This is an urgent status update and ACTION ALERT on the Texas Sovereignty Act (HB 796).

As we speak there is a non-transparent, behind-the-scenes-effort to gut the Texas Sovereignty Act that the Texas Constitutional Enforcement group met to draft in 2016 and on its fifth session, has passed the Texas House and had a Senate hearing.

The effort, which I am told is coming out of the Lieutenant Governor’s office, but I suspect is instigated by Senator Brian Birdwell, seeks to completely replace the comprehensive Texas Sovereignty Act with the language of SB 707 which was a bill to say that future Texas legislatures can pass resolutions to push back on “federal directives,” if passed with a majority in one chamber and two thirds of the other chamber. The only action directed by SB 707 if such a resolution passes is that state officials are prohibited from assisting the feds on that directive.

The RPT End Federal Overreach Legislative Priority Committee considered both the Texas Sovereignty Act (HB 796) and SB 707 early in the session, endorsing HB 796 and declining to endorse SB 707. The reasoning was that the legislature can already pass resolutions and legislation without SB 707, so the bill is virtually useless. Worse, the addition of the 2/3 majority of one chamber makes it even harder to push back on the feds than it is if we pass nothing.

It is this SB 707 emperor-without-clothes-bill that the Lieutenant Governor reportedly is pushing Senate sponsor Bob Hall to use to kill HB 796 and for Senate State Affairs Chair Bryan Hughes to enforce by refusing to hold a committee vote on HB 796, but only the gutted shell with SB 707 language. In the hearing on HB 796 yesterday, Senator Brian Birdwell spent half an hour critiquing the bill, and refused to solicit any feedback on his opposition.

From my perspective, and I think, Senator Hall’s perspective, we are not opposed to Birdwell’s comments about 1) insuring that the language of the bill urges the legislative interpreters to consider the intent of all the amendments to the Constitution, 2) changing the standing committee’s quorum statement to avoid potential domination by one chamber over another, and 3) to remove the required two thirds majority for recission that had been grafted in via a committee sub. But toward the end, Birdwell’s real agenda comes out, saying that he does not support the underlying philosophy of the Texas Sovereignty Act, preferring the useless SB 707.

In the comments Senator Birdwell made in the hearing, he restated his position that Texas does not have the authority to pass a law to make it illegal to cross our border with Mexico between ports of entry, based on the same federal judicial supremacy philosophy with which he opposes HB 796. In a special session in 2023, because the rest of the Republican Senators disagreed with that, the Lieutenant Governor ended up having to move the Texas law to criminalize illegal crossing out of Chair Birdwell’s committee to get it passed, and in the end, Birdwell was the sole Republican voting against the bill.

This appears to me to be the same situation, Senator Birdwell historically has the respect of his colleagues on constitutional issues (and he has mine, as well), and I suspect he is the source of the back-room opposition to HB 796. I think that this situation needs to be exposed and that the people of Texas need a vote on an intact HB 796. I suspect that when we do, we will see that once again, Senator Birdwell is out of step with his Republican colleagues and the people of Texas in an area of vital importance to the future liberty of Texans from centralized tyranny.

So, the ACTIONS needed are to:

• Urge the Lieutenant Governor to allow a vote on an intact HB 796, using this link. (See below what I sent using the link.)

• Urge Chair Bryan Hughes to allow a rapid committee vote on an intact HB 796,

• Urge the Senate State Affairs Committee members to vote for an intact HB 796.

• Urge Cecil Bell, the House author to stand firm and refuse to concur with the gutting of his bill if it comes that way back to the House. Bell, should instead seek a vote of nonconcurrence in the House, so that conferees can actually get a good bill and not a destructive one passed, this session.

• Use this link to send one email to Senate State Affairs Chair Hughes, the Republicans on Senate State Affairs (including Bob Hall, but excluding Senator Birdwell, and House Sponsor Cecil Bell. (See below what I sent using the link.)

BTW, one of the pieces of evidence that the Lieutenant Governor has been swayed for now to gut HB 796 is the very fact that the Birdwell opened up for public view the half hour debate with Hall over the bill in committee.  The Senate historically (urged by the Lieutenant Governor) tries to iron out such disagreements behind the scenes instead of in public. The fact that this push-back by Birdwell was allowed is a signal of Lieutenant Governor approval for Birdwell’s opposition.

I hope that we can persuade the Lieutenant Governor that like on the border last session, he should go with a proper understanding of the power of Texas under the U.S. Constitution, rather than taking the subservient role that Birdwell advocates.

Also BTW, I have been urged that I should take something, rather than nothing in this process. My own words of “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good,” were thrown back at me. I was also advised that if we at least pass something this session, it will be easier to come back next session to get it better.

But SB 707 is not good, and it is not progress. It moves us backward. I am unwilling to abandon the work of a decade for going the wrong direction without a fight. Part of the problem we have always faced is just getting our lawmakers and statewide elected officials to engage in thinking about and commenting and acting on these issues. To back off now robs us of the very rare chance to engage our elected officials on this. To back off now, allows our vital and valid ideas to be rejected in secret with reasoning or debate.

We have come too far to kill ourselves right before we have victory. I hope you will join me in once again, asking for what we want, and not settling for being ignored.

Toward liberty,

Tom Glass
832-472-4726
txce.org
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This is what I sent to the Lieutenant Governor using this link:

Subject: Please Don’t Kill the Texas Sovereignty Act (HB 796)!

This is to request that the Lieutenant Governor urge that the Senate State Affairs Committee vote out either the original HB 796 or the committee substitute introduced to the committee yesterday, May 15.

We understand that Senator Birdwell is urging the wholesale replacement of HB 796 with language from SB 707, and we are very much opposed to this killing action.

The Republican Party of Texas End Federal Overreach Legislative Priority Committee evaluated both HB 796 and SB 707 early in the session and endorsed HB 796 and declined to endorse SB 707.

The rationale for opposing SB 707 is that first, by requiring future legislatures to have a two-thirds vote in one chamber or the other to pass a resolution to resist unconstitutional directives, it actually makes it harder to resist federal overreach than it is, today.

Even if that is fixed, SB 707 merely restates what future legislators can already do -- pass legislation declaring disagreement with federal action. SB 707, at best, is a useless waste of time, and at worst, gets in the way of resisting federal overreach.

By stark contrast, HB 796 is a comprehensive way for Texans to come together, outside the press of the legislative session, and work together to push back on federal overreach, stating the reasons why.

I will point out that last session, Senator Birdwell's hesitancy to push back on the feds and stand up for Texas led you and the Senate to have to work around him to get legislation passed to make it illegal under Texas law to cross the Mexico-Texas border.

We believe that the people of Texas (as evidenced by the RPT making End Federal Overreach a Legislative Priority) want the Texas legislature to resist federal overreach and that every other Republican Senator joins them in this effort.

Please, do not allow Senator Birdwell to derail the vital Republican and Texan priority to protect the rights of Texans and sovereignty of Texas.

This is what I sent to Chair Hughes, the State Affairs Committee, and House author, Cecil Bell using this link:

Subject: Please Don’t Kill the Texas Sovereignty Act (HB 796)!

We are being told that there is a push to completely replace HB 796 with the language of SB 707 in Senate State Affairs. This is to urge you to push for a vote and vote for the original HB 796, or the committee sub already submitted by Senator Hall and to not approve its replacement with SB 707.

SB 707 actually moves us backward on resisting federal overreach by setting the bar that two-thirds in one of two chambers to pass resolutions pushing back. And, even if that is fixed, SB 707 merely states what the legislature can already do, which is to pass legislation to push back against the feds.

HB 796 is a comprehensive way for Texans to come together, outside the press of the legislative session, and work together to push back on federal overreach, stating the reasons why.

I note that the Republican Party of Texas End Federal Overreach Legislative Priority endorsed HB 796 as its premier bill fulfilling the End Federal Overreach priority and rejected SB 707 as backwards movement toward that goal.

Looking at the week ahead for the Texas Constitutional Enforcement Legislative Agenda and a few extra bills I am tracking.

We have switched now into the race for the finish in the Texas Legislature.

If a bill that originated in the House has not been placed on the Calendar by now, it is unlikely to be voted on by the House Rule deadline for second reading of regular House bills this Thursday, May 15. There are a large number of bills already on the Calendar. The House did NOT meet, today on Mother’s Day, as originally announced, and the Democrats have already begun chubbing (the practice of delaying by excessive discussion on bills), especially any bills protecting children or pushing back on the trans-agenda. There is no guarantee even that all the original House bills already on the Monday, May 12 Calendar will get a vote in time.

The bills I am tracking that are on the Monday’s House Calendar that might make it or might not by Thursday evening, in order of being in most danger, are:

• HB 3219 by Joanne Shofner that allow ivermectin sale without prescription.
• HB 2333 by Andy Hopper that extends statute of limitations on election law violations from 3 to 5 years
• HB 3441 by Shelley Luther that imposes liability on vax manufacturers who advertise in Texas (RPT Legislative Priority)
• HB 2078 by Stan Gerdes that modifies the process for updating groundwater district desired future conditions.
• HB 4271 by Stan Gerdes that requires TCEQ hearings for new composting facilities
• HB 3592 by Dade Phelan that limits individual contributions to Texas and local races from outside Texas (RPT Legislative Priority)
• HB 1586 by Lacey Hull that streamlines parents obtaining exemption from school vax requirements for their children (RPT Legislative Priority)

Note that bills that passed the Senate and need approval in the Texas House can be voted on second reading on the House floor until end of day, Tuesday, May 27. Those bills have to have the reports distributed out of committee by end of next week, Saturday, May 24. The practical deadline is probably sooner.

For bills coming from the House to the Senate, the last day the Senate rules allow a bill to be voted on is Wednesday, May 28.

My main focus this week will be to work to insure that the big three Texas Constitutional Enforcement bills that passed the House, get a timely hearing and vote in the Texas Senate. Those are:

• Texas Sovereignty Act – HB 796 – presumably will be assigned to Senate State Affairs. Presuming that State Senator Bob Hall, the author of the Senate companion, SB 80 will be the Senate sponsor. Bryan Hughes is the Senate State Affairs Chair. (RPT Legislative Priority)
• Currency Choice Amendment – HJR 175 – has not yet been received by the Senate, but presumably will be assigned to Senate Business & Commerce, where the Senate companion, SJR 55, has already been assigned. Charles Schwertner is Senate Business & Commerce Chair. Presumably, Senator Tan Parker, the author of the Senate companion, SJR 55 will be the Senate sponsor.
• Transactional Gold – HB 1056 – was assigned on May 6 to Senate Finance, chaired by Joan Huffman. Presumably, Bryan Hughes, the author of Senate companion SB 2002, will be the Senate sponsor.

Two bills on the Texas Constitutional Enforcement Legislative Agenda that are out of one chamber and have hearings up in the other chamber so far this week, are listed below.  You can make online comments in the House hearing below.

Monday, May 12

House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services – Starts at 8:00 am in E2.012

Online comments: https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c395

Hearing notice: https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/schedules/html/C3952025051208001.HTM

SB 512 – Lois Kolkhorst – Prohibits money services companies like Paypal from penalizing Texas customers for speech the service provider does not like.

Tuesday, May 13

Senate Criminal Justice – Starts at 8:00 am in E1.016

Hearing notice:

https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/schedules/html/C5902025051308001.HTM

HB 45 – Lacey Hull/Joan Huffman Senate Sponsor – Allows Attorney General to prosecute human trafficking crime after 6 months inactivity by DA.

Texas Constitutional Enforcement
2025 Legislative Agenda Status Report

May 11, 2025

1. End Federal Overreach

Texas Sovereignty Act – Joint legislative committee recommends unconstitutional federal acts for declaration by legislature and governor. (RPT End Federal Overreach Priority). (RPT Platform Plank 20) (HB 796 Cecil Bell / SB 80 Bob Hall). May 7 – Passed Texas House!

Resist Federal Red Flag Orders -- (RPT End Federal Overreach Priority). (RPT Platform Plank 19 b) (HB 162 Briscoe Cain / SB 1362 Bryan Hughes). Mar 27 SB 1362 Passed Senate! May 8 Heard in House Crim Jurisprudence Subcommittee.

