business & Industry Committee hearing Tuesday, April 9

Online Lending Reform: SB 1949 by Watson

This bill would give state regulators jurisdiction over loans made by out-of-state lenders to a Texas customer on the internet   

Senate Business and Commerce Committee hearing Tuesday, April 9

Maternal Mortality: HB 1110 by Sarah Davis

This bill would provide continuous coverage to pregnant women for 12 months following the date of delivery

House Human Services hearing Tuesday, April 9

Safe Water: HB 2998 by Talarico

This bill would test for lead in the drinking water at schools and daycares and require remediation and parental notification.

House Natural Resources Committee hearing Tuesday, April 9

Mandatory Reporting: HB 85 by Mary Gonzalez

This bill would end a discriminatory provision that forces mandatory reporters—like youth ministers—to report as child abuse a same-sex relationship between high school students that would not have to be reported if the relationship were between students of the opposite sex.

Ask the House Calendars Committee to set the bill on the General Calendar

Inmate Healthcare: HB 812 by James White

This bill would lower the required copay for inmates to seek medical care from $100 to $3.

Ask your Representative to support on the House Floor on Tuesday, April 9

Death Penalty: HB 1030 by Moody

This bill would require a jury to be unanimous on the questions of “future dangerousness” and “mitigating circumstances” before a defendant can be sentenced to death in a capital case.

Ask your Representative to support on the House Floor on Tuesday, April 9

Climate Adaptation: HB 100 by Eric Johnson & HB 928 by Anchia

These bills, respectively, would require state agencies to plan for climate change, and would establish a state climate change commission.

Ask the House Environmental Regulation Committee to set the bills for a hearing.

Oppose

Preemption: SB 15, SB 2485, SB 2486, SB 2487, and SB 2488 by Creighton

These bills prevent local governments from regulating private business’s employment policies such as hiring, benefits, scheduling, leave, water breaks, nondiscrimination, and criminal history.

These bills have been placed on the Senate Intent Calendar and could come up on the Senate floor at any time

⇨Update: SB 2485, SB 2486, SB 2487, and SB 2488 were heard and voted out of the Senate State Affairs Committee. None of these bills exempt local nondiscrimination ordinances. Bottom line: each bill still overturns local voter’s decisions regarding regulations that fit the values of the community such as protections for LGBT and low-wage Texans.  

License to Discriminate: SB 17 by Perry

This bill would permit dozens of occupational license holders to claim religion as a reason for not complying with a regulation generally applicable to others in their industry.

Call House State Affairs and ask then NOT to hear the bill

TAKE ACTION!

NOTE: We have set up toll-free numbers for all members of the Texas House and Senate. We ask that you use those numbers and save them in your phones. Dialing this number allows us to track the volume of calls to each office. If the number stops working, please let us know so we can set up a new number.

Find toll free numbers at texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/

Find your elected officials via the “Who Represents Me” page at http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/Home.aspx

Help Texas Impact staff with this bill by emailing us at engagement@texasimpact.org if the office provides you with any helpful information about the bill or their member’s thoughts/concerns.

Weekly Witness Action Alert Sample Script

See the list of toll free numbers (https://texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/) for each member of the Texas Legislature and save the number. Using the toll free numbers allow Texas Impact staff to track how many calls are going in to each office.

Sample Script

Hello, my name is _________________and I live in ___________. I am calling to thank Representative/Senator _____________________for his/her service this Legislative Session.

As a person of faith (or clergy) I want to be constructive in working with Representative/Senator _______________ and hope they will oppose SB 17. Discriminatory bills make a mockery of our Constitution by redefining religious freedom to mean religious favoritism.

People in my congregation and network would prefer their senator/representative spend their time on addressing funding for public schools, addressing our health care needs, and other core state issues instead of wasting time on divisive legislation for partisan political gain.

Feel free to use any of the bullet points in the Action Alert above. If your congregation has a special connection to the issue area you are referencing, feel free to briefly reference that connection.

