| Marriage ONLY Between a Man & a Woman
HB 1745 by Rep. Cecil Bell was left pending in the House State Affairs Committee after a public hearing last week. Please ask Members of the House State Affairs Committeehttp://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Committees/MembershipCmte.aspx?LegSess=84R&CmteCode=C450 to vote HB 1745 OUT of committee. And please ask your Representative and Senator to SUPPORT HB 1745that establishes the following: 1) The Secretary of State may withhold or withdraw authorization for a county clerk to issue marriage licenses or certify declarations of informal marriage if the clerk issues a marriage in violation of Texas law. TEF signed onto this statement: Texas Supreme Court Must Rule on Texas Constitution Marriage Amendment It is critical that we defend the Texas Constitution Marriage Amendment! The Alabama Supreme Court under the leadership of Chief Justice Roy Moore has successfully defended the Alabama Constitution Marriage Amendment from the illegal and rouge activity of an Alabama federal judge. The Alabama Supreme Court ruled, 7-1 that the Alabama Marriage Amendment, which provides that “Marriage is inherently a unique relationship between a man and a woman. As a matter of public policy, this state has a special interest in encouraging, supporting, and protecting this unique relationship in order to promote, among other goals, the stability and welfare of society and its children. A marriage contracted between individuals of the same sex is invalid in this state” is constitutional under the United States Constitution. The Texas Supreme Court consists of nine excellent conservative jurists. Because of its makeup, we expect that this Court would rule and affirm the constitutionality of the Texas Constitution Marriage Amendment, Article 1, Section 32, which provides, “Marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman.” The Texas Supreme Court has not yet ruled on the appeal of the 2010 decision of the Texas Fifth Court of Appeals in In re Marriage of J.B. and H.B., [“J.B.”] No. 11-0024. In this case, the Texas Fifth Court of Appeals found that the Texas Constitution Marriage Amendment is constitutional under the United States Constitution. The Texas Supreme Court should affirm this decision immediately. The Supreme Court of the United States will hear oral arguments on April 28 to determine whether homosexuals have a Constitutional right to marry. Texas’ forceful voice in favor of historic and Biblical marriage must be heard before April 28th. The Texas Supreme Court has a duty, that we are confident that it will discharge, to make a decision in In re Marriage of J.B. and H.B. that has been pending before the Court for the past four years. By affirming the decision of the Texas Fifth Court of Appeals, the Texas Supreme Court will send a strong message to the Supreme Court of the United States that Texas supports the historic concept and definition of marriage. As noted above, the leading marriage case pending before the Texas Supreme Court is In re Marriage of J.B. and H.B., [“J.B.”] No. 11-0024. Decision of the Texas Fifth Court of Appeals The Texas Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas held that Texas law does not permit a same-sex divorce because it does not recognize as valid the antecedent marriage. In re Marriage of J.B. and H.B., 326 S.W.3d 654 (Tex.App.-Dallas 2010). On the federal question, the court held that the Texas statutes recognizing as valid a marriage between a man and a woman do not violate the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The court reasoned that homosexuals are not a suspect class, same-sex marriage is not a fundamental right, and the State has a rational basis for its marriage laws. “The Legislature could rationally believe that it is better, other things being equal, for children to grow up with both a mother and a father. Intuition and experience suggest that a child benefits from having before his or her eyes, every day, living models of what both a man and a woman are like.” J.B., 326 S.W.3d at 678 (quoting Hernandez v. Robles, 855 N.E.2d 1, 7 (N.Y. 2006). Thus, “Texas’s laws governing marriage and divorce … are rationally related to the legitimate state interest in fostering the best possible environment for procreation and child-raising.” J.B., 326 S.W.3d at 680. The Fifth Court of Appeals concluded that “the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment … [has] never before [been] construed as a charter for restructuring the traditional institution of marriage by judicial legislation.” Id. at 681. This strong and accurate decision deserves a prompt and vigorous affirmation by the Texas Supreme Court. Proceedings in the Texas Supreme Court On February 17, 2011, J.B. filed with the Texas Supreme Court a petition for review of the 5th Court of Appeals decision. On August 5, 2011, the Court requested briefs on the merits, which were filed in September and October, 2011. On July 3, 2013, over a year and a half after filing of the merits briefs, the Court requested supplemental briefing in the wake of the United States Supreme Court decisions in United States v. Windsor, 133 S. Ct. 2675 (2013) and Hollingsworth v. Perry, 133 S. Ct. 2652 (2013). That briefing was complete on August 6, 2013. The Court held oral argument on this case and two related cases on November 5, 2013. A year and almost five months have passed since oral argument with no decision forthcoming from the Court. J.B. has been on the Texas Supreme Court’s docket for over four years. Yet, the case was fully briefed and ripe for decision in October, 2011. The Texas Supreme Court should now act decisively and quickly to protect Texas’ historic Constitutional right to maintain sole jurisdiction over family law rather than wait passively for a United States Supreme Court decision that could potentially devastate the institution of marriage in Texas and in the United States. The fact that U.S. Supreme Court justices Elena Kagan and Ruth Ginsburg have performed same-sex “marriage” ceremonies, while a case involving the legality of homosexual marriages is pending before the Court, violates judicial ethical standards and signals their presumption that the Court will mandate homosexual marriage nationwide in its anticipated June, 2015 decision. Kagan and Ginsburg are obligated by judicial ethics to recuse themselves in this case. We encourage the Texas Supreme Court to demonstrate the same