Protect County and District Attorneys From the Feds – Allows Attorney General to defend county and district attorneys in actions taken against them by the feds for enforcing state law, if the county/district attorneys request. (RPT End Federal Overreach Priority). (RPT Platform Planks 5 and 20) (SB 888 Lois Kolkhorst / HB 2460 Jeff Leach). Apr 10 – SB 888 Passed Senate. May 9 SB 888 Passed House.

Don’t Mess With Texas Elections – limits on funding from outside Texas for Texas races. (RPT End Federal Overreach Priority). (RPT Platform Plank 202) (SB 405 Mayes Middleton / HB 3592 Dade Phelan). Apr 16 HB 3592 passed House State Affairs. May 10 On House Calendar.

Disconnects Texas Firearms Law from Feds – removes prohibition of short barrel rifles from Texas law. (RPT Plank 19) (HB 259 Richard Hayes / SB 1596 Brent Hagenbuch) Apr 16 SB 1596 Passed Senate. Apr 30 Passed House Homeland Security. May 8 - in Calendars.

Stuck in Committee – the following RPT End Federal Overreach Priorities are stuck:

Protect the Texas National Guard (RPT Platform Plank 247) (HB 930 Briscoe Cain). (RPT End Federal Overreach Priority). House Homeland Security Mar 17 hearing. DEAD due to chair refusal to hold vote.

Resist FBI Weaponization Against Texans -- Require feds to get sheriff and AG permission for arrests and searches in county. (RPT Platform Plank 5) (HB 1982 & HB 3932 Andy Hopper.) DEAD due to chair refusal to hold hearing.

Run Texas Elections Separately from Federal Elections – (RPT Platform Plank 221 g) (HB 209 Mike Schofield, SB 106 Bob Hall).

Refuse to Cooperate With Federal Health Emergencies – (SB 131 Bob Hall).

2. Fighting Inflation, CBDC, Globalism, and ESG

Currency Choice Amendment to protect the natural right to hold and trade with any medium of exchange including cash, coin, digital currency, and scrip. (RPT Platform Plank 30 d and 80). (SJR 55 Tan Parker / HJR 175 Stan Gerdes / HJR 177 Andy Hopper). Apr 24 HJR 175 voted out of committee. May 9 Passed Texas House!

Transactional Gold –provide ability for Texans to use a credit card or digital app to spend stored gold or silver in ordinary transactions (RPT Platform Plank 80). (HB 1056 Mark Dorazio / SB 2002 Bryan Hughes) May 2 Passed Texas House w Geren poison pill amendment that needs to be stripped out in Senate. May 6 Assigned to Senate Finance.

Rule-of-Law Enforcement:

• Make Texas Supreme Court final arbiter of all constitutional questions (SB 1210 Bryan Hughes / HB 933 David Spiller). Apr 10 SB 1210 Passed Senate. Apr 17 HB 933 in Calendars. May 9 Considered in Calendars.
• Give AG prosecutorial authority for election law after 6 month inactivity by DA. (RPT Election Integrity Priority). (RPT Platform Plank 165) (SB 1026 Bryan Hughes / HB 5138 Matt Shaheen). (RPT Secure Texas Elections Priority). Apr 30 SB 1026 passed Texas Senate. May 9 HB 5138 (amended) passed Texas House.
• Give AG prosecutorial authority for human trafficking law after 6 month inactivity by DA. (RPT Platform Plank 165) (HB 45 Lacey Hull). May 1 Passed House. May 13 Hearing scheduled in Senate Criminal Justice.
• Give AG prosecutorial authority for riot & blocking roads after 6 month inactivity by DA. (RPT Platform Plank 165) (HB 5318 A.J. Louderback / SB 1650 Pete Flores). Apr 30 HB 5318 heard in House State Affairs. DEAD due to chair refusal to hold vote.
• Creates State Special Prosecutor under Texas Supreme Court with independent prosecutorial authority over election law, public integrity law, human trafficking law, abortion law, and riot law. (HB 4717 Mike Schofield). DEAD due to chair refusal to hold vote.
• State Prosecuting Attorney given concurrent, independent prosecution of election law. (SB 1367 Bryan Hughes). Apr 30 vote taken in Senate State Affairs. May 5 Committee report distributed.
• Super districts for prosecution (HB 4803 David Spiller / SB 2384 Bryan Hughes). Stuck in committees.

Prohibit Discrimination in Lending by Financial Firms based on ideology/ESG/Nature of Business - (RPT Platform Plank 31). Stop Paypal from imposing fines on free speech. (SB 512 Lois Kolkhorst  / HB 1516 Mike Schofield). Apr 28 – Passed Senate. May 12 Hearing scheduled in House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services.

Anti-ESG Bill – (SB 495 Kevin Sparks / HB 3899 Dennis Paul) – stops Texas Department of Insurance from implementing rules that implement ESG. Expands upon what Tom Oliverson and Ken King accomplished last session. Mar 19 SB 495 passed Senate. Apr 28 passed House Insurance. May 5 In House Calendars.

3. End Texas Executive Overreach and Protect Texas Medical Freedom

Stop Executive Overreach -- Amend Texas Disaster Act to insure that we never get lockdowns or mask mandates again and to stop open-ended criminal penalties for which executives define offense. Put conditions on delegation of power that legislature must approve emergencies after short time. (HB 5464 is RPT End Federal Overreach Priority). (RPT Platform Planks 8 and 114). (HB 5464 Shelley Luther /SJR 40 -SB 871 Brian Birdwell). HB 5464 DEAD due to not being heard in committee. Apr 10 - Birdwell's SJR 40/SB 871 Passed Senate. Apr 15 Assigned to House State Affairs. Apr 24 SJR 40 / SB 871 voted out of House State Affairs. Apr 29 in Calendars.

Liability for Advertising Vax Manufacturers – (HB 3441 Shelley Luther) – (RPT End Federal Overreach Priority). Apr 2 Hearing in House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence. May 12 on House Calendar.

Ivermectin Without Prescription - (HB 3175 Wes Virdell / HB 3219 Joanne Shofner) Apr 28 HB 3219 voted out of House Public Health. May 12 On Calendar.

Right to Refuse Vax for Med Students – (SB 2119 Kevin Sparks / HB 4927 Joanne Shofner). May 6 SB 2119 Passed Senate. May 8 in House Public Health.

Informed Consent for Child Vax -- (SB 95 Bob Hall). Passed Senate. Apr 22 in House Public Health. Stuck.

Comprehensive Medical Informed Consent - (RPT End Federal Overreach Priority). (RPT Platform Plank 114) (SB 754 Mayes Middleton / HB 3472 Mike Olcott). Stuck in Senate State Affairs & House Public Health.

“Gain-of-Function” Ban – ban gain-of-function research in Texas (RPT Platform Plank 159) (SB 1488 Bob Hall). Stuck in Senate K - 16 Education Apr 4.

Stop Mandatory Vaccinations - Constitutional amendment to add provision to Texas Bill of Rights to protect natural, unalienable right to decline vaccination. (RPT End Federal Overreach Priority). (RPT Platform Plank 114). (HJR 91 Andy Hopper, SJR 10 Bob Hall).  DEAD HJR 91 in  House State Affairs for lack of hearing. SJR 10 stuck in Senate HHS.

4. Border Enforcement

Stop the Magnet – stop taxpayer services to illegal aliens (RPT Border Enforcement Priority). (RPT Platform Plank 232) (HB 4745 - Mike Olcott). DEAD in House State Affairs due to lack of hearing.

5. Freedom to Travel

Right to Repair – Stop monopoly on repair of digital electronics including vehicles . (RPT End Federal Overreach Freedom to Travel Priority). (RPT Platform Plank 49). (HB 2963 – Gio Capriglione / SB 2428 Bob Hall). May 10 - Passed Texas House!

Anti Road Diet – Stops some funds from being used to reduce lanes of traffic. (RPT End Federal Overreach Freedom to Travel Priority). (RPT Platform Plank 49). (HB 4348 – Gio Capriglione / SB 1993 Bob Hall). Apr 29 – Heard in Transportation. May 10 in Calendars, but likely dead because not already on Calendar.

Texas House hearings considering bills start this coming week, and the deadline for filing bills is end of day Friday. I am overdue in providing a status update on the Texas Legislature.

I have often said that the Texas Legislature is like a fifty-ring circus. There is so much happening at one time, that it is virtually impossible for one person to keep up with it all. I certainly can’t. And I do not even have the space and time to tell you everything that I have seen.

I will focus in this report on the areas that I personally prioritize. That includes the Texas Constitutional Enforcement legislative agenda and a few of the Legislative Priorities of the RPT including End Federal Overreach, Secure the Electric Grid, End Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying, Border Enforcement, and Texas is Not for Sale.

At the end, I will also discuss what I have seen in the Texas House about the likelihood of passage of bills.

Texas Constitutional Enforcement Legislative Agenda

1. End Federal Overreach

Texas Sovereignty Act – Joint legislative committee recommends unconstitutional federal acts for declaration by legislature and governor. (RPT End Federal Overreach Priority). (RPT Platform Plank 20) (HB 796 Cecil Bell, HB 898 David Spiller, SB 80 Bob Hall) RPT Endorsed

Resist FBI Weaponization Against Texans -- Require feds to get sheriff and AG permission for arrests and searches in county. (RPT Platform Plank 5) (HB 1982 & HB 3932 Andy Hopper.) HB 1962 RPT Endorsed, HB 3932 Pending.

Don’t Mess With Texas Elections – limits on funding from outside Texas for Texas races. (RPT Platform Plank 202) (SB 405 Mayes Middleton) RPT Endorsed

Run Texas Elections Separately from Federal Elections – (RPT Platform Plank 221 g) (HB 209 Mike Schofield, SB 106 Bob Hall) RPT Endorsed

Protect the Texas National Guard (RPT Platform Plank 247) (HB 930 Briscoe Cain) RPT Endorsed

Protect County and District Attorneys From the Feds – Allows Attorney General to defend county and district attorneys in actions taken against them by the feds for enforcing state law, if the county/district attorneys request. (RPT Platform Planks 5 and 20) (SB 888 Lois Kolkhorst). RPT Endorsed. TCE testified. Passed out of Senate State Affairs.

Protection of Intrastate Firearms Manufacture/Sale – Exempts most firearms and accessories manufactured and staying in Texas from federal law or regulation. (SB 130 Bob Hall / HB 1617 Valoree Swanson). RPT Endorsed

Resisting Global Interference – Denying jurisdiction to World Health Organization, UN, and World Economic Forum in Texas – (RPT Platform Plank 244) (SB 129 Bob Hall / Charles Schwertner SB 386 / HB 706 Terri Leo Wilson, HB 1377 Wes Virdell). RPT Endorsed

Refusal to Assist Officers of the Union – Legislature declares unconstitutional federal acts and state agencies and subdivisions prohibited from assisting feds. (RPT Platform Planks 20 and 70) (SB 707 Phil King). (Needs modification to require majority instead of 2/3.) TCE testified. Passed out of Senate State Affairs.

Rule-of-Law Enforcement – Give a statewide official independent prosecutorial authority in addition to DAs for election law, public integrity, official oppression, abortion, maybe other like riot and sedition. (RPT Platform Plank 165) (SB 846 & SB 1026 Bryan Hughes).

2. Fighting Inflation, CBDC, Globalism, and ESG

Currency Choice Amendment to protect the natural right to hold and trade with any medium of exchange including cash, coin, digital currency, and scrip. (RPT Platform Plank 30 d and 80). (SJR 55 Tan Parker / HJR 177 Andy Hopper).

Transactional Gold – expand Texas Bullion Depository function to provide ability for Texans to use a credit card or digital app to spend stored gold or silver in ordinary transactions (RPT Platform Plank 80). (HB 1062 & 1049 Mark Dorazio / SB 2002 & 665 Bryan Hughes) See comments below regarding committee assignments for these bills

Prohibit Discrimination in Lending by Financial Firms based on ideology/ESG/nature of business  - (RPT Platform Plank 31). (HB 1516 Mike Schofield / SB 512 Lois Kolkhorst) Repeat of last session, stopping Paypal and other money services businesses from imposing fines due to speech.