Don’t forget to thank the staff member you are talking to at the end of the call, even if you disagree with their boss on the issue or bill—they are working hard and appreciate being appreciated!

In the past members have occasionally blocked our toll free number because of high call volume from people of faith. We want them to hear your voice, so if you call twice and receive busy signals, email engagement@texasimpact.org and we will update the number.

For updated information, visit www.texasimpact.org, follow us on Facebook or Twitter or contact engagement@texasimpact.org

Texas Impact is a membership organization. Join Texas Impact and be part of Texas’ oldest and largest interfaith action network! For more information, visit: https://texasimpact.org/join

To join the Texas Impact Rapid Response Team and receive updated Texas Impact Action Alerts, visit: https://www.texasimpact.org/take-action

Sign the Letter Urging Lawmakers to Reject Religious Excuses for Abusive Behavior

As one of our nation’s most religiously diverse states, Texas has a strong commitment to upholding the religious freedom enshrined in the US Constitution.

Unfortunately, our state also has a history riddled with tragic examples of individuals and groups whose sincerely held religious beliefs led them to commit heinous acts of abuse and violence.

To prevent “religious freedom” from becoming a “free pass,” Texas has put in place wise religious freedom laws, especially the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, that have used inclusive stakeholder processes and drawn on the wisdom and experience of our state’s religious leaders to ensure that all Texans can practice their faiths in peace and free from fear of persecution, without opening the door to abusive behavior masquerading as religious practice.

On April 17, the House State Affairs Committee will consider two bills that would redefine religious freedom—allowing claims of sincere faith to serve as justification for impermissible behavior. HB 3172 by Krause would permit any person to claim religion as a reason for not complying with generally applicable laws, including precluding the state from revoking a license of a child care facility that uses corporal punishment. HB 1035 by Zedler would permit any person to claim religion as a reason for not complying with generally applicable laws, including provisions precluding the state from revoking a license of a child care facility using corporal punishment, nullifying local nondiscrimination ordinances, permitting discrimination in public accommodations, and regulating bathroom use.

Urge lawmakers to oppose these bills! Add your name to the letter, call your representative, and recruit friends to join you!

Oppose

SB 15 by Creighton

Prevents local governments from regulating private business’s employment policies such as hiring, benefits, scheduling, leave, and criminal history.

This bill has been placed on the Senate Intent Calendar and could come up on the Senate floor at any time

⇨Update: having failed so far to find the 19 votes needed to bring SB 15 up for a vote, the Senate suspended the rules and filed SB 2485, SB 2486, SB 2487, and SB 2488 weeks after the bill filing deadline. These bills divide parts of SB 15 into four separate bills preventing local regulation on benefits, scheduling, leave and criminal history, respectively. None of the bills exempt local nondiscrimination ordinances. Bottom line: each bill still overturns local voter’s decisions regarding regulations that fit the values of the community such as protections for LGBT and low-wage Texans.  

SB 17 by Perry

Creates a “license to discriminate” by providing dozens of occupational license holders a way to claim a religious exemption from regulations generally applicable to others in their industry.

Senate Intent Calendar

⇨Update: Proponents are pushing out action alerts to persuade 19 Senators to bring the bill to the floor.

This bill has been placed on the Senate Intent Calendar and could come up on the Senate floor at any time

Read Texas Impact’s written testimony and view our testimony in committee.

Support

Pollinator Health: HB 136 by Mary Gonzalez & HB 2484 by Farrar

These bills would create a pollinator health committee to study threats to bees and other pollinators and develop a plan to protect them    

House Agriculture & Livestock Committee hearing Monday, April 1

Protecting Fluoride in Community Water: HB 3552 by Sheffield

This bill would require a water supply system to notify customers before it removed or reduced fluoride levels

House Natural Resources Committee hearing Tuesday, April 2

Increasing Consumer Protection in Medicaid Managed Care:

HB 2453 by Sarah Davis

This bill would bill would create several reforms for the Medicaid managed care program that would increase transparency and streamline processes.

