State Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, made herself sound like a champion for the poor during Thursday’s debate in the Texas House over a measure barring public funds for private school vouchers. (The measure passed overwhelmingly.) She wanted to know why opponents of private school vouchers weren’t considering “the poor families of Texas” who can’t afford […]
Recent Blogs
Week Ends with Big Wins for Public Education, Family Planning, LGBT Texans at the Capitol
This week began with the Texas Freedom Network mobilizing supporters of public education, family planning, LGBT rights and religious freedom for big battles at the Texas Capitol. We’re happy to report good news on a number of fronts, but hard work remains ahead of us. Public Education On Thursday the Texas House voted overwhelmingly, 103-43, […]
Boom! Texas House Slams the Door on Private School Vouchers
For the third time in four legislative sessions, the Texas House of Representatives voted this afternoon to bar spending any public funds on vouchers for private and religious schools. The overwhelming vote on the amendment (offered by state Rep. Abel Herrero, D-Robstown) to the state budget bill is an important victory for supporters of public […]
Budget Update: Apparent Truce Called in Family Planning Debate
The Austin American-Statesman’s Chuck Lindell is reporting that we are not going to see a repeat of the fight on the House floor from two years ago that resulted in massive cuts to the state’s family planning budget: A brokered agreement will remove about a dozen family planning and abortion-related amendments from the state budget debate […]
Resolved: Texas Doesn’t Care about the Constitution
Moses State Rep. Phil Stephenson, R-Wharton In week full of religious liberty skirmishes at the Texas Capitol, we would be remiss if we did not flag the most ridiculous church-state proposal we’ve seen this session: HCR 58 by state Rep. Phil Stephenson, R-Wharton — a publicity stunt masquerading as a House Concurrent Resolution. The resolution concludes: […]