Anti-ESG Bill – Prohibit companies doing business in Texas from implementing ESG standards or forcing suppliers to implement ESG standards required by foreign statutes that require companies to do so for access to those markets. (SB 495 Kevin Sparks – stops Texas Department of Insurance from implementing rules that implement ESG. Expands upon what Tom Oliverson and Ken King accomplished last session.) TCE testified. Out of committee and on intent calendar.

3.  End Texas Executive Overreach and Protect Texas Medical Freedom

Stop Mandatory Vaccinations - Constitutional amendment to add provision to Texas Bill of Rights to protect natural, unalienable right to decline vaccination. (RPT End Federal Overreach Priority) (RPT Platform Plank 114). (HJR 91 Andy Hopper, SJR 10 Bob Hall). RPT Endorsed.

Stop Executive Overreach -- Amend Texas Disaster Act to insure that we never get lockdowns or mask mandates again and to stop open-ended criminal penalties for which executives define offense. Put conditions on delegation of power that legislature must approve emergencies after short time. (RPT Platform Planks 8 and 114). Working.

“Gain-of-Function” Accountability – ban gain-of-function research in Texas (RPT Platform Plank 159) (SB 1488 Bob Hall).

 4.  Texas Freedom to Travel

Stop Federal Vehicular Kill Switches (RPT End Federal Overreach Priority) (RPT Platform Plank 49) (SB 381 Mayes Middleton, HB 1074 Nate Schatzline).

Stop Mileage Tax

Stop Digital Licenses/ID – (RPT Platform Planks 208 and 49) (Oppose HB 1796 Terry Canales)

5.  Border Enforcement

Stop the Magnet – cut off taxpayer services to illegal aliens (RPT Platform Plank 232) (RPT Priority). Working.

Note that the End Federal Overreach Legislative Priority endorsed bills are pretty much embedded in the list above.

Secure the Electric Grid Legislative Priority

Protection of Critical Grid Components from Solar Flares and EMP (RPT Platform Plank 41 c & d) (SB 1740 Tan Parker).

All Hazards Grid Resilience (RPT Platform Plank 41) (SB 75 Bob Hall / HB 941 Cain).

Prohibit Grid Components from Hostile Nations (RPT Platform Plank 41) (SB 934 Bob Hall).

Texas Tax on New, Large Solar & Wind Projects to Offset Fed Subsidies (RPT Platform Plank 47) (HB 3017 Brent Money).

Note that the Secure Electric Grid Legislative Priority Committee has endorsed other bills, but the ones above have caught my eye.

End Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying Legislative Priority

End Taypayer-Funded Lobbying (RPT Platform Plank 212) (SB 19 Mayes Middleton / HB 309 Terri Leo Wilson, HB 1189 Troxclair, HB 1294 Jared Patterson, also HB 571 Briscoe Cain, HB 671 Matt Shaheen, HB 755 David Spiller, HB 3257 Mike Olcott). I testified for SB 19. Out of committee. On intent calendar.

Texas is Not for Sale Legislative Priority

Banning Texas Land Ownership by Hostile Entities (RPT Platform Plank 201) (SB 17 Kolkhorst). I signed in support of SB 17 in committee. No committee vote yet. I have not heard whether Texas is Not for Sale Legislative Priority Committee has officially supported any bills, yet. I was in Texas House Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans’ Affairs Chair Cole Hefner’s office last week and they told me they have their own bill that differs in several respects from the Senate bill. I don’t know the particulars.

Reading the Tea Leaves on Whether Conservative Legislation Will Pass

Given the Uniparty speaker in the Texas House, the new House Rules giving power to Democrats, a Calendars Committee chair that has told members in the past that his job was to help non-transparantly kill bills, and the slow start in the House, the burning question for the grassroots is whether conservative legislation, especially RPT legislative priorities will pass this session. I have several observations.

Transferring Conservative Bills from Grassroots to Team Burros

First, I am hearing that a number of bills are being involuntarily being transferred from the grassroots legislators to be carried by Team Burros Republicans. While this is quite irritating to the grassroots legislators, the silver lining in this is that the apparent motive for this action is to create talking points for embattled Uniparty Republicans in their upcoming primary challenges. It means that some of those bills are probably going to pass. The worry is that they may be watered down, but the likelihood of them passing under this situation is better than if the grassroots members got to carry the bills.

Milton Friedman said, “The way you solve things is by making it politically profitable for the wrong people to do the right things.” Ronald Reagan said, “There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.” Lets hope those maxims pay dividends in this sad situation.

Committee Assignments

Second, so far, the House Parliamentarian is assigning end federal overreach bills to the crowded State Affairs which only has vague high level jurisdiction for bills of that nature in this set of Rules. The far superior committee from clear jurisdictional language in the rules and a under-crowding perspective is the new Intergovernmental Affairs Committee or its State-Federal Relations Committee.

The most outrageous assignment of those bills is the assignment of Cecil Bell’s Texas Sovereignty Act away from the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee he chairs to State Affairs where that bill has died the last three sessions. I have sent an email to the Parliamentarian’s office, the Speaker’s staffs, the respective committee clerks, and the authors of the misassigned bills.

We will see whether the situation is rectified. It will be a big deal if not because if for no other reason the end federal overreach bills are likely to be crowded out in the large press of work in House State Affairs.

Transactional Gold Committee Assignments

Finally, I have not gotten the inside story on this yet, but I note that the Transactional Gold bill has been introduced twice by Mark Dorazio in the House and twice by Bryan Hughes in the Senate. In the House, the first version has been assigned to the busy State Affairs Committee where it was last time, receiving a hearing late enough to cause the bill to not make it to the House floor for a timely vote. But the second bill has been assigned to Pensions, Investments & Financial Services.

In the Senate, Hughes’ first Transactional Gold bill was assigned as it was last session to Finance, which makes no sense at all if the bill is favored. Last session, Finance Chair Joan Huffman waited until the budget was done and gave the bill a hearing on the last hearing of the Committee, then did not hold a vote to move it out of committee. Hughes’ second bill has not been assigned. Hopefully, it too will be assigned differently than the first, hopefully to Hughes’ own State Affairs.

Committee assignments matter.

Presidential Executive Orders for Constitutional Enforcement

What if a president took his oath of office seriously, exercised independent judgment about constitutional meaning, and started issuing executive orders (including interpretive reasoning) declaring existing statutes unconstitutional that order his administration not to enforce those unconstitutional laws?

If there is anything that the new DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) that includes Elon Musk, Vivek, and maybe Ron Paul could do to downsize the federal government, it would be to persuade the president to simply stop enforcing unconstitutional federal statutes.

The oath the Constitution requires any president to take is:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

Early in our Republic, the U.S. Supreme Court started with the self-serving assertion that they were final arbiters of Constitutional meaning. But the Constitution does not say that. That is an interpretation the Constitution. Using circular logic, SCOTUS has interpreted the Constitution to say that they are the final interpreter.

It is true that because SCOTUS swears the oath that every governmental official takes to the Constitution, each justice should use his or her best judgment to understand and apply the Constitution, but so should every other actor, including the president.

Madison and Jackson certainly thought so. They said so in messages to bills they vetoed. We degraded over time, however to presidents who refused to use constitutional reasoning in their decisions. George W Bush, for example, infamously said that he would sign McCain-Feingold and let SCOTUS determine its constitutionality.

The most earthshaking question a modern president can answer is whether his oath allows him to enforce statues, regulations, or judicial opinions that he understands to be unconstitutional.

To answer that precedent trumps a president’s oath is the way we have ratcheted ever farther away from the limits the framers placed on the central government. Once one set of bad actors in time have strayed from the limits of the Constitution, deference to precedent instead of the Constitution allows the Constitution to be perpetually violated and power to be inexorably centralized.

What are the most important constitutional principles have been violated over time that, if enforced, could create transformative change?

• Stop the feds from exercising unenumerated, undelegated power. (E.g., regulating the environment and engaging in education are not powers delegated to the central government, but rather are reserved to the states.)
• Reverse the complete gutting/replacement of the interstate commerce clause – the Constitution allows the feds to “regulate Commerce” “among the several States.” One of the worst SCOTUS decisions ever, Wickard v Filburn amended by judicial opinion those limiting words to allow the feds power to regulate anything “affecting” commerce.

Now may be the time that a president can set us on a new course that puts the power of the central government back in the Constitutional box. Executive orders by the president to enforce the Constitution can save the Republic and truly Make America Great Again.

 

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P.O. Box 130012, Tyler, TX 75713

182 Grassroots Leaders Lay Out the Case:

Plea for Governor Abbott to Call a June 2024 Special Legislative Session
to Secure Our November 2024 General Election

 

June 13, 2024

The Honorable Texas Governor Greg Abbott Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, TX 78711-2428

Electronic dispatch to: Steve Munisteri, Senior Policy Advisor; Gardner Pate, Governor’s Chief of Staff

Dear Governor Abbott:

We, the undersigned, urgently join with Republican Party of Texas Convention delegates from all 31 State Senate Districts – representing Republicans from across Texas – who passed the following Resolution 7, for ELECTION INTEGRITY ENFORCEMENT and ENSURING THAT ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE NOT VOTING IN TEXAS, found on page 42 of the 2024 Republican Party of Texas Platform:

1. Special Legislative Session: The Republican Party of Texas calls upon Governor Abbott to call a special session in June 2024 to address election integrity and other Specifically, the call should include the following items:
   1. Legislation to implement independent, state-level prosecution of election integrity; to address abortion, human smuggling, sedition, and riot; and to respond to the Court of Criminal Appeal’s ruling in State v.
   2. Legislation to require proof of citizenship for new voter registration and a thorough review of existing voter rolls to identify and remove illegal aliens, other non-citizens, those with unauthorized non-residential addresses, and long-time inactive voters from the voter rolls.

We also underscore that these two items flagged as urgent in Resolution 7 are also covered in the 2024 RPT Legislative Priorities Report under Priority #2.

Governor Abbott, we urge you to immediately call an Election Law Enforcement Special Session. We believe you will agree with us that Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, and the Republican nominees (especially judicial candidates) in large urban Texas counties should not face the November General Election with election cheaters knowing they are unlikely to face any prosecution in Texas counties where Soros-funded District Attorneys will never prosecute cheating and voter fraud.

The following describes the problem, the solution, and the urgency, which should compel you and the Texas Legislature to rapidly, boldly lead the way in protecting the people of Texas:

STATE-LEVEL ELECTION (AND OTHER) LAW ENFORCEMENT

Problem: The 2022 Texas Court of Criminal Appeals’ State v. Stephens opinion prohibiting the Texas Attorney General from independent, state-level prosecution of the violation of election law makes prosecution of election law violations in the high population counties of Texas in 2024 exceedingly unlikely. Any law without enforcement is worthless.

Additionally, there are reports of mass-scale registration of illegals to vote by Biden administration officials and/or NGOs. This may be the new way elections are compromised in 2024.

Solutions:

1)  Legislation to implement independent state-level prosecution of election fraud, public integrity, abortion, human smuggling, sex slave trade, sedition, and riot law in response to and in compliance with the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals’ State v Stephens decision.

The bill that offered a solution in the 88^th Regular Session was SB 1927 (Hughes). For a variant on that approach, see also HB 4026 (Schofield).

With the time we have left, we cannot pass a constitutional amendment. And we cannot timely give the prosecutorial power back to the Attorney General by statute because neither the Democrats nor Republicans in the Texas House who voted to impeach Ken Paxton are likely to restore his prosecutorial power. Wisely, Senator Hughes’ SB 1927 solution creates a State Prosecutor Office under the Texas Supreme Court, following the structural logic of the State v Stephens opinion.

If the bill passes and is signed by early July, the law will go into effect in early October, just in time to give potential cheaters pause before they do so.

2) Legislation to require proof of citizenship for new voter registration and a thorough review of existing voter rolls to identify and remove illegal aliens, other non-citizens, those with unauthorized non- residential addresses, and long-time inactive voters from the voter rolls

Given that these types of amendments to existing law will also not go into effect until October, the cleanup will not likely be done in time for November. But passage, accompanied by independent, state- level prosecution of existing Texas election law prohibiting illegals from registering or voting and prohibiting citizens from knowingly assisting illegals in voting, along with the publicity generated by the passage of these provisions is likely to have a chilling effect on illegal voting and the unlawful exploitation of illegal registration.