House Human Services Committee hearing Tuesday, April 2

Maternal Mortality: HB 2703 by Thierry

This bill would create a data registry on instances of maternal mortality and morbidity in Texas.

House Public Health Committee hearing Wednesday, April 3

Redistricting Commission: HB 312 & HJR 25 by Howard

HB 312 would create a Texas Redistricting Commission. HJR 25 would proposing a constitutional amendment establishing the Texas Redistricting Commission

House Redistricting Committee hearing Thursday, April 4

TAKE ACTION!

NOTE: We have set up toll-free numbers for all members of the Texas House and Senate. We ask that you use those numbers and save them in your phones. Dialing this number allows us to track the volume of calls to each office. If the number stops working, please let us know so we can set up a new number.

Find toll free numbers at texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/

Find your elected officials via the “Who Represents Me” page at http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/Home.aspx

Help Texas Impact staff with this bill by emailing us at engagement@texasimpact.org if the office provides you with any helpful information about the bill or their member’s thoughts/concerns.

Weekly Witness Action Alert Sample Script

See the list of toll free numbers (https://texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/) for each member of the Texas Legislature and save the number. Using the toll free numbers allow Texas Impact staff to track how many calls are going in to each office.

Sample Script

Hello, my name is _________________and I live in ___________. I am calling to thank Representative/Senator _____________________for his/her service this Legislative Session.

As a person of faith (or clergy) I want to be constructive in working with Representative/Senator _______________ and hope they will oppose SB 17. Discriminatory bills make a mockery of our Constitution by redefining religious freedom to mean religious favoritism.

People in my congregation and network would prefer their senator/representative spend their time on addressing funding for public schools, addressing our health care needs, and other core state issues instead of wasting time on divisive legislation for partisan political gain.

Feel free to use any of the bullet points in the Action Alert above. If your congregation has a special connection to the issue area you are referencing, feel free to briefly reference that connection.

Don’t forget to thank the staff member you are talking to at the end of the call, even if you disagree with their boss on the issue or bill—they are working hard and appreciate being appreciated!

In the past members have occasionally blocked our toll free number because of high call volume from people of faith. We want them to hear your voice, so if you call twice and receive busy signals, email engagement@texasimpact.org and we will update the number.

For updated information, visit www.texasimpact.org, follow us on Facebook or Twitter or contact engagement@texasimpact.org

Texas Impact is a membership organization. Join Texas Impact and be part of Texas’ oldest and largest interfaith action network! For more information, visit: https://texasimpact.org/join

To join the Texas Impact Rapid Response Team and receive updated Texas Impact Action Alerts, visit: https://www.texasimpact.org/take-action

Remember to sign up for Rapid Response, and to check our website and Facebook page for late-breaking updates. Things move fast—sometimes hour by hour—from now until Sine Die!

Check out how residents in your area will be impacted by a sales-tax swap in 2020 and 2021.

Support in House Calendars

Children’s Health: HB 342 by Cortez

This bill would cut bureaucratic red tape for parents by providing 12 months of continuous coverage for children in the medical assistance program.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Needle Exchange: HB 75 by Minjarez

This bill would create an exception in the criminal law to the offense of possessing or delivering drug paraphernalia (hypodermic needles) for persons involved in certain public health pilot programs.  

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Religious Liberty: HB 773 by Davis

This bill would allow a person to choose to be cremated by alkaline hydrolysis which is more environmentally friendly that embalming or cremation.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Maternal Mortality: HB 1110 by S. Davis

This bill would provide continuous postnatal health care coverage for up to 12 months rather than the current 60 days.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Oral Health: HB 1647 by Deshotel

This bill would create a pilot program to provide basic dental benefits to adults with disabilities.

