Sunday, January 15, 2023

Effort to ban Democratic chairs fails in Texas House, but rule passes to penalize future quorum-breakers

Decisions from last week that begins the 88th (2023)Texas Legislative Session related to quorum-breaking and whether to ban Democrats from holding committee chairs. As you can see here, the decision that held up was one of costly punishments to house members that break quorum, an issue that rose to the top in House primary races.

So, we'll not see a replay this session of House members taking off to DC to protest legislative action. It's probably a moot point anyway since the biggest item is the budget. Read, for example, this January 9th piece Texas Tribune article titled, "Texas lawmakers will have $188.2 billion available for the next budget after record-breaking revenue growth." I appreciate Every Texan's leadership on the matter, re-casting this as The People's Budget that all of our organizations need to weigh in on. After all, we all pay taxes such that we all have a stake in where the dollars flow and what they fund.

This, in combination with opposing monies for school vouchers since even if there's money now, it's not sustainable in the future as there is no sustainable source for vouchers. Plus, vouchers are anti-democratic and a diversion from the state's commitment to adequately funding public education.

When you hear language about "increasing the basic allotment," that's the good stuff related to increasing teacher salaries and resources to school districts, generally. 

Relatedly, watch out for deceptive wording as we can read right now about in SB 176 that calls for the "Texas Parental Empowerment Program," that's smoke and mirrors for vouchers—meaning, school privatization—and the segregation that school vouchers reinforce.

-Angela Valenzuela

TEXAS LEGISLATURE 2023

Effort to ban Democratic chairs fails in Texas House, but rule passes to penalize future quorum-breakers

House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, snuffed out a months long push Wednesday to end the chamber’s longtime tradition of having committee chairs from both parties.

 Capitol on Aug. 30, 2021. 
Credit: Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune

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