Urgency:  Texas is unlikely to have effective enforcement of election law in the largest counties in 2024 without this legislation. Donald Trump and Ted Cruz need our assistance!

Recently passed improvements to the law (enabling removal of recalcitrant prosecutors) are worthwhile, but due to long lead times and narrow removal criteria, these improvements will not work to address the looming 2024 problem.

It is no secret that in certain counties, Texans cannot rely on local prosecutors to enforce the rule of law! Adding state prosecutorial resources for human trafficking, sex slave trade, abortion enforcement and election law violations will no doubt save the lives of children and protect Texas voters from organized vote theft.

Governor Abbott, we remind you that Texas Republican Primary voters overwhelmingly supported the two related Primary Ballot Propositions calling for prosecution of election crimes and requiring proof of citizenship before any individual can be registered to vote. The base of the Republican Party is with us!

The time to protect Texas is NOW, Governor Abbott! We implore you to do so!

 For liberty – for Texas, we the 182 undersigned conservative Texas influencers,*

Tom Glass, Founder/President, Texas Constitutional Enforcement, SD 18

JoAnn Fleming, Executive Director, Grassroots America – We the People PAC; GrassrootsPriorities.com

C.R. “Dick” Saulsbury, Business Owner, Odessa, SD 31 Don Dyer, Business Owner, Austin, SD 14 George Clay, Business Owner, Rancher, Wichita Falls, SD 30 Bill Holmes, Business Owner, Midland, SD 31 Monty Bennett, Business Owner, Publisher, Athens, SD 3 MaryAnne Aiken, Board Member, Grassroots America - We the People, SD 1

Karen Albright, past President, Freestone County TEA Party, SD 5

Betty Anderson, President, Montgomery County Eagle Forum; Precinct Chair, Montgomery County Republican Party, SD 4

LaDaune Ashley, former Precinct Chair, Brazoria County Republican Party, SD 17

Anna Bartosh, Pres. San Angelo TEA Party; Legislative Chair, San Angelo Republican Women, SD 28

Vickie Bass, Precinct Chair, Henderson County Republican Party, SD 3

Michael & Christina Bastos, Co-Founders, Milam County Constitutional Conservatives, SD 5 Teresa Beckmeyer, Senior Political Advisor, Saulsbury Family, SD 31

Charlotte Belsick, Fredericksburg Tea Party, SD 24

Mike Belsick, Secretary, Fredericksburg Tea Party, SD 24

Beth Biesel, Vice President, Texas Eagle Forum, SD 12

Aileen Blachowski, Lead Parent Advocate, Texas Education 911, SD 30

Elena Blake, Prec. Chair, Dallas County Republican Party; President, Irving Republican Women, SD 16

Patsy Boatright, Mitchell County Republicans, SD 28

John Bolgiano, Llano TEA Party; Deputy Local Coordinator, Llano, Texas Nationalist Movement, SD 24

Greg & Joanna Bounds, Precinct Chair, Rusk County Republican Party, SD 1

Larry Bowman, President, Holly Lake/Hawkins Rep Club, SD 1

Melynda Bracken, Precinct Chair, Bexar County Republican Party, SD 25

Jill Bridges, Flower Mound Area Republican Club; Denton County Conservative Coalition, SD 12

Rick Briscoe, Legislative Director, Open Carry Texas; Prec. Chair, Bexar County GOP, SD 26

Kathleen Brown, Secretary, Central Texas Tea Party; Central Texas Republican Women, SD 24

Frank & Becky Bussey, Secretary, Easland County Republican Party, SD 22

Adam Cahn, Activist, Columnist SD 14

David Carruth, Co-chair, American Liberty Forum, SD 12

David Carter, precinct Chair, Bell County Republican Party; John Birch Society, SD 24

Janice Carter, Chapter Leader, John Birch Society, SD 24

Rodney Casey, Chairman, Shackelford County Republican Party, SD 10

Mary Joe Cason, past member, Kaufman Tea Party, SD 2

Cindi Castilla, President, Texas Eagle Forum, SD 12

Janna Castloo, President, Republican Women of Wood County, SD 1

Dee Chambless, VP Programs, Smith County GOP Women; Grassroots America - We the People, SD 1

Logan Chew, Precinct Chair, Nueces County Republican Party; Nueces County Republican Club, SD 20 Resa Clarke, Founding Board, C2 – Houston, SD 7

Velvet Coberley, Treasurer, Franklin County GOP; Conservative Republicans of Northeast Texas, SD 1 Dr. Dwayne “Doc” Collins, President, Van Zandt Republican Club; Founder, Edom TEA Party, SD 2

Mel Cooper, President, Bastrop County Conservatives, SD 5

Donna Cox, Texas Truth Movement - Legislative Chair, SD 7

Ruth Cremin, Vice Chair, Kerr County Republican Party; former SREC SD 24, SD 24

Connie Curry, Founder, West Texas Conservative Leadership, SD 28

Debra Damman, Precinct Chair, Williamson County Republican Party, SD 24

Bill & Debbie Decker, Precinct Chair, Van Zandt County Republican Party; VZ Republican Club, SD 2

Diana Denton, Secretary, Texas Truth Movement; Klein Republicans, SD 7

Jeree DeVisser, Treasurer Eastland County Tea Party, SD 22

Jim & Char Doonan, Lake Country Republican Club: Grassroots America - We the People, SD 1

Keith Dotson, Poll Worker, Wood County Republican Party, SD 1

Carol Doucet, Founder, Conservative Society of Navarro County & Navarro County TEA Party, SD 2

Christina Drewry, SD 1 Dist. Director, Texas Nationalist Movement; Smith Co. Commissioner Elect

Mack Dunkin, Prec. Chair, Angelina Co. GOP; Legislative Team, Texas Nationalist Movement, SD 3

Andrew Eller, Centex Tea Party; Chair RPT Election Integrity Committee; SREC SD 24,

Sherry Eller, Social Media Chair, Central Texas TEA Party, SD 24

Nitsie Elliott, Precinct Chair, Van Zandt County Republican Party, SD 2

Sharon Emmert, self-term-limited Smith Co. Commissioner; Grassroots America, SD 1

Sue Evenwel, Board Grassroots America; Conservative Republican Women of NE TX; SD 1 Coalition

Tom Fabry, Chair, Government Watchdog Committee, Board Member, Grassroots America, SD 1

Toni Fabry, Board Member, Grassroots America, Coalition Leader, SD 1

Nancy Falster, Lady Hawks Gun Club, SD 1

Randy Farrar, Precinct Chair, Nueces County Republican Party, SD 20

Brian Fitzgerald, County Coordinator, Texas Nationalist Movement, SD 3

Shawn Flanagan, Precinct Chair, Nueces County Republican Party, SD 20

Davis Ford, President, Central Texas TEA Party, SD 24

Kat Fox, Kaufman County GOP Club; Lone Star Coalition, SD 2

Terry Frady, Treasurer, Cameron Co. Conservatives; Secretary, Republican Club of Brownsville, SD 27 Samuel Fryer, Precinct Chair, Nueces County Republican Party, SD 27

Gary Gentz, Precinct Chair, Henderson County Republican Party, SD 3

Mike Giles, Chair, Collin Co. Patriots; Board Member, McKinney First PAC; Prec. Chair, Collin County Republican Party, SD 8

Suzanne Guggenheim, Chairman, Coastal Bend Grassroots Coalition, SD 27

Sharon Guthrie, Secretary & Prec. Chair, Smith County Republican Party; Grassroots America, SD 1

Rachel Hale, Executive Director, Texas Freedom Coalition, SD 1

Jaclyn Hall, Steering Committee, We the People - Liberty in Action; Kerr County Patriots, SD 24

Roger Hall, Founder & Steering Committee, We the People - Liberty in Action, SD 24

Terri Hall, Founder/Director, Texans Uniting for Reform & Freedom (TURF); Texans for Toll-free Highways, SD 24

Tobie & Elaine Hall, Denton County Conservative Coalition, SD 12

Maria Hammerlein, Prec. Chair, Kerr County GOP Party; Board Member, Juan Seguin Society, SD 24

Phyllis Harding-Nichols, Vice Chair, Wood County Republican Party, SD 1 Aaron Harris, North Richland Hills, SD 9

Marilyn Harris, Denton County Conservative Coalition, SD 12

Erika Hatfield, State Director, Convention of States, SD 2

Robin White Hayes, Chair, Eastland County Republican Party, SD 22

Robert Hayhurst, TX ED 911, SD 31

Richard Heizer, Parker County Conservatives; Vice Chair, Parker County Republican Party, SD 30

Sara Heizer, Parker County Conservatives; Precinct Chair, Parker County Republican Party, SD 30

Marty Hiles, Vice-President Republican Club of Comal County; Vice Chair, Comal County GOP, SD 25

Beth Hollingsworth, Red Texas Forum, SD 2

Kelly Holt, John Birch Society, SD 5

Connie Hudson, Prec. Chair, Denton County Republican Party; Director, Salt & Light Brigade, SD 30

Amy Huggins, Vice President, Constitutional Conservatives - Houston, SD 15

Mary Huls, Executive Board, Bowie County Patriots, SD 1

Bill Hussey, Grayson County Conservatives, SD 30

Bobbie Jarvis, Eastland County Republican Party, SD 22

Jackson Jarvis, Eastland County Republican Party, SD 22

Dr. Joyce Bateman Jones, Board Member, Central Texas Tea Party, SD 24

Bill Kelberlau, Board Member, Citizens Defending Freedom, SD 5

Robert Kelsey, past President, Llano Tea Party, SD 24

Sam Kemp, Legislative Director, Texas Nationalist Movement, SD 8

COL Jon Ker (Ret.), SREC SD 22,

Richard Krantz, Tea Party Patriots of Eastland County, SD 22

Jennifer LePore-Pope, Precinct Chair, Wood County Republican Party, SD 1

Craig Licciardi, Prec. Chair, Smith County Republican Party; Grassroots America, SD 1

Susan Lucas, Rooftop Texans; SREC SD 5,

Kathy Lux, Membership Chair, Fredericksburg Tea Party, SD 24

Karen & William Marsalis, Panola County Republican Party, SD 1

Beth Maynard, Member, Eastland County Tea Party Patriots, SD 22

Kevin McCall, Precinct Chair, Smith County Republican Party, SD 1

Ronda McCauley, Precinct Chair, Williamson County Republican Party, SD 5

Gloria McDonald, President Denton Co. Conservative Coalition; Prec. Chair, Denton Co. GOP, SD 12

Travis McQueen, Texas Nationalist Movement, SD 17

Laura Milby, Prec. Chair, Nueces County GOP; Chaplain, Nueces County Republican Women, SD 20 Billy Mills, Precinct Chair, Nueces County Republican Party, SD 27

Cynthia Murphy, Fredericksburg Tea Party, SD 24

Joe Murphy, Treasurer, Fredericksburg Tea Party, SD 24

Dr. Dana Myers, Founder, Lone Star Civics, SD 15

Kitty Ocker, Steering Committee, Liberty in Action, We the People; Fredericksburg Tea Party, SD 24

Ashton Oravetz III, past Chairman, Smith County GOP; past Board Member, GAWTP, SD 1

Tillie Perkins, President, RED Texas Forum; Lone Star Coalition, SD 16

Terry & Joy Putnam, Texans 4 Truth; Citizens Defending Freedom, SD 5

Lillie Ralph, Vice President, Republicans of East Dallas; Southwest Dallas Republican Club, SD 16

Randy Reeves, Prec. Chair, Smith County GOP; Sergeant at Arms, Lindale Republican Club, SD 1 Daniel Resley, Precinct Chair, Nueces County Republican Party; Citizens Defending Freedom, SD 27

Fran Rhodes, President, True Texas Project, SD 9

Joy Roberts, Prec. Chair, Grayson County GOP; Co-Founder, Grayson County Conservatives, SD 30