Call House Calendars and ask for SUPPORT

Oppose in House Calendars

Government Sponsored Religion: HB 307 by Flynn

This bill would unconstitutionally authorize a public school to post the Ten Commandments in a public school classroom

Call House Calendars and ask them to OPPOSE

Payday Lending Preemption: HB 3899 by Springer

This bill would broadly preempt municipalities from regulating any business, including payday lending and nondiscrimination ordinances passed in many Texas cities.

Call House Calendars and ask them to OPPOSE

Support on House Floor

Support Survivors: HB 1590 by Howard

This bill would establish an Office for Sexual Assault Survivor Assistance wtihin the criminal justice division of the governor’s office.

Call your House member and ask for SUPPORT

Oppose in House State Affairs

Keep standing firm against discriminatory legislation!

“I’m done talking about bashing on the gay community … It’s completely unacceptable. This is 2019.” – Chairman Dade Phelan

Preemption: SB 15, SB 2485, SB 2486, SB 2487, and SB 2488 by Creighton

These bills prevent local governments from regulating private business’s employment policies such as hiring, benefits, scheduling, leave, water breaks, nondiscrimination, and criminal history.

⇨Update: SB 2486 was voted out of committee on Wednesday, May 1. The bill still adversely affects local control and hourly wage earners, but the committee did reinsert language exempting nondiscrimination ordinances. The amendment to exempt nondiscrimination ordinances is worth a “thank you” to the House State Affairs Committee even though we continue to oppose the bill.

License to Discriminate: SB 17 by Perry

This bill would permit dozens of occupational license holders to claim religion as a reason for not complying with a regulation generally applicable to others in their industry.

Call House State Affairs and ask them to OPPOSE

Update: Officially Neutral

Freedom of Association: HB 3172 by Krause

This bill would allow the attorney general to intervene if a governmental entity takes adverse action against a person for their membership, affiliation, or dues with a religious organization.

⇨Update: After a very fluid day on Thursday, April 25, your calls effectively held this bill in committee. The committee heard your concerns, and the bill was substantially reworked to remove the objectionable provisions rewriting the law regarding religiously motivated conduct. Instead, the bill now affirms current law regarding the right to associate. It was voted out of the House State Affairs Committee on April 29, and is in the House Calendars Committee.

Support in Committee

Support Survivors: SB 212 by Huffman

This bill would require universities to report incidents of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking; and create criminal and administrative penalities.

Ask the House Higher Education Committee to SUPPORT this bill which was heard on April 24.

TAKE ACTION!

NOTE: We have set up toll-free numbers for all members of the Texas House and Senate. We ask that you use those numbers and save them in your phones. Dialing this number allows us to track the volume of calls to each office. If the number stops working, please let us know so we can set up a new number.

Find toll free numbers at texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/

Find your elected officials via the “Who Represents Me” page at http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/Home.aspx

Help Texas Impact staff with this bill by emailing us at engagement@texasimpact.org if the office provides you with any helpful information about the bill or their member’s thoughts/concerns.

Weekly Witness Action Alert Sample Script

See the list of toll free numbers (https://texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/) for each member of the Texas Legislature and save the number. Using the toll free numbers allow Texas Impact staff to track how many calls are going in to each office.

Sample Script

Hello, my name is _________________and I live in ___________. I am calling to thank Representative/Senator _____________________for his/her service this Legislative Session.

As a person of faith (or clergy) I want to be constructive in working with Representative/Senator _______________ and hope they will oppose SB 17. Discriminatory bills make a mockery of our Constitution by redefining religious freedom to mean religious favoritism.

People in my congregation and network would prefer their senator/representative spend their time on addressing funding for public schools, addressing our health care needs, and other core state issues instead of wasting time on divisive legislation for partisan political gain.

Feel free to use any of the bullet points in the Action Alert above. If your congregation has a special connection to the issue area you are referencing, feel free to briefly reference that connection.

Don’t forget to thank the staff member you are talking to at the end of the call, even if you disagree with their boss on the issue or bill—they are working hard and appreciate being appreciated!

