With Christmas celebrations on the brink of extinction in Texas, the Texas House intervened yesterday by passing the “Merry Christmas bill” to ensure public schools remain a welcome place for Jesus Santa. Santa’s attorney — and lobbyist for the religious-right group Texas Values — was at the Capitol to whip votes and remind us all of the […]
2013 Texas Legislature
The Voices in Dan Flynn's Head
Dan Flynn, R-Van State Rep. Dan Flynn, R-Van, is of two (or three) minds when it comes to the role religion should play in American law and society. Warning: Do not try to reconcile these statements, all of which were made over the last five months. Flynn, on the urgent need to post the 10 commandments […]
Bill Guts Local Control, Would Give Texas AG Authority to Close Down School Districts by Fiat
UPDATE, 4:40 p.m.: Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s office just released a formal opinion calling the Pflugerville Independent School District’s policy of offering domestic partners of district employees access to health insurance benefits a violation of the Texas Constitution. *** Just what in the world are they thinking? Earlier this month the House Public Education […]
Another Strange Twist for Anti-Sex Ed Legislation
On Thursday, the House Public Education Committee voted 7-3 to approve HB 1057 by Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, making it eligible soon for consideration by the full House. But the version of the bill the committee passed bears almost no resemblance to the bill as originally filed, or its Senate companion (SB 521) that passed out of the Senate Education committee […]
Proposed Texas Constitutional Amendment Could Help Fred 'God Hates Fags' Phelps Disrupt Funerals
Why would religious-right groups like Texas Values, the Texas lobby arm of Plano-based Liberty Institute, want to help hate groups disrupt funerals for military servicemembers and the victims of tragedies like last week’s fertilizer plant explosion in West? Those groups are demanding that state lawmakers pass a constitutional amendment — HJR 110/SJR 4 — that […]