Paul Robie, Director of Government Affairs, Texas Nationalist Movement, SD 2 Brett Rogers, Precinct Chair, Smith County GOP; Grassroots America – We the People, SD 1 Coalition

Leann Robinson, Treasurer, GOP Women of Wood Co.; Holly Lake/Hawkins Republican Club, SD 1

Sudie Sartor, Treasurer, Texans United for Reform and Freedom (TURF), SD 25

Selina Sauter, Precinct Chair, Brazoria County Republican Party, SD 11

Susan Schaub, Precinct Chair, Cooke County Republican Party; Cooke County Conservatives, SD 30 Edward Schwing, Precinct Chair, Nueces County Republican Party, SD 27

Jud Scott, Appointed board member, Texas State Veterans Land Board, SD 25

Marilyn Sevin, Precinct Chair, Collin County Republican Party, SD 8

Laurie Shelton, Prec. Chair, Harrison County GOP; Founder, Republican Club of Hallsville, SD 1

Cynthia & James Simpson, Prec. Chair, Brazoria Co. GOP; past Pres. Pearland Area GOP Club, SD 11

Angela Smith, President, Fredericksburg Tea Party, SD 24

Mary Smith, North Texas Director, Concerned Women for America, SD 10

Mike Smith, Precinct Chair, Cherokee County Republican Party, SD 3

Murray Smith, former Precinct Chair, Cherokee County Republican Party, SD 3

Jim Speiran, Board Member, Grassroots America; Prec. Chair, Smith County Republican Party, SD 1

Carol Spencer, President, Bastrop County GOP Club, SD 5

Barb Stauffer, Steering Committee member, Garland Tea Party, SD 2

Richard Steenson, former SREC SD 16; Board Member, Grassroots America - We the People, SD 1

Peggy Stodola, Citizens Defending Freedom; True Texas Project, SD 12

Marcia Strickler-Watson, Executive Director, County Citizens Defending Freedom USA, SD 24

Stephen Sullivan, President, Robson Ranch Conservatives, SD 12

Kaaren Teuber, Coordinator, Texoma Patriots, SD 30

Elizabeth Theiss, former President, Stop the Magnet, SD 15

Jim Thompson, Prec. Chair, Hopkins County GOP; former Hopkins County Treasurer, SD 1

Bela Toth, Board Member, Pearland Tea Party; Pearland Area Republican Club, SD 11

Mildred Toth, Board Member, Pearland Tea Party; Pearland Area Republican Club, SD 11

Shann Turner, Chair, Lee County Republican Party; President, Lee County Conservatives, SD 18

Mary & Scott Vance, Clear Lake TEA Party, SD 11

Charlene Vanderpoorten, past Sec. San Antonio GOP Women; Bexar Co. Election Integrity, SD 26

Sam Walzel, Deacon, Living for the Brand Cowboy Church, SD 3

Pam White, Prec. Chair, Eastland County GOP; President, Tea Party Patriots of Eastland Co., SD 22

Ronnie White, Tea Party Patriots of Eastland County, SD 22

Suzanne Whitsell, Immediate Past President, Republican Women of Wood County, SD 1

Maggie Whitt, President, Minority Engagement Group; Board Member, Hispanic Republican Club of North Texas; SREC SD 8

Susan Williamson, former Chair, Menard County Republican Party, SD 28

Scott Wilson, Texas Nationalist Movement, SD 8

Maggie & Carroll Wright, Founding member & past President, Lone Star Patriots, SD 10

John & Mary-Margaret Wrinkle, Precinct Chair, Franklin County Republican Party; Conservative Republicans of Northeast Texas, SD 1

Ruth York, Vice President, Tea Party Patriots of Eastland County; Interim Chair, Texas Family Defense Committee, SD 22

Clayton Young, Montgomery County Tea Party PAC, SD 7

Pastor Greg Young, Nationally Syndicated Radio host, Chosen Generation Radio, SD 24

*Organizations are listed for identification purposes only for the above-signed political opinion leaders who influence thousands of Texans.

CC: Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick
      Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan

 

Click here for a PDF version of the letter.

The most important way Texas Republicans can prepare for November is to ensure that election law is enforced in Texas. To that end the RPT State Convention Platform and Resolutions Committee presented this vital resolution to the delegates on May 25, 2024 for a vote:

RESOLVED that the Republican Party of Texas calls upon Governor Abbott to call a special session in June, 2024 to increase election integrity. Specifically, the call should include the following:

1. ELECTION INTEGRITY ENFORCEMENT: Legislation to implement independent state level prosecution of election integrity, abortion, human smuggling, sedition, and riot in response to and in compliance with the CCA State v Stephens.

1. ENSURING THAT ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE NOT VOTING IN TEXAS: Legislation to require proof of citizenship for new voter registration and a thorough review of existing voter rolls to identify and remove illegal aliens, other non-citizens, those with unauthorized non-residential addresses, and long-time inactive voters from the voter rolls.

Note also that similar measures were included in the top “Secure Texas Elections” priority reported by the RPT State Convention Legislative Priorities Committee.

The Soros-installed District Attorneys in the big Texas counties are unlikely to prosecute election cheaters in November. The Court of Criminal Affairs (CCA) has taken away independent, state-level prosecution of election law away from the Attorney General. Donald Trump and Ted Cruz need the prosecution in place by November to provide a credible threat to cheaters, but the lame-duck Texas House that impeached Ken Paxton is unlikely to return prosecutorial power to him.

We have a path forward to election law enforcement without a constitutional amendment and without giving prosecution back to the AG. The solution is to create a State Prosecutor Office under the Texas Supreme Court consistent with the CCA State v Stevens opinion. Senator Bryan Hughes passed such a bill (SB 1927) out of committee in 2023.

While we are at it, to address the alarming warnings that the feds and NGOs under Biden are registering illegals on a mass scale, we need to also send a shot across the bow of the cheaters, reminding them that registering or voting as an illegal and knowingly helping illegals register is a crime in Texas.  Publicity about starting the process of cleaning up voter rolls, especially of illegals is also a vital part of defending the vote in November.

We just need Governor Abbott to call a special session to put these measures into effect in the nick of time in early October. Please contact Governor Abbott using this link gov.texas.gov/contact to urge him to make the special session call.

We expect to get the news that the RPT delegates passed this call on Governor Abbott any day now.

Governor, no law is any good if not enforced! Please give Trump and Cruz every tool needed ensure that Texas is not stolen from us in November.

This letter is being sent to the 2024 RPT Platform & Resolutions Committee members:

Thank you for serving on the 2024 RPT Platform & Resolutions Committee.  As one who served on your body in 2022, I know how much effort it takes to do so.

This letter is to urge you to consider and pass to the state convention delegates two resolutions, one on Border Security and the other on Election Integrity.

Every RPT convention passes a small number of timely, high priority, big impact resolutions that get major media attention. (Last session we stated the truth that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and we condemned John Cornyn for betraying our right to keep and bear arms.)  There is evidence that overwhelming majorities of Texas Republicans care about border security and election integrity and want effective action now – before the general election in November – on both these issues.

Enforce Border Security Without Delay, Despite the Feds Telling us to Delay

Background:

The occupied federal government violates federal border security law every day, using our tax dollars to the benefit of the various trafficking businesses of the cartels.  Governor Abbott has sent multiple letters to President Biden urging him to stop violating the law and protect Texans from the border invasion, stating that Texans have the natural and constitutional right to defend themselves against this invasion and imminent danger that will not admit of delay.

The governor has declared an emergency and using Texas law, the power of commander in chief delegated him by the Texas Constitution, and the concurrent right of defense reserved to Texas in the U.S. Constitution, deployed Texas military and law enforcement to defend Texans. The Texas legislature passed SB 4 last year, creating Texas law that criminalizes entry in between ports of entry into Texas from Mexico, and allowing removal of illegals under certain circumstances.

Because Texas reserves the power to self defense when it concurrently delegates the duty to the federal government, the federal government under the U.S. Constitution cannot preempt Texas from defending the people of Texas when we are in such “imminent danger as will not admit of delay.”

Yet, the cases have been brought in the federal judiciary against legitimate, constitutional actions by Texas to stem the invasion and address the danger, and worse yet, some parts of the federal judiciary are attempting to delay or stay Texas defensive action when they will not admit of delay!

Proposed Resolution (Click here for PDF version:

WHEREAS, The federal government is deliberately acting in violation of federal law to the benefit of cartels in their trafficking businesses to detriment of the citizens of Texas and the immigrants delivered into the hands of the cartels; and

WHEREAS, Untold number of terrorists under the control this nation’s enemies have been embedded into Texas and the United States due to the deliberate violation of federal law and are a clear and present danger to the security of Texans and Americans; and

WHEREAS, Hundreds of thousands of Americans are dying due to deliberate fentanyl poisoning by cartels using Communist Chinese precursors with the assistance of the federal government’s deliberate open borders policies; and

WHEREAS, The federal government’s deliberate violation of federal law is a violation of the constitutional mandate on the federal government in Article IV, Section 4 to protect Texas from invasion; and

WHEREAS, Under Article I, Section 10, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution, Texas is entitled as a sovereign state of the United States of America to protect itself against this current cartel and border invasion. This constitutional authority grants the State of Texas the power to defend the state when the state has been invaded or is "in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay"; and

WHEREAS, the Texas governor is taking defensive actions to repel illegal border crossings under authority granted to him by the US Constitution, the Texas Constitution, and Texas law; and

WHEREAS, Texas has recently passed SB 4 providing a method of deportation of invaders after due process; and

WHEREAS, Texas has a natural and constitutional right to self defense that is a power reserved to Texas.  Because a power reserved by Texas cannot be legitimately questioned or denied by the agent to which the power is not relinquished, the federal judiciary has no jurisdiction over if, when, or how Texas chooses to defend itself; and

WHEREAS, Texas is in imminent danger of irreparable harm that will not admit of delay and that any federal judicial stay delays Texas in its self-defense, be it

RESOLVED, That the Republican Party of Texas calls upon Texas law enforcement, the Texas judiciary, and the governor to act to protect Texans from the border invasion and imminent danger, enforcing SB 4 and other such measures as the governor or legislature sees fit to protect Texas, without paying heed to any stays or opinions of the federal judiciary or other branch of federal government to the contrary.  

June Special Session for State Level Election Law Enforcement and Stopping Illegal Alien Registration and Voting

Background:

Problems:  The 2022 Texas Court of Criminal Appeals’ State v. Stephens opinion prohibiting the Texas Attorney General from independent, state-level prosecution of the violation of election (and other) law makes prosecution of election law violations in the high population counties of Texas in 2024 unlikely.

More and more reports are coming in that in addition to violating federal law on immigration and border security, federal agents and the federally funded NGOs are also violating federal and Texas law to register the illegal aliens they are processing to vote.

Both Texas and federal law criminalizing a noncitizen registering and voting exist.  And Texas law criminalizes assisting noncitizens in registering to vote or voting.  But Texas law makes it very difficult to remove non-citizens from voter rolls.

Any law without enforcement is worthless.

Solutions:

• Legislation to implement independent state-level prosecution of election integrity, public integrity, abortion, human smuggling, sex slave trade, sedition, and riot in response to and in compliance with the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals’ State v Stephens

The bill that led the way in the 88th Regular Session was SB 1927 (Hughes). For a variant on that approach, see also HB 4026 (Schofield).

• Legislation to facilitate removal of non-citizens from Texas voter rolls and mandates to clean up the voter rolls for inactive registrations and registrations with unauthorized non-residential addresses.

Urgency:

Texas is unlikely to have effective enforcement of election law in the largest counties in 2024 without this legislation. Recently passed improvements to the law enabling removal of recalcitrant prosecutors are worthwhile, but due to long lead times and narrow removal criteria, these improvements will not work to address the looming 2024 problem. It is no secret that in certain counties, Texans cannot rely on local prosecutors to enforce the rule of law! Adding state prosecutorial resources for human trafficking, sex slave trade, abortion enforcement and election law violations will no doubt save the lives of children and protect Texas voters from organized vote theft.

I do not want to have to tell Ted Cruz, Donald Trump, or other Republican candidates on the ballot in 2024 that Texas had the opportunity to effectively enforce election law in 2024, but failed to do so.

