Texas Legislative Summary Slideshow

Click here for the full details of our Texas Legislative Summary 2009. http://texaslegislativeupdate.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/texas-legislatve-session-summary-taxes-rejected-family-values-protected/

Planned Parenthood Closes All Clinics in El Paso: BAILOUT BY POLITICIANS?

http://www.khou.com/news/state/stories/khou090626_mp_planned-parenthood-clinics.dd08789.html

Click here to see PP’s statement: http://newspapertree.com/opinion/3999-open-letter-to-planned-parenthood-patients

Click here to read the outrageous call for El Paso legislators to use campaign money to give PP a bailout. http://newspapertree.com/opinion/4008-el-paso-legislators-can-cough-up-cash-to-keep-at-least-one-planned-parenthood-clinic-open

If you live in the greater El Paso area, call your State and Federal elected official and tell them “NO BAILOUT FOR PLANNED PARENTHOOD.” click here to find out who represents you.  http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/

Send a Thank You Note to Gov. Perry

Close to 20,000 of you contacted Gov. Perry’s office in the last two weeks, to ask him to VETO SB 1440.  He did.  If you want to thank him, send him a personal card or letter or note.  This will be received well as his staff probably needs a break from all the calls and emails the grassroots sent last week!

The Honorable Rick Perry
GOVERNOR OF TEXAS 
State Capitol
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711

Dear Gov. Perry,

Thank you for your veto of SB 1440.  Thank you for protecting the constitutional rights of children and parents…

Stay Up to Date With our Weekly Alerts; Support Our Efforts

So many thousands of Texans like you partnered with us, through this blog, during the Texas Legislative session to make a huge difference for our families and freedoms. 

Did you know that we have a weekly email we send out on current legal and policy advocacy issue were involved in here in Texas and in D.C.?  Click here to sign up for our weekly email.

Did you know that Free Market Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, supported by the generous donations of people across the state?  Click here to find out more about how to support FMF.

Thanks again for your grassroots involvement.  Look for information coming soon about events around the state and in the Austin area, as well as training sessions we’ll be invovled in to equip you with tools to be a strong advocate for faith, family, and freedom.

Media Lash Out Against Perry & You for Veto of SB 1440-“[Gov. Perry's staff] received 17,373 calls and letters opposing the bill and only 455 supporting it.”

Guess what the state liberal media are writing about and complaining about?  The biggest policy issue of the last two weeks in Texas, SB 1440.  This unconstitutional CPS expansion bill would have violated the constitutional rights of children and parents and allowed CPS workers to directly violate a recent federal court of appeals decision out of Texas.  The legislature wanted to circumvent the federal court, and they got caught.  The people of Texas showed up and said “no”!  In fact, the AAS says “[Gov. Perry's staff] received 17,373 calls and letters opposing the bill and only 455 supporting it.”

Wow!

But these editorials written about this bill strongly disagree with Perry’s decision to Veto SB 1440.  They wanted this bill signed into law.  Funny that these editorials didn’t mention anything about the bill taking away the “good cause” standard out of current law or the recent Gates v. TDPRS decision, that came down hard on Texas for violating childrens’ constitutional rights in these situation.   They also didn’t mention that this law would have allowed CPS to remove children based on an anonymous, unverified tip.  And what about the FLDS case, where 400 kids were returned to their homes after a  Texas court of appeals and the Texas Supreme Court slammed CPS for “no evidence”, “failed to offer any evidence” and many other examples of how the State had no evidence to support its action? In the FLDS case, the CