This week is going to be a very bad week for LGBTQ equality. The news cycle will be consumed with anti-LGBTQ bills practically all week. In this action alert, we have prioritized the worst of the worst: ending gender affirming care — currently the best practice known to medical science — for children experiencing gender dysphoria. Our LGBTQ rights team is fully engaged and coordinating with other equality organizations on all the bills. If you have not already joined, then you may do so here.
Additionally, there are good and bad bills on a number of topics, and not all are included here. That’s because some are moving targets — like the electric grid — and you will hear about them soon when they emerge from the committee process. Others are more fully worked out — for better or worse — and need your action now.
This week’s committee agendas have bills on maternal mortality, disaster resilience and voting rights. Floor action also is beginning in both chambers. As always at this point in session, be on the lookout for supplemental action alerts in the middle of the week. Senate committees only require 48 hours notice, and rules regularly are suspended. Additionally, you never know for sure what will come up on the Senate floor.
House Public Health
Monday, March 27
E2.036 at 8 AM
Oppose HB 1686 by Oliverson. HB 1686 would prohibit gender affirming care for minors, including hormone therapies. The bill would exempt children born intersex, which would allow parents and doctors to impose a gender on an infant born intersex. The bill would also prohibit any public money from being used in the CHIP program, and contains a provision that would allow the Attorney General to bring a civil action against parents and providers. HB 1686 is the companion to SB 14 by Campbell (below).
Support HB 663 & 852 by Thierry. HB 663 & 852 would improve the data collection related to maternal mortality and morbidity in Texas, and expand the membership of the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee.
HB 1847 by Howard also would adjust current law to improve the work of the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee.
Get these bills moving! The following bills have not been scheduled for committee hearings yet. There are only two more weeks left in the prime window for bills to be heard in their originating chamber. Urge Chair Klick to hear these bills before April 15.
↓ ↓ ↓
HB 647 by Hinojosa would allow individuals who sign advance directives and do-not-resuscitate orders to specify modifications to their orders that would apply if they are pregnant.
HB 979 by Howard would create an exception to Texas’ prohibition on abortion in cases of rape or incest.
HB 2215 by Howard would provide vital clarification that doctors may perform abortions if in the doctor’s best medical judgment, abortion is necessary to preserve the pregnant patient’s life, future fertility, or physical or mental health, or is requested because of a lethal fetal anomaly.
Call the House Public Health Committee
Chair: Rep. Stephanie Klick – (855) 701-2295
Vice Chair: Rep. Elizabeth “Liz” Campos – (866) 695-0632
Rep. Nicole Collier – (866) 573-1657
Rep. Jacey Jetton – (855) 942-3074
Rep. Ann Johnson – (866) 721-0892
Rep. Jolanda “Jo” Jones – (866) 730-0849
Rep. Venton Jones – (866) 631-6167
Rep. Tom Oliverson – (855) 702-6654
Rep. Four Price – (855) 704-0109
Rep. Reggie Smith – (855) 918-1295
Rep. Tony Tinderholt – (866) 573-1656
Senate Floor
Likely Monday, March 27
Oppose SB 14 by Campbell. SB 14 would prohibit gender affirming care for minors, including hormone therapies. The bill would exempt children born intersex, which would allow parents and doctors to impose a gender on an infant born intersex. The bill would also prohibit any public money from being used in the CHIP program, and contains a provision that would allow the Attorney General to bring a civil action against parents and providers. SB 14 by Campbell is the companion to HB 1686 (above).
Call your state senator.
Senate State Affairs
Monday, March 27
Senate Chamber at 9 AM
Support SB 477 by Zaffirini. SB 477 would make it easier for persons with disabilities to vote, including giving priority in line to persons with disabilities and designating two parking spots for curbside voting.
Oppose SB 990 by Hall. SB 990 would eliminate the countywide polling place program, which means a person would have to vote in their precinct in those counties that currently allow countywide polling rather than being able to vote anywhere in the county.
Call the Senate State Affairs Committee
Chair: Sen. Hughes – (866) 730-0869
Vice Chair: Sen. Paxton – (866) 730-1371
Sen. Schwertner – (866) 730-1359
Sen. Perry – (866) 821-0521
Sen. Menendez – (866) 772-1954
Sen. Parker – (866) 730-1397
Sen. Zaffirini – (866) 770-7383
Sen. LaMantia – (866) 821-0518
Sen. Bettencourt – (866) 730-1365
Sen. Birdwell – (866) 770-7384
Sen. Middleton – (866) 730-1396
House Floor
Tuesday, March 28
Support HB 300 by Howard. HB 300 would exempt diapers, baby wipes, feminine hygiene products, and maternity clothes from the sales tax, which makes the sales tax less regressive.
Call your state representative.
House Homeland Security
Tuesday, March 28
E2.012 at 2 PM
Support HB 570 by Raymond. HB 570 would have the Texas Division of Emergency Management conduct a study of the potential effects of droughts and wildfires in order to make the state more resilient to increasing extreme weather events.