Proposed Resolution (click here for PDF version:

WHEREAS, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (CCA) 2022 State v Stephens opinion stops the Attorney General from independently prosecuting any crime, including election law, and

WHEREAS, Texas big county district attorneys funded by globalist outsiders like George Soros have demonstrated their unwillingness to prosecute many criminal statutes including election law, and

WHEREAS, Ted Cruz, Donald Trump, and other Republican campaigns need effective election law enforcement for the November, 2024 election in the big counties of Texas, and

WHEREAS, Proposition 10 on the 2024 Republican primary ballot called for one method of achieving independent, state-level prosecution of election law, receiving 89.4% of the vote (even with invited Democrat participation in our Republican primary), and

WHEREAS, existing Texas election law does not mandate proof of citizenship to register to vote and voter cleanup procedures under Texas law make it very costly and difficult to identify and remove illegal aliens from Texas voter rolls, and

WHEREAS, several media sources are alleging that federal agencies and federally funded non-governmental agencies are encouraging recent illegal aliens to vote on a large scale, be it therefore

RESOLVED that the Republican Party of Texas calls upon Governor Abbott to call a special session in June, 2024 to increase election integrity.  Specifically, the call should include the following:

• ELECTION INTEGRITY ENFORCEMENT: Legislation to implement independent state level prosecution of election integrity, public integrity, abortion, human smuggling, sedition, and riot in response to and in compliance with the CCA State v Stephens
• ENSURING THAT ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE NOT VOTING IN TEXAS: Legislation to require proof of citizenship for new voter registration and a thorough review of existing voter rolls to identify and remove illegal aliens, other non-citizens, those with unauthorized non-residential addresses, and long-time inactive from the voter rolls.

Looking forward to seeing you at the convention and working with you . . .

Toward liberty,

Tom Glass
www.txce.org
832-472-4726
X:  @tomgglass
Facebook:  Tom G Glass
Texas Constitutional Enforcement FB group
Texas Legislative Priorities FB group

This letter is being sent to the 2024 RPT Legislative Priorities Committee members:

Thanks for serving on the 2024 RPT Legislative Priority Committee.

Wearing my hat as the head of Texas Constitutional Enforcement, this is to urge you to vote to include three items on the RPT priority list.

1. Let Texans Run Texas

Proposed Priority Language:

Texas government should resist unconstitutional federal acts, violation of federal border laws, and the use of financial pressure by globalist institutions that seek to destroy everything Texans hold dear and usurp the political power inherent in the people of Texas.  Such resistance should include stopping unconstitutional federal acts in Texas, defense of the border by Texas without interference by or subservience to the federal government, and the prohibition of the use of globalist financial pressure to destroy Texas businesses

Background: 

1) “Stopping unconstitutional federal acts in Texas.”

Texas Constitutional Enforcement has been supporting passage of the Texas Sovereignty Act for a number of sessions.  The act creates a standing committee similar to the Sunset Committee that can meet outside the press of the legislative session to identify and prioritize unconstitutional federal acts that should be resisted in Texas by using the Texas Official Oppression Act which makes it a crime for a public servant to violate the rights of Texans.

This overall category can include bills that:

• Mandate that Texas elected officials refuse to assist federal agents in the prosecution of unconstitutional federal acts;
• Define areas of intrastate commerce that are immune from federal regulation;
• Criminalize and restrict weaponization of federal law enforcement against conservative Texans;
• Stop Texas agencies and subdivisions from receiving federal funds that have strings attached; and
• Bifurcate elections and voter rolls for presidential electors, state office, and Texas subdivision office from U.S. House and Senate to insure that Texas elections have no interference or corruption from DC.
• Resist woke federal transportation mandates that restrict Texans’ freedom to travel.

2) “Defense of the border by Texas without interference by the federal government”

This section can include more legislation creating a Border Protection Unit or strengthens the ability of Texas to repel and remove illegals. But its primary purpose is to insure that Texas not agree that in the situation of concurrent jurisdiction over the defense of Texans from invasion and protection from imminent danger that will not admit of delay, Texas will not agree that the federal judiciary has any say over how or when Texas decides to defend itself, and therefore will not delay defending Texans because of injunctions or stays of self defense by the federal judiciary.

This sentiment should also be included in any border security priority, and might not be needed here if it is duplicated in the border priority.

3) “Prohibition of the use of globalist financial pressure to destroy Texas businesses”

Following 2022 RPT Platform Plank 46, Texas Resistance to the Great Reset, Texas Constitutional Enforcement worked on a wide array of bills designed to resist the Great Reset and ESG pushed by global elites and coordinated by the World Economic Forum that meets at Davos annually. A report on what we accomplished and what almost made it last session can be found on the website blog of Texas Constitutional Enforcement.

This category can include bills that will:

• Prohibit ESG discrimination by companies doing business in Texas;
• Divest Texas funds like pensions and school funds from companies that push ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) policies and DEI;
• Prohibit companies that boycott or discriminate against Texas businesses based on ESG, DEI, or ideology from doing business with Texas or its subdivisions; and
• Resist social media censorship of Texans.

Rationale:

When I ran for state rep and asked GOP voters their top issue, border security was number one, but another statement was just as high: “There are so many things going wrong, I don’t know where to begin.”  As I probed more, the sentiment almost always stemmed from the understanding that everything Texans hold dear is being attacked in an all-fronts war by the feds who illegitimately occupy DC and the globalists using their wealth and corporate control to subjugate Texans.

At this moment in time, we cannot know whether we will take DC back from the Marxists and elitists in November. If we don’t, then this priority will be more important than ever.  Even if we do, the globalists will not give up on their quest to rule Texans, Trump will not be able to stop the Deep State all at once, and we should use the time to get ready for the next assault on Texas.

By staying strong and free, Texas can save and restore America.  If Texas falls, America falls and as Reagan warned, the world will then plunge into a thousand years of darkness.

2. Fighting Inflation and Central Bank Digital Currency

Proposed Priority Language:

To empower Texans to combat inflation and the ultimate police state tool of Central Bank Digital Currency, Texas should recognize the natural right to use currency of choice in the Texas Bill of Rights and provide choices for ordinary Texans to use gold and silver as legal tender in everyday transactions.

Background:

This priority combines two bill concepts fighting inflation and resisting CBDC in one priority.

1) Currency of choice Texas Bill of Rights

This piece passed the Texas House as HJR 146 (by State Rep. Gio Capriglione) 139 – 2 last session. It died without a hearing in the Senate. State Senator Tan Parker introduced the companion bill, SJR 67, in the Senate.  This is the language that would have been added to the Texas Bill of Rights had it passed:

The right of the people to own, hold, and use a mutually agreed upon medium of exchange, including cash, coin, bullion, digital currency, or scrip, when trading and contracting for goods and services shall not be infringed. No government shall prohibit or encumber ownership or holding of any form or any amount of money or other currency. Nothing in this section shall be construed as restricting this state or a political subdivision of this state from only accepting payments made or entering into transactions using certain mediums of exchange.

The choice to hold the wealth one has earned over a lifetime in the form of one’s choice is a natural right which no government should violate. As such, the right to hold and use cash and cash substitutes falls under one of those rights that should be protected under the Ninth Amendment. This natural right needs explicit codification and protection in the Texas Bill of Rights to help stop the assault on the financial and privacy rights of Texans. Explicit recognition in the Texas Bill of Rights strengthens the Ninth Amendment case.

Click here to see the hearing on HJR 146 in the spring of 2023.  See more about the concept at the Texas Constitutional Enforcement website.

2) Choice for Texans to use gold and silver as legal tender in everyday transactions

This is also known as transactional gold, liquid gold, or digital gold. The companion bills in the 88^th Legislature were HB 4903 by State Rep Mark Dorazio and SB 2334 by Senator Bryan Hughes.  In the House, the bill passed out of State Affairs and Calendars, but was placed on the General Calendar too late to get a vote.  In the Senate, the bill had a hearing late in session, but was not given a vote in committee.

The bill enables and orders the Texas Comptroller to expand the services of the Texas Bullion Depository to create electronic warehouse receipts for gold and silver stored there that can be traded electronically to do everyday business.  The idea is that anyone can put dollars that will be converted into gold or silver stored at the Texas Bullion Depositor.  The owner will have the receipts on a credit card or app that can be used at any retailer that accepts credit cards.  If the retailer wants dollars instead of gold or silver when the customer uses the card, the Texas Bullion Depository gives the equivalent in dollars on that day to the retailer.  Or the retailer can transfer the receipt for the gold or silver into their Depository account.

Offering a payment via this service would be considered legal tender under Texas law.  The transactionalgold.com website has more detail on the bill and idea. The House hearing around 54:50 and Senate hearing around 38:20 are available on the Texas Legislature Online website.

This new service offering would enable people living paycheck to paycheck to gain the protection of the stability in value of precious metals.  Today, most of that protection is only available to those who have savings.

Note that this transactional gold idea was placed on the 2024 GOP primary ballot as Proposition 7 and it received 76.5% of the GOP primary vote.

Finally, this priority formulation was passed in several places around Texas with the title of “Monetary Freedom.”  I have seen some polling of delegates mentioning the transactional gold piece as “Economic Freedom.”  See the statements in the rationale statement below, but am currently thinking that the title, “Fighting Inflation and Central Bank Digital Currency” sells to the public better.

Rationale:

Money is the lifeblood of our economy.  Unstable money destroys our economy and hurts us all, but especially the poor.  Inflation is THE economic issue that is hurting the vast majority of Texans, today.  It is the issue that is likely to switch many historically Democrat and independent voters to vote Republican in 2024.

Of all the threats to the liberty of Texans, Central Bank Digital Currency, with its programmability, making it the ultimate police state tool, makes it the equivalent in consequence to destroying the liberty of our posterity to open borders and election integrity.

I became politically aware during the Carter-era inflation and saw how the issue of inflation was a major factor in the Republican/Reagan victory of 1980.

This priority is a way that the RPT can help protect Texans from the dire dual threat of inflation and CDBC and show Texas voters that we get what is hurting the ordinary voter and have solutions to solve it right here in Texas.

3. Including state-level prosecution of election law in Election Integrity

Proposed Priority Language:

We have not proposed specific wording, but have passed a resolution at lower levels that says the following:  Resolved that protecting our elections should be a legislative priority of the RPT, and that legislation to allow independent, state-level prosecution of the election code and other statutes that Soros-controlled district attorneys are unlikely to prosecute shall be part of that priority.

Background:

Texas Constitutional Enforcement does not normally get involved in the details of election integrity.  But we do care about rule of law and we care about the danger to Texas of globalist elites like Soros deploying large resources from outside Texas into Texas to compromise the prosecutors in large Texas counties.

The 2022 Texas Court of Criminal Appeals’ State v. Stephens opinion prohibiting the Texas Attorney General from independent, state-level prosecution of the violation of election (and other) law makes prosecution of election law violations in the high population counties of Texas in 2024 unlikely.

Many proposed solutions surfaced in the Texas Legislature, but the approach most likely to insure that we have a second chance at prosecution of election (and other) law in the large counties of Texas was introduced in the 88^th Legislature by State Senator Bryan Hughes with SB 1927 and a similar bill by State Rep Mike Schofield, HB 4026.

See the linked testimony on the bill and comparison to other approached by me and by the late Alan Vera on SB 1927.

The most widely discussed approach to restoring state-level prosecution of election law is to simply legislate the delegation of authority to the Attorney General in contradiction to the Court of Criminal Appeals, hoping that the defeat of three of the eight members of the court in the 2024 GOP primary over the issue will persuade one of the five remaining to vote differently in the next appeal.  I think that the Hughes/Schofield approach of complying with the logic of State v Stephens and placing the prosecution under the Texas Supreme Court has a better chance of passage and survival in the courts.  Thinking that we will get Democrat help in passing a constitutional amendment to give election integrity to the Attorney General is, in my opinion, a pipe dream.

Note that Proposition 10 in the 2024 GOP primary called for a constitutional amendment to give prosecutorial authority to the AG.  It passed by 89.4%.  I think that the support for that proposition should not be viewed as exclusive support for the constitutional enforcement path, or even the idea of delegating the power to the AG, but rather as support for the urgent need for independent, state-level prosecution.