In the past members have occasionally blocked our toll free number because of high call volume from people of faith. We want them to hear your voice, so if you call twice and receive busy signals, email engagement@texasimpact.org and we will update the number.

For updated information, visit www.texasimpact.org, follow us on Facebook or Twitter or contact engagement@texasimpact.org

Texas Impact is a membership organization. Join Texas Impact and be part of Texas’ oldest and largest interfaith action network! For more information, visit: https://texasimpact.org/join

To join the Texas Impact Rapid Response Team and receive updated Texas Impact Action Alerts, visit: https://www.texasimpact.org/take-action

HB 3616 by Hunter would establish a faith-based task force to help state emergency managers coordinate with faith-based disaster response organizations.

Scheduled for hearing Wednesday, April 10

House Homeland Security Committee

• Private in-kind contributions and volunteer hours may be counted by the state to draw down federal funding in a disaster. The investment faith communities are already making can help the state draw FEMA funds to help rebuild communities, but the state can only claim the private contributions it knows about. Texas currently has no system to track them.
• Often emergency managers do not know all the faith-based groups that exist, nor know what their capabilities and limitations are.
• The task force would issue an interim report to improve the coordination between faith-based, state, and local agencies so Texas can better leverage all its resources in responding to future disasters.
• According to national experts, few if any states have yet to take this kind of comprehensive, coordinated approach, but there are discussions going on across the nation as natural disasters increase.

HB 928 by Anchia would establish a state climate change mitigation and adaptation commission.

NEEDS A COMMITTEE HEARING

House Environmental Regulation Committee

• The commission would bring together public and private sector representatives to develop climate mitigation and adaptation strategies for Texas using the latest available scientific analysis and risk assessment tools.
• The commission would identify the communities, industries, and ecosystems most vulnerable to climate impacts; develop strategies to mitigate potential economic impacts; and coordinate with efforts at the federal and local levels.
• The commission would make recommendations for meeting state climate resilience goals.
• Several large states including Florida and North Carolina have already created similar entities to plan for state and local climate resilience.

HB 100 by Johnson would require state agencies to plan strategically for anticipated changes in climate-related conditions

NEEDS A COMMITTEE HEARING

House Natural Resources Committee

• The bill would add climate impacts to the list of items state agencies already are required to include in their strategic planning processes.
• The bill would direct state agencies to depend on information already provided by the state climatologist, which is a long-standing position housed at Texas A&M University.
• Not all agencies are included—the ones included are those that have programs that could be impacted by weather or natural disasters, including the Department of Agriculture; the Commission on Environmental Quality; the General Land Office; the Department of Housing and Community Affairs; the Department of Insurance; the Department of Parks and Wildlife; the Department of Public Safety; the Public Utility Commission; the Comptroller; the A&M Forest Service; and the Water Development Board.

HB 274 and HJR 145 by Sarah Davis would create the Disaster Reinvestment and Infrastructure Planning (DRIP) revolving fund.

HEARD IN SUBCOMMITTEE ON APRIL 3

House Appropriations

• The DRIP fund would take $15 million from the economic stabilization fund to create a revolving loan program for disaster planning and recovery projects.
• DRIP would financially assist local governments rebuild infrastructure damaged or destroyed in a disaster, or construct new infrastructure to mitigate future disasters, and would be replenished by repayment of the loans.
• DRIP would be similar to SWIFT—the revolving loan fund for water projects established after the 2011 drought.
• Like SWIFT, the DRIP fund would require a constitutional amendment.

Interfaith Lobby Day Legislative Agenda

Thursday, March 28, Texans of faith from throughout the state will gather at the Capitol for Advocacy Training and meetings with legislators. The following is their legislative agenda for those meetings.

You can support their work by calling your legislators and let their office know which bills you support and oppose.

Find your representative at: https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/home

Please use Texas Impact’s toll free numbers so we can track the number of calls each office receives:https://texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/

Interfaith Lobby Day Action Alert

Public Education

Texas needs to raise enough revenue to meet its obligations—and it can’t raise that revenue on the backs of the poor and vulnerable.

