Texas Eagle Forum
State Legislative Alert (April 5, 1999)
by Cathie Adams, president, cathieadams@texaseagle.org
IN THIS ISSUE:

Legislative Handbook

E-mail your request for a copy of our Texas Legislative Handbook and send $5 by snail mail to PO Box 795354, Dallas, TX 75379.

Contact your State Legislator

Capitol switchboard: 512-463-4630

Legislator’s e-mail:

    House member: firstname.lastname@house.state.tx.us
    Senate member: firstname.lastname@senate.state.tx.us

You can obtain the full text of the bills at http://www.capitol.state.tx.us

STATE BILLS:

FINGERPRINTS
HB 571 by Hupp will have a PUBLIC HEARING on Tuesday, April 6th regarding changes the Transportation Code to delete the requirement of thumbprints or fingerprints.

 HOMOSEXUAL “MARRIAGES”
HB 383 by Chisum would prohibit acceptance of same-sex “marriages” from other states. Texas already denies such unions, however, it is probable that the state of Vermont will condone them within the next 4 to 6 weeks. If Texas does NOT pass a “Defense of Marriage Act” before Vermont’s judicial decision, then homosexuals will travel from Texas to Vermont to marry and return here with license in hand. At that time, our only option will be to either file lawsuits in hopes of invalidating them or accept homosexual “marriages.”
Please ask Chairman Steve Wolens to allow a hearing for Chisum’ s bill.
House State Affairs Committee:
steven.wolens@house.state.tx.us512-463-0746
sylvester.turner@house.state.tx.us512-463-0554
leo.alvarado@house.state.tx.us512-463-0616
kevin.bailey@house.state.tx.us512-463-0924
kenneth.brimer@house.state.tx.us512-463-0632
david.counts@house.state.tx.us512-463-0480
tom.craddick@house.state.tx.us512-463-0500
paul.hilbert@house.state.tx.us512-463-0572
bob.hunter@house.state.tx.us512-463-0718
delwin.jones@house.state.tx.us512-463-0542
john.longoria@house.state.tx.us512-463-0618
ken.marchant@house.state.tx.us512-463-0468
brian.mccall@house.state.tx.us512-463-0594
tommy.merritt@house.state.tx.us512-463-0750


IMMUNIZATIONS
House Bills dealing with immunizations and registries are scheduled for PUBLIC HEARINGS on Wednesday, April 7th: TEF supports HB 1347 by Green, HB 1381 by Isett and HB 2722 by Hupp. TEF opposes HB 3036 by Smithee. We believe parents should have the right to chose when and what immunizations their children will receive.

 SMALL BUSINESSES
HB 1471 by Hilbert will have a PUBLIC HEARING on Tuesday, April 6th that would change the Government Code to require, at the request of the chair of a committee of either house of the legislature, a statement describing the regulatory and fiscal effects on small businesses (less than 50 employees) of a proposed bill.

 SOCIALIZED MEDICINE: Children’s Health Insurance Program/CHIP
The ultra-liberal House Public Health Committee considered SB 445 by Senator Moncrief last week and adopted amendments that direct the tobacco settlement revenues FIRST PRIORITY to CHIP and to allow for eligibility of 200% of the federal poverty level. Committee vice-chairman Maxey (a homosexual) said if the number of applicants managed to exceed the available slots, the state could establish a waiting list.
He said,
“If we hit it [the enrollment cap for children], I will do a jig in the Capitol rotunda.”

Delisi (a Republican) vowed,
“I’ll do it with you.”

A related bill, HB 2708 by Coleman, creates a state-funded program to provide insurance for children of “qualified aliens.”

 TAXES
Sadly, Gov. Bush wants the state to give school districts funds in lieu of tax breaks. The House Appropriations Committee put the liberal, home-invasive, parental- responsibility-abusing Healthy Kids/Healthy Start program on its “wish list” while the Senate Finance Committee has appropriated funds for it. HJR 21 by Wohlgemuth will have a PUBLIC HEARING regarding a constitutional amendment that would require a 2/3s vote of the legislature to enact certain tax bills: an increase in the rate of a state tax, extending taxing to items not previously taxed or taxes that increase the tax liability of all persons, property, transactions, or other items subject to the tax.

TEXAS CONSTITUTION
SB 1 by Ratliff would re-write the Texas Constitution and allow the APPOINTMENT rather than the ELECTION of most statewide officeholders, including judges. Right now, it looks unlikely that the Senate will have the required support of 21 Senators to bring the bill up for a vote. The House Select Committee on Constitutional Revision is still working.

Legislative Advertising, Texas Eagle Forum, Cathie Adams, P.O. Box 795354, Dallas, TX 75379.

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