Regardless, I think the language of our priority should simply call for independent, state-level prosecution of election (and other) law to give the legislature the flexibility of choosing the approach most likely to achieve success.

Finally, this committee should know that I am crafting a resolution for your fellow Platform & Resolutions Committee that I hope will call for the governor to add this topic to a call for a special session in June, 2024 before the November, 2024 election.  I cannot imagine why Greg Abbott or Dan Patrick would want to look Ted Cruz or Donald Trump in the face to tell them they had a chance, but failed to enforce Texas election law in the big counties of Texas in November.

Rationale:

Any law without enforcement is useless. 

I will personally have comments about priorities hardening our electrical grid and elimination of property tax, but plan to communicate about that wearing different hats.

Looking forward to working with you . . .

Toward liberty,

Tom Glass

Texas Constitutional Enforcement
www.txce.org
X:  @tomgglass
Facebook:  Tom G Glass
Texas Constitutional Enforcement FB group
Texas Legislative Priorities FB group

I celebrate Bill of Rights Day this year by sharing an hour-long Norman Corwin tribute to the Bill of Rights that was released on radio on the 150^th anniversary of final ratification of the Bill of Rights.  (Virginia became the eleventh state to ratify ten of the twelve amendments passed by Congress, surpassing the three-fourths of the 14 states necessary for ratification, creating the Bill of Rights.)

The 150^th anniversary of the ratification fell on December 15, 1941, which of course, was a mere 8 days after Pearl Harbor.  The tribute made defense of the Bill of Rights a central part of the reason for fighting World War II.

The tribute is star-studded including most prominently Jimmy Stewart, but also including Lionel Barrymore, Edward G. Robinson, Walter Brennan, Walter Huston, Orson Welles and others.

It is an inspiring tribute, but also an interesting period piece in the context of that time.  To my ear, there are some jarring mentions of “fighting for democracy” when discussing the quintessentially republican part of the Constitution.

The title, “We Hold These Truths” is of course taken NOT from the Constitution or Bill of Rights, but the more fundamental Declaration of Independence.  But given that the Declaration says that the purpose of government is to secure unalienable rights and that the Bill of Rights was designed to do just that, I am just fine with the title.

Enjoy this tribute to a defining achievement of American exceptionalism.  And pray and work to be certain that we and our posterity can celebrate it still on the 250^th anniversary just 18 years away in 2041.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f6LIfSnctY

Texas Constitution Enforcement has joined with the Texas Conservative Grassroots Coalition and 191 other organizations in calling on Governor Abbott to add 5 urgently needed topics to a special session this year simultaneous to school choice.

More to come on how you can ask the Governor to act for what Texas urgently needs.

 

193 Texas Conservative Grassroots Coalition Leaders Say, “Protect Texans!”

Call for Gov. Abbott’s Immediate Addition of Urgent Topics to 2023 Special Sessions

August 25, 2023

The Honorable Texas Governor Greg Abbott Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, TX 78711-2428

Electronic dispatch to Steve Munisteri, Senior Policy Advisor; Gardner Pate, Governor’s Chief of Staff:

Dear Governor Abbott:

We write to urge that you add the following five topics to the earliest practicable special legislative session. Upon your careful consideration of the case we herein make, we believe you will agree with us that each of these five issues are daggers pointed at the heart of Texas and the liberty of her citizens.

These topics, vital to the security of ALL Texans, are (1) monetary freedom, (2) operational control of the border/end to child sex trafficking, (3) state-level election law enforcement, (4) electric grid protection, and (5) protection of Fourth Amendment rights and the freedom to travel by legally empowering Texans to disable Biden’s mandated vehicular kill-switches.

The following describes the problem, the solution, and the urgency, which should compel you and the Texas Legislature to rapidly, boldly lead the way in protecting the people of Texas from the imminent threats to:

MONETARY FREEDOM

Problem: Polls show that the number one issue on the mind of American voters is inflation. A growing number of citizens want to stop federal Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), which will destroy financial privacy and implement police state control of Texans.

Solution: Legislation to provide sound money, monetary stability, and monetary freedom for Texans and to resist implementation of a federal Central Bank Digital Currency.

The good news is that we already have strong 88^th Regular Session bills that could be and should be reintroduced to expedite this special session issue. We strongly recommend HJR 146 (Capriglione)/SJR 67 (Parker), the right to use currency of choice; HB 4903 (Dorazio)/SB 2334 (Hughes), transactional gold and silver as legal tender issued by the Texas Bullion Depository; and a resolution like HCR 88 (Capriglione)/SCR 25 (Parker), declaring the State of Texas’ opposition to Central Bank Digital Currency.

Urgency: Texans have a growing concern about a coming financial storm, and want ways to protect their families. We may be in the storm before 2025!  The time to build a firewall is before you are in the fire.

BORDER SECURITY / CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING

Problem: The federal government is violating federal law and using our federal tax dollars to enable and subsidize the cartels in their profit-centered slavery of child-sex trafficking, human labor trafficking, and fentanyl poisoning. In addition, many national security experts are warning that the thousands of Chinese and Iranian military-aged illegal border crossers are likely here for nefarious purposes.

While the State of Texas is laudably working to repel border crossings between ports of entry, the US Border Patrol is destroying Texas property and thwarting Texas law enforcement’s legitimate law enforcement efforts.

Solution: Legislation to support the Governor in invoking the self-defense reservation of power to Texas found in Article I, Sec. 10 of the U.S. Constitution and support the Governor in authorizing Texas border enforcers to repel border crossers between ports of entry at the border and to build Texas inspection facilities close to or at ports of entry to catch contraband, including fentanyl. Legislation to require collection, preservation, and analysis of DNA samples of non-citizen children and adults apprehended in the vicinity of the border for storage in databases that can be used to stop child sex-trafficking and other crime. Legislation to add sex-slave trade to existing penal statutes that apply to organized crime and impose severe penalties on all actors including, without limitation, the purchasers of trafficked human beings. Legislation to criminalize crossing the Texas border onto private land between ports of entry and increase penalties for federal agents who interfere with enforcement of Texas law.

Urgency: Every day that we wait to seize operational control of our Texas border with Mexico and delay beefing up and enforcing child sex-trafficking laws means more children’s lives are destroyed, more Texans die of fentanyl poisoning, more terrorists are embedded in Texas, and more people are living in Texas as debt slaves to the cartels. Governor, Texas MUST lead to save Texas!

STATE-LEVEL ELECTION (AND OTHER) LAW ENFORCEMENT

Problem: The 2022 Texas Court of Criminal Appeals’ State v. Stephens opinion prohibiting the Texas Attorney General from independent, state-level prosecution of the violation of election (and other) law makes prosecution of election law violations in the high population counties of Texas in 2024 unlikely. Any law without enforcement is worthless.

Solution: Legislation to implement independent state-level prosecution of election integrity, public integrity, abortion, human smuggling, sex slave trade, sedition, and riot in response to and in compliance with the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals’ State v Stephens decision.

The bill that led the way in the 88^th Regular Session was SB 1927 (Hughes). For a variant on that approach, see also HB 4026 (Schofield).

Urgency: Texas is unlikely to have effective enforcement of election law in the largest counties in 2024 without this legislation. Recently passed improvements to the law enabling removal of recalcitrant prosecutors are worthwhile, but due to long lead times and narrow removal criteria, these improvements will not work to address the looming 2024 problem. It is no secret that in certain counties, Texans cannot rely on local prosecutors to enforce the rule of law! Adding state prosecutorial resources for human trafficking, sex slave trade, abortion enforcement and election law violations will no doubt save the lives of children and protect Texas voters from organized vote theft.

ELECTRIC GRID & CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION

Problem: The Texas electrical grid and other critical infrastructure are vulnerable to nuclear electromagnetic pulse (EMP), cyber and physical attack, solar disturbances, and extreme weather. This issue has been discussed for five Texas legislative sessions with no results!

Solution: Legislation to direct and fund the hardening of electrical transmission and generation facilities and other critical infrastructures against the threat of solar disturbances, nuclear electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attacks, foreign and domestic terrorists, and to provide measurable resiliency to critical infrastructure against all-hazards in Texas.

Urgency: Discussion of war with enemies capable of launching nuclear EMP attacks is in the news every day and on the minds of forward-thinking, responsible Texans. NASA has predicted that we have a one in twelve chance of a solar event capable of destroying our grid over the next decade. These urgent threats are worthy of your action. Timely, responsible leadership from you is required to address these threats that could happen any day. Don’t wait!

PROTECTING FREEDOM TO TRAVEL BY STOPPING VEHICULAR KILL-SWITCHES

Problem: The Biden Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed in November 2021 requires all vehicles to be equipped with remote vehicle tracking and disabling technology (otherwise known as a remote kill- switch) beginning after 2026. This poses a direct and imminent threat to travel liberties (the free association of people), to free trade (free market commerce), and to our Fourth Amendment Constitutional right not to be surveilled by the government without a warrant. We dare not trust the federal government with such potential for abuse!

Solution: Legislation to protect the Fourth Amendment rights and other rights of Texans by requiring that they be allowed to disable vehicular kill-switches cheaply and easily.

Urgency: Since the federal law requires every car maker to add the kill-switch to every new vehicle sold after 2026 and since vehicle design lead-times are long, Texas must pass any protections this year to have any impact on the vehicles manufactured for sale. Legislation on this topic in 2025 will be too late to impact vehicle designs for 2026.

Finally, we understand that you plan to add school choice to the next call, and that you plan to focus that session solely on school choice. Governor, we urge you to add these urgent topics to the next session’s call simultaneous with school choice. We worry that House resistance to solid, liberty principle-focused school choice will cause delays and thus YOU will lose the window you need to pass legislation urgently needed to shield Texans from the clear and present dangers we have laid out.

The time to protect Texas is NOW, Governor Abbott!

For liberty – for Texas, we the undersigned 193 conservative Texas influencers, *

JoAnn Fleming, Executive Director, Grassroots America – We the People PAC™ | [email protected]

Tom Glass, Founder, Texas Constitutional Enforcement, SD 18 | [email protected]

R. “Dick” Saulsbury, Conservative Donor, Odessa

Kyle Stallings, Conservative Donor, Midland

George Clay, Conservative Donor, Wichita Falls

Don Dyer, Conservative Donor, Austin

Bill Holmes, Conservative Donor, Midland

Cathie Adams, 1st VP, National Eagle Forum, SD 18

MaryAnne Aiken, Secretary of Board, Grassroots America - We the People, SD 1

William Aiken, Advance Team, Grassroots America - We the People, SD 1

Deborah Bailey, Chair, Coke County Republican Party, SD 31

Anna Bartosh, President, San Angelo TEA Party, SD 6

Jean Bassinger, Precinct chair, Denton County Republican Party, SD 12

Michael & Christina Bastos, Co-founders, Milam County Constitutional Conservatives, SD 5

Charlotte Belsick, Fredericksburg Tea Party, SD 24

Michael Belsick, Secretary, Fredericksburg Tea Party, SD 24

Christin Bentley, SREC SD 1

Beth Biesel, Vice President, Texas Eagle Forum, SD 12

Dianna Biscan, VP of Legislation, Republican Women of Greater North TX, SD 8

Elena Blake, President, Irving Republican Women, SD 16

Joanna Bowen, former President, Secretary, Lake Country Republican Club, SD 1

Larry Bowman, President, Holly Lake/Hawkins Rep Club, SD 1

Judy Brady, Central Texas tea party, SD 24

Janie Brittain, Steering Committee, Garland Tea Party, SD 2

Spencer Brolsma, President, Young Constitutional Patriots, SD 30

Adam Cahn, conservative Austin blogger, Austin, SD 14

Robert Canright, Precinct Chair, Collin County Republican Party, SD 8

Janice Carter, Section Leader, John Birch Society, SD 24

David Carter, Central Texas TEA Party, John Birch Society, SD 24

Rodney Casey, Chairman, Shackelford County Republicans, SD 10

Cindi Castilla, President, Texas Eagle Forum, SD 12

Dee Chambless, Special Projects Volunteer Coordinator, Grassroots America - We the People, SD 1