Please contact the members of the Texas Supreme Court by email and encourage them to take a stand and rule in favor of the Texas Constitution Marriage Amendment, nathan.hecht@txcourts.gov,paul.green@txcourts.gov, don.willett@txcourts.gov, eva.guzman@txcourts.gov,debra.lehrmann@txcourts.gov, jeff.boyd@txcourts.gov, jeffrey.boyd@txcourts.gov, john.devine@txcourts.gov, jeff.brown@txcourts.gov. You may write these Court members at P.O. Box 12248, Austin, Texas 78711. Steven F. Hotze, M.D. Cathie Adams Tim Lambert Dr. Sterling Lands II Terry Lowry Dr. Rick Scarborough Rev. Laurence White Dr. Steve Riggle Jim Graham Rev. Dave Welch Dr. Ed Young Legislative Ad, Steven Hotze M.D., Campaign For Texas Families PAC American Laws for American Courts Please help move HB 562 by Rep. Jeff Leach through the political process following last week’s public hearing: 1. Please email Chairman Smithee and thank him for holding the hearing. Please keep it short and polite.John.Smithee@house.state.tx.us 2.Please ask anyone you know that lives in his district, the Amarillo area, to call or email and asked that he vote in favor of HB562. 3. Please email and call Rep. Clardy to ask him to please vote for HB562. 5. Please Call or email these committee members and ask them to please vote for HB562. Again, if you know people in their district ask them to contact their representative to support HB562. Please keep it short and simple. Rep. Jodie Laubenberg(r) Rep. Ken Sheets(r) Rep. Richard Raymond (d) Rep. Senfronia Thompson (d) Rep. Ana Hernandez(d) Vice Chair: Rep. Jessica Farrar (d) Thank you so much for being an added voice on HB562! ELIMINATE Red Light Cameras MONDAY Public Hearing CANCELLED for SB 1340 by Sen. Don Huffines to ELIMINATE Red Light Cameras by amending the Transportation Code |
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| by adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: | ||
| (d) Notwithstanding any other law, a local authority may not | ||
| enforce a traffic law: | ||
| (1) only by photographic means; or | ||
| (2) by civil enforcement based only on evidence | ||
| obtained through photographic means. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015 | ||
TEF OPPOSES ALL CON CON Bills
HJR 77 by Rep. Rick Miller is pending in the House State & Federal Power & Responsibility, Select
Ask these committee members to NOT vote HJR 77 or ANY Con Con Bill out of committee
Rep. Phil King, Chairman
Phil.King@house.state.tx.us
512-463-0738
Rep. Paul Workman, Vice-Chair
Paul.Workman@house.state.tx.us
512-463-0652
Rep. Charles “Doc” Anderson
Charles.anderson@house.state.tx.us
512-463-0135
Rep. Travis Clardy
Travis.Clardy@house.state.tx.us
512-463-0592
Rep. Borris L. Miles
Borris.Miles@house.state.tx.us
512-463-0518
Rep. Tan Parker
Tan.Parker@house.state.tx.us
512-463-0688
PROTECT Pastors from being FORCED to perform Same-Sex “Marriages”
HB 3567 by Rep. Scott Sanford would PROTECT pastors from being forced to perform a “marriage” that would violate their religious beliefs. Please ask your Representative and Senator to SUPPORT HB 3567. Capitol switchboard 512-463-4630
Divorce Reform
HB 454 by Rep. Matt Krause increases the waiting period for divorce to 180 days.
| the court may | ||
| not grant a divorce on the grounds of insupportability before the | ||
| 180th day after the date the suit was filed if the household of one | ||
| of the spouses is the primary residence for: | ||
| (1) a child under the age of 18; | ||
| (2) a child 18 years of age who is attending high | ||
| school; or | ||
| (3) an adult disabled child | ||
HB 454 was left pending in committee after a public hearing last week. Please ask your Representative and Senator to SUPPORT HB 454.
Online Solicitation of Minors
HB 815 by Rep. Matt Krause would ensure those heinous individuals who prey on minors get prosecuted to fullest extent of the law. Please ask your Representative and Senator to SUPPORT HB 815. It was left pending after a public hearing last week in the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee. Capitol switchboard 512-463-4630
School-Based Clinics / Sex Clinics
HB 628 by Rep. Stuart Spitzer would allow pharmacists to fill prescriptions signed by Nurse Practitioners or Physician Assistants. School-based clinics have long wanted Nurse Practitioners to prescribe birth control pills, which was the primary purpose of a school-based clinic I visited years ago. I was told that over 90% of the services provided by that clinic was treatment for birth control and sexually-transmitted diseases.
This is also a parental rights issue. Parents are typically asked to sign a simple form—thinking it’s OK for a Nurse Practitioner to dispense an aspirin for a headache, but they have no idea that their child could be treated for other issues. Please ask your Representative and Senator to OPPOSE HB 628.
Public Schools to Teach Patriotism
HB 3403 by Rep. Jeff Leach would provide that:
- The public school curriculum reflects the importance of patriotism, United States citizenship, and promotes an appreciation for our free enterprise system and basic democratic values;
- Each historical event addressed in the public school curriculum meets a reasonable test of historical significance, considering the limited amount of time available for instruction;
- Each controversial issue addressed in the public school curriculum is presented in a balanced manner that reflects
multiple viewpoints regarding the issue; - The public school curriculum reflects an overall tone that portrays the United States as a country that has overcome
its mistakes and has emerged as the freest, most democratic nation in the history of the world; - The public school curriculum shall include the concept of American Exceptionalism and the Celebrate Freedom Week program;
- School district generated and purchased curriculum, including Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate social studies, must be in compliance with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills.
Each year, Texas public schools graduate some 300,000 students into Texas society. If we allow students to be indoctrinated to embrace the left’s social justice agenda, rather than teaching our kids to be proud Americans, the face of Texas will forever change. Please ask your Representative and Senator to SUPPORT HB 3403. Capitol switchboard 512-463-4630
Van Zandt Republican Candidate Forum Monday, Feb. 8
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