Legislators should end tax breaks that don’t serve the public interest.

√ Support House Bill 3275 by González of Dallas which would extend the existing natural gas production tax to flared gas from oil wells

Legislators should provide local decision-makers the broadest possible discretion to act in the best interests of their communities.

√ Oppose Senate Bill 2 by Bettencourt which would force local officials to apply arbitrary caps to local property taxes.

Legislators should commit to fund a consistent share of the cost of public education, including the cost of enrollment growth.

√ Support House Bill 3 by Huberty which would modernize the funding formulas to rebalance the state’s share of public education funding, readjust outdated elements of the current system, and intends to improve equitable distribution to low-income and historically underperforming student groups.

Anti-Discrimination

Texas should support state policies that create an environment of welcome and justice for migrants; prevent discrimination; and reject threats to the rights conferred on all Americans through the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Legislators should create and maintaining accountability systems for detention facilities, foster care systems, and other systems related to migrating people.

√ Support  House Bill 67 by Gonzalez of El Paso which would require the Health & Human Service Commission to track and collect data on each child in a detention center licensed by the state.

Lawmakers should reject any attempt to legislate or empower discrimination against any individual or group based on that individual or group’s inherent human characteristics including but not limited to race, religion, national origin, alienage, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, or genetic information; prevent state policies and programs from giving preference to one faith relative to other faiths or no faith at all; and prevent adherents of any faith from harming non-adherents as an expression of faith.

√ Oppose Senate Bill 15 by Creighton which would prevent cities from passing local regulations regarding private businesses’ employment practices such as paid sick leave and nondiscrimination.

√ Oppose Senate Bill 17 by Perry which would create religious exceptions to generally applicable regulations for occupational licensing holders.

Lawmakers should prevent state policies and programs from forcing any individual to act against their conscience unless there is a compelling state interest.

√ Support HB 85 by Gonzales of El Paso which would repeal a discriminatory provision in the penal code which protects heterosexual high school student relationships, but not same-sex relationships from criminal prosecution.

Health Care and Other Human Needs

Texas should strive to ensure that every person in the state can access the services and supports they need to pursue lives marked by well-being, dignity, and self-sufficiency.

Legislators should take all necessary steps to make federally subsidized health coverage options available to every Texan who meets federal eligibility standards.

√ Support House Bill 1647 by Deshotel and Senate Bill 556 by Kolkhorst which would create a dental benefit for the disabled.

√ Support HB 342 by Cortez which would streamline bureaucratic regulations by providing 12 months of continuous health care coverage for children.

√ Support HB 565 by Coleman which would expand Medicaid and also enshire in state law some of the federal provisions of the Affordable Care Act such as mandatory coverage for preexisting conditions and coverage for adult children up to age 26.

√ Support HJR 40 by Israel, HJR 46 by Bucy, HJR 92 by Reynolds, and SJR 34 by Johnson which would put Medicaid expansion on the ballot for voters to decide.

Legislators should strengthen access to affordable healthy food in disadvantaged communities.

√ Oppose House Bill HB 285 by Springer which would prevent the agency from waiving meritorious work requirement for SNAP.

Climate Change and Disaster Preparedness

Texas should plan proactively for future impacts of climate change.

Legislators should strengthen communication and collaboration between government agencies and faith and community-based organizations to improve effective responses to all hazards.

√ Support HB 3616 by Hunter which would establish a task force to work with state emergency planners to improve coordination between public sector disaster response and faith-based disaster response organizations

√ Support SB 6 by Kolkhorst which would establish a number of processes to improve disaster response and recovery.

Legislators should direct state agencies to estimate and plan for costs attributable to climate change, such as those associated with natural disasters.

√ Support HB 100 by Johnson which would require state agencies to account for scientifically predicted future impact of climate change in their agency’s strategic plan.