Monica Cline, Meetings Coordinator, Fredericksburg Tea Party, SD 25

Dr. Dwayne “Doc” Collins, Founder, Edom TEA Party, SD 1

Mel Cooper, Co-Founder and President, Bastrop County Conservatives, SD 5

Vickie Costa, Frisco Tea Party, SD 30

Sylvia Coulson, Executive Assistant, Ellis County Republican Party, SD 22

Ruth Cremin, Founding Member, We the People - Liberty in Action, SD 24

Connie Curry, Founder, West TX Conservative Leadership, SD 28

Debra Damman, Precinct Chair, Williamson County X, SD 14

Susan Deininger, Co-founder, Kerr County Patriots, SD 24

Gaylyn DeVine, SREC SD 11; SD 11 Grassroots Coalition

Nancy Dillard, Immediate past President, Denton County Conservative Coalition, SD 30

Char Doonan, Grassroots America - We the People, SD 1

Chris Drewry, Texas Nationalist Movement, SD 1

Christina Drewry, District Director, Texas Nationalist Movement, SD 1

Sally Driscoll, Bulverde Spring Branch Conservative Republicans, SD 6

Ron Dubner, Collin County Conservative Republicans, SD 8

Devvie Duke, SREC SD 22; Chair of Election Integrity Committee

Sheri Edwards, Precinct Chair, Brazoria County Republican Party, SD 11

Andrew Eller, SREC SD 24

Sherry Eller, Social Media Chair, Central Texas TEA Party, SD 24

Sue Evenwel, Board, Grassroots America – We the People; Conservative Republican Women of NETX, SD 1

Thomas Fabry, Chair - Government Watchdog Committee, Grassroots America - We the People, SD 1

Toni Fabry, Board Member, Coalition Leader, Grassroots America - We the People, SD 1

Marty Farrell, Member, Team America, SD 6

Ann Fitzgerald, VP Membership, Conservative Republican Women of Northeast Texas, SD 1

Davis Ford, President, Central Texas TEA Party, SD 24

Rena and David French, Grassroots America - We the People, SD 3

Lori Gallagher, Co-Director, Tally Texas, SD 24

Alejandro Gauna, Co-Founder, Texas Minority Coalition, SD 1

MerryLynn Gerstenschlager, National Security Chairman, Eagle Forum, SD 30

Mike Giles, Board Chair, Collin County Patriots, McKinney 1st PAC, SD 8

Jill Glover, SREC SD 12, Legislative Priorities Chair, Republican Party of Texas

Richie Grant, Bowie County Patriots, SD 1

Grayson County Conservatives Board of Directors

Robert Green, Precinct Chair, Travis County Republican Party, SD 14

Suezette Griffin, President, Pearland Texas Party, SD 11

Suzanne Guggenheim, Chair, Coastal Bend Grassroots Coalition, SD 27

Rachel Hale, Executive Director, TX Freedom Coalition, SD 1

Roger Hall, Board member/Founder, We the People - Liberty in Action, SD 24

Terri Hall, Founder/Director, Texans Uniting for Reform & Freedom, Texans for Toll-free Highways, SD 24

Tobie Hall, North Texas Conservative Coalition, SD 12

Tracy Hanes, Founder, Freedom Over Fear Citizens Unite, SD 18

Phyllis Harding-Nichols, Team Coordinator, Wood County Concerned Citizens, SD 1

Barbara Harless, Co-founder, North Texas Citizens Lobby, SD 8

Marilyn Harris, Denton County Conservative Coalition, SD 12

Joe Harrison, Founder - retired leader, Cass County Patriots, SD 1

Lee Harvey, Rockwall County GOP, SD 2

Robin Hayes, Chair, Eastland County Republican Party, SD 22

Richard Heizer, Vice Chair, Parker County Republican Party, SD 30

Kelly Holt, Journalist, The New American, SD 5

Rachel Horton, Precinct Chair, Parker County Republican Party, SD 30

Amy Huggins, Vice President, Conservative Coalition, SD 15

Dale Huls, Bowie County Patriots, SD 1

Mary Huls, Executive Board, Bowie County Patriots, SD 1

Lola Hurt, Program Director, Dallas Eagle Forum, SD 12

Bill Hussey, Member, Grayson County Conservatives, SD 30

Kathy Hussey, Llano Tea Party, SD 24

Cathy Jaster, Coordinator, Texans4Truth, SD 5

Barbara Jernegan, Coastal Bend Tea Party Membership Chair, Coastal Bend Republican Coalition, SD 20

Joyce Jones, Board Member, Central Texas Tea Party, SD 24

Christine Kalmbach, Precinct Chair, Harris County Republican Party, SD 7

Robert Kecseg, former SREC SD 1; SD 1 Conservative Coalition Leader

Julie Kellogg, County Citizens Defending Freedom USA, SD 27

Robert Kelsey, Past president, Llano Tea Party, SD 24

Judy Kent, President, Conservative Republican Women of Northeast Texas, SD 1

Michael Kinzie, Founder, TEAParty911.com, SD 7

Vicki Knutson, Group organizer/leader, Restore the Republic, SD 8

Jennifer Kratky, Co-Director, NW Harris County, True Texas Project, SD 7

Dawn Kubin, Member, Cass County Patriots, SD 1

Earl Kubin, Cass County Patriots, SD 1

Carolyn Lance, County Chair, Cass County Republican Party, SD 1

Jennifer LePore-Pope, Precinct Chair, Wood County Republican Party, SD 1

Craig Licciardi, Board Member, Grassroots America - We the People, SD 1; Smith County GOP Precinct Chair

Dennis London, Candidate, London for Texas State House District 33, SD 2

Shari London, Rockwall County Republican Women's Club; Rockwall County Hispanic GOP Club, SD 2

Matt Long, Past President, Fredericksburg Tea Party, SD 24

Mary Lowe, Co-Founder, Families Engaged for Effective Education, SD 12

Susan Lucas, SREC SD 5

Carolyn Lux, Membership Chair, Fredericksburg Tea Party, SD 24

Beth Maynard, Eastland County Tea Party Patriots, SD 22

Kevin McCall, Precinct Chair, Smith County Republican Party, SD 1

Gloria McDonald, President, Denton County Conservative Coalition, SD 12

Michael McIver, Publisher, Texas Conservative Digest, SD 30

Pamela Millisor, Precinct Chair, Bexar County Republican Party, SD 25

Royce Mitchell, Alvin TEA Party, SD 11

Paula Moore, Pro-Life Coordinator, Concerned Women for America, SD 26

Thomas Morgan, Grassroots America - We the People, SD 1

Cynthia G. Murphy, Fredericksburg Tea Party, SD 24

Joseph Murphy, Treasurer, Fredericksburg Tea Party, SD 24

Dr. Dana Myers, Vice Chair, Republican Party of Texas, SD 15

Michael Najvar, Associate Member, Republican Women of Yoakum Area, SD 18

Naomi Narvaiz, SREC SD 25

Kay Neff, Executive Legislative Chair, East Texas Republican Women, SD 1

Lonnie Neff, Chaplain, Cass County Patriots, SD 1

Anne Newman, Director, Speak Up TX, SD 25

Brian Newman, President, Collin Strong, SD 8

John O'Shea, Precinct Chair, Tarrant County Republican Party, SD 9

Robin Occhipinti, Cass County Patriots, SD 1

Mike Olcott, Co-Founder, Parker County Conservatives, SD 10

Karla Oquin, Member, San Angelo Republican Women, SD 28

Ashton Oravetz III, Past County Chairman, Smith County Republican Party, SD 1

Lydia Ortega, Board Member, Connor Harrington Women's Club, SD 8

Sandra Parker, Precinct Chair, Fort Bend County Republican Party, SD 18

Deborah Peppers, Legislative Chair, Texas Federation of Republican Women, SD 18

Oleta Phillips, Plano Citizens Coalition, SD 6

Marc Pitts, Precinct Chair, Smith County Republican Party, SD 1

Gregory Porter, Founder, Texas for Liberty, SD 24

Melinda Preston, Founder, Restore the Republic, SD 6

Eugene Ralph Sr, Vice President, SW Dallas Republicans, SD 16

Deborah Ramsey, Vice Chair, Morris County Republican Party, SD 1

Randal Reeves, President, Lindale Republican Club, SD 6

Joe Resley, Texas Conservative Grassroots Coalition, SD 1

Kathi-Ann Rivard, Precinct Chair, Collin County Republican Party, SD 8

Joy Roberts, Chair, Grayson County Conservatives; Precinct Chair, Grayson County Republican Party, SD 30

Melinda Roberts, Chair, Bexar County Republicans Election Integrity, SD 25

Linda Robertson, Field Director, John O'Shea for Congress CD 12, SD 9

Tanya Robertson, former SREC SD 11, SD 3

Leann Robinson, Treasurer, Republican Women of Wood County, SD 1

David Russell, President, We the People of Wylie and Murphy, SD 8

Sudie Sartor, Treasurer, Texans for Toll-free Highways, SD 25

Selina Sauter, Vice President, Pearland Area Republican Club, SD 11

Diane Schexnyder, Member, Cass County Patriots, SD 1

Jude Schexnyder, Convention of States, SD 1

Rowan Schexnyder, Cass County Patriots, SD 1

Judy Schmidt, Cass County Patriots, SD 1

Josie D Schoolcraft, Grassroots America – We the People, TX, SD 3

Robert Schultheis, Assistant Director of Legislative Oversight, Cass County Patriots, SD 1

Dianna Sharp, Member, Greater North TX Republican Women, SD 6

Jack Short, Grassroots America - We the People, SD 1

Cindy Simpson, Precinct Chair, Brazoria County Republican Party, SD 11

James Simpson, Pearland Area Republican Club, SD 11

Mike Slaton, Red Texas Forum, SD 2

Vicki Slaton, Red Texas Forum, SD 2

Angela Smith, President, Fredericksburg Tea Party, SD 24

Mike Smith, Precinct Chair, Cherokee County Republican Party, SD 3

Murray Smith, Republican Party of Cherokee County, SD 3

James Speiran, Board Member, Grassroots America - We the People; Precinct Chair, Smith County Republican Party, SD 1

Amy Spiess, Fredericksburg Tea Party, SD 24

Dr. Jon Spiers, former Candidate for Texas Land Commissioner, SD 15

Barb Stauffer, Steering Committee member, Garland Tea Party, SD 2

Richard Steenson, former SREC SD 16; A/V Team, Grassroots America - We the People, SD 1

Stephen Sullivan, President, Robson Ranch Conservatives, SD 12

Elizabeth Theiss, former President, the Magnet, SD 15

Shann Turner, President, Lee County Conservatives, SD 18

Lou Vail, County Chair, Knox County Republican Party, SD 28

Sam Walzel, Deacon, Living for the Brand, SD 3

Marcia Watson, Executive Director, Williamson County Citizens Defending Freedom, SD 6

Jeanne Weisz, North Texas Conservatives, SD 30

LTC Allen West (USA, Ret), former Chairman, Republican Party of Texas

Wise County Conservatives Board of Directors

Suzanne Whitsell, President, Republican Women of Wood County, SD 1

Maggie Whitt, President, Minority Engagement Group; Board Member, Hispanic Republican Club of North Texas; SREC SD 8

Gwen Withrow, SREC SD 4

John Wrinkle, Precinct Chair, Franklin County Republican Party, SD 1

Ruth York, Vice President, Tea Party Patriots of Eastland County; Interim Chair, Texas Family Defense Committee, SD 22

Jerome Young, Montgomery County Tea Party PAC, SD 7

Linda Zepeda, Conservative Republican Women of North Texas, Recording Secretary; Grassroots America – We the People, SD 1

Tim Zepeda, Associate Member, Conservative Republican Women of Northeast Texas, SD 1

Charles Zollars, Big Country Conservative Coalition, SD 28

CC: Lt. Governor Dan Patrick
       Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan

*Organizations are listed for identification purposes for the above-signed 193 political opinion leaders who influence thousands of Texans.

The Texas Conservative Grassroots Coalition™ is the premier signature project of Grassroots America –  We the People PAC.™ 

Political advertising paid for by Grassroots America – We the People PAC™

Grassroots America We the People™ « All rights reserved.

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