Since ancient times, people of faith have heard the prophets’ calls to do justice—to speak the truth with love and courage to those in power.

Today in Texas, there are some truths our leaders would rather not have to hear. Children go hungry and homeless, victims and offenders go unreconciled and unrestored, natural resources are damaged and depleted. The narrow self interests of the wealthy and powerful too often trump the common good and the welfare of the vulnerable.

But it doesn’t have to stay this way. Our faith assures us that God loves us and wants us to participate in mending what is broken in the world.

Texas Impact calls on people of faith to stand up in the public square for our shared values of family and community. We promote an agenda of freedom, justice and economic opportunity for all people.

Legislative Priorities for the 80th Legislature 

HUMAN DIGNITY

Health Care Reform

• Maximize enrollment in existing children’s health insurance programs
• Increase availability of employer-sponsored insurance
• Create transparency in health insurance costs

Protection and Justice for All Texans

• Strengthen and fully fund probation programs and other alternatives to
incarceration
• Strengthen the state’s indigent defense system and make funding permanent for the Indigent Defense Act of 2001
• Increase salaries and professional development for corrections officers
• Increase funding and support for the chaplain corps within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ)
• Tighten prohibitions against hate crimes and bullying
• Strengthen families’ ability to be self sufficient and respect the human dignity and human rights of documented and undocumented immigrants

Public Education

• Increase salaries for public school employees
• Maintain and improve equity in public school funding throughout Texas
• Ensure every Texas child access to quality public education

STEWARDSHIP OF RESOURCES

Our Shared Financial Resources

• Calculate property values fairly and transparently and assess property taxes impartially according to the standards established in the Peveto Bill
• Establish a progressive state personal income tax

Texas’ Natural Resources

• Increase renewable energy as a share of Texas’ electric power supply
• Reduce per capita electricity consumption through comprehensive energy efficiency programs
• Increase vehicle emissions standards

Energy Equity

• Ensure that environmental protection, ratepayer protection and energy conservation programs in Texas benefit low income energy customers
• Include energy efficient appliances in the state’s “sales tax holiday”

RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT

Responsible Planning

• Impose a “time out” on permitting of power plants until lawmakers can evaluate comprehensive information about Texas’ future energy needs and alternatives to address them
• Require legislative budget committees to compare all proposed budgets to the full cost of maintaining current service levels, taking into account inflation and workload increases

Election Reform

• Limit the amount of money an individual can contribute to a political campaign