√ Support HB 928 by Anchia, all of which would establish a state climate change mitigation and adaptation commission similar to those established in other states.

Don’t forget to thank the staff member you are talking to at the end of the call, even if you disagree with their boss on the issue or bill—they are working hard and appreciate being appreciated!

In the past members have occasionally blocked our toll free number because of high call volume from people of faith. We want them to hear your voice, so if you call twice and receive busy signals, email engagement@texasimpact.org and we will update the number.

For updated information, visit www.texasimpact.org, follow us on Facebook or Twitter or contact engagement@texasimpact.org

Texas Impact is a membership organization. Join Texas Impact and be part of Texas’ oldest and largest interfaith action network! For more information, visit: https://texasimpact.org/join

To join the Texas Impact Rapid Response Team and receive updated Texas Impact Action Alerts, visit: http://www.texasimpact.org/take-action

Action Alert: Oppose SB 17

Don’t Let Texas Grant a “License to Discriminate”

SB 17 would permit workers with state licenses—more than 20% of Texas’ workforce—to claim a “sincerely held religious belief” as an excuse for discrimination.

Licensing boards—like those that regulate pharmacists or therapists— would not be allowed to discipline “religious refusal” discrimination for more than 100 licensed occupations.

Call your state senator and urge him/her to oppose SB 17 by Senator Perry, which would abandon the well-crafted religious liberty protections of the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act and replace them with broad, vague language that will lead to suffering, lawsuits.

• Polling says most Texans of faith oppose giving a free pass to discriminate because of religious beliefs, and support nondiscrimination.
• Discriminatory bills make a mockery of religious freedom.
• Texans don’t want more divisive, hate-filled “bathroom-bill style” fighting like in 2017–legislators need to keep their eyes on schools, health care, disaster planning, and other substantive issues.

TAKE ACTION!

NOTE: We have set up toll-free numbers for all members of the Texas House and Senate. We ask that you use those numbers and save them in your phones. Dialing this number allows us to track the volume of calls to each office. If the number stops working, please let us know so we can set up a new number.

Find toll free numbers at texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/

Find your elected officials via the “Who Represents Me” page at http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/Home.aspx

Help Texas Impact staff with this bill by emailing us at engagement@texasimpact.org if the office provides you with any helpful information about the bill or their member’s thoughts/concerns.

Weekly Witness Action Alert Sample Script

See the list of toll free numbers (https://texasimpact.org/texas-elected-officials/) for each member of the Texas Legislature and save the number. Using the toll free numbers allow Texas Impact staff to track how many calls are going in to each office.

Sample Script

Hello, my name is _________________and I live in ___________. I am calling to thank Representative/Senator _____________________for his/her service this Legislative Session.

As a person of faith (or clergy) I want to be constructive in working with Representative/Senator _______________ and hope they will oppose SB 17. Discriminatory bills make a mockery of our Constitution by redefining religious freedom to mean religious favoritism.

People in my congregation and network would prefer their senator/representative spend their time on addressing funding for public schools, addressing our health care needs, and other core state issues instead of wasting time on divisive legislation for partisan political gain.

Feel free to use any of the bullet points in the Action Alert above. If your congregation has a special connection to the issue area you are referencing, feel free to briefly reference that connection. 

Don’t forget to thank the staff member you are talking to at the end of the call, even if you disagree with their boss on the issue or bill—they are working hard and appreciate being appreciated!

In the past members have occasionally blocked our toll free number because of high call volume from people of faith. We want them to hear your voice, so if you call twice and receive busy signals, email engagement@texasimpact.org and we will update the number.

For updated information, visit www.texasimpact.org, follow us on Facebook or Twitter or contact engagement@texasimpact.org

Texas Impact is a membership organization. Join Texas Impact and be part of Texas’ oldest and largest interfaith action network! For more information, visit: https://texasimpact.org/join

To join the Texas Impact Rapid Response Team and receive updated Texas Impact Action Alerts, visit: https://www.texasimpact.org/take-action