Call the House Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee
Chair: Rep. Ryan Guillen – (855) 737-9013
Vice Chair: Rep. Jarvis Johnson – (855) 738-4981
Rep. Rhetta Andrews Bowers – (855) 739-2182
Rep. Terry Canales – (855) 768-3031
Rep. Mark Dorazio – (855) 769-0800
Rep. Vikki Goodwin – (855) 772-2323
Rep. Sam Harless – (855) 685-2930
Rep. Justin Holland – (855) 774-9591
Rep. Ellen Troxclair – (855) 918-1293
House Ag & Livestock
Wednesday, March 29
E2.012 at 2 PM
Support HB 2886 by Gonzalez & HB 3322 by Goodwin. Both bills would create an office of food systems to promote food security. HB 2886 has the office focus more on the demand side and HB 3322 focuses more on the supply side. Both would be good and complement each other.
Support HB 3323 by Goodwin. HB 3323 would create a food system security and resiliency planning council that would create a food system security plan.
Call the House Agriculture & Livestock Committee
Chair: Rep. Briscoe Cain – (866) 721-0617
Vice Chair: Rep. Charles “Doc” Anderson – (866) 515-0772
Rep. Diego M. Bernal – (866) 695-0634
Rep. Vikki Goodwin – (855) 772-2323
Rep. Cody Harris – (855) 921-1364
Rep. Stan Kitzman – (866) 554-5253
Rep. Jon E. Rosenthal – (866) 721-0893
Rep. Kronda Thimesch – (866) 523-0494
Rep. Terry M. Wilson – (855) 921-1379
House Healthcare Reform
Thursday, March 30
E2.028 at 8 PM
Support HB 2873 by Howard. HB 2873 would create a strategic plan for improving maternal health.
Call the House Select Committee on Healthcare Reform
Chair: Rep. Sam Harless – (855) 685-2930
Vice Chair: Rep. Donna Howard – (855) 685-2931
Rep. Greg Bonnen, M.D. – (855) 692-0017
Rep. John H. Bucy III – (855) 692-0019
Rep. James Frank – (855) 693-3927
Rep. Stephanie Klick – (855) 701-2295
Rep. Eddie Morales – (855) 701-2722
Rep. Tom Oliverson – (855) 702-6654
Rep. Four Price – (855) 704-0109
Rep. Toni Rose – (855) 704-0851
Rep. Armando Walle – (855) 704-2091
House Environmental Regulation
Thursday, March 30
E2.030 at 10:30 PM
Oppose HB 2211 by Landgraf. HB 2211 would preempt local governments from regulating greenhouse gas emissions, which would include things like regulations for gas stations. Urban local governments have a number of considerations such as air quality attainment goals. Bottom line: this is an issue for local voters to decide at the ballot box. HB 2211 is the companion for SB 784.
Call the House Environmental Regulation Committee
Chair: Rep. Brooks Landgraf – (855) 799-2437
Vice Chair: Rep. R.D. “Bobby” Guerra – (866) 486-7132
Rep. Keith Bell – (855) 921-1360
Rep. Jay Dean – (855) 921-1362
Rep. John Kuempel – (866) 488-3704
Rep. Janie Lopez – (866) 442-1946
Rep. Terry Meza – (866) 631-6170
Rep. Penny Morales Shaw – (866) 730-0865
Rep. Ron Reynolds – (866) 211-9871
House Elections
Thursday, March 30
E2.016 at 10:30 PM
Oppose HB 2020 by Oliverson. HB 2020 would empower the Secretary of State to unilaterally remove a county’s election administrator and install a new one. There would be no judicial review or any other check and balance on the power. In fact, there is no due process, but only that the Governor-appointed Secretary of State “has good cause to believe that” there is a problem. Additionally, the successor installed by the Secretary of State has no required qualifications and could serve “until the secretary determines” the problems are rectified. HB 2020 is a dangerous precedent that undermines the confidence in the free and fairness of our elections.
Support HB 703 by Jessica Gonzalez. HB 703 would ensure an election worker gets paid for an extra hour if it requires more time to set up or close out a polling location. HB 703 is the companion to SB 1052 by Springer from the March 13 action alert, which has been reported from its Senate committee.
Call the House Elections Committee
Chair: Rep. Reggie Smith – (855) 918-1295
Vice Chair: Rep. John H. Bucy III – (855) 692-0019
Rep. Dustin Burrows – (855) 767-5441
Rep. Giovanni Capriglione – (855) 918-1296
Rep. Mano DeAyala – (855) 918-1299
Rep. Christian Manuel – (855) 918-1301
Rep. Eddie Morales – (855) 701-2722
Rep. Valoree Swanson – (855) 918-1302
Rep. Hubert Vo – (855) 921-0651
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.
If you do not have time to make all of the calls on the weekly Action Alert, unless stated otherwise, please prioritize them based on:
- Your representative if they are on any of the committees listed
- The Chair and Vice-Chair of the committees listed
- Any issues you have particular interest or expertise
Find your elected officials via the “Who Represents Me” page at http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/Home.aspx
Please email scott@texasimpact.org if you learn anything from your calls.
Rapid Response Action Alert Sample Script
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 support/oppose Bill number.
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, legislative offices occasionally have blocked our toll free number because of high call volume from people of faith. 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 To join the Texas Impact Rapid Response Team and receive updated Texas Impact Action Alerts or a Legislative Engagement Group to be connected with other members in your district, visit: https://texasimpact.org/take-action-2/
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-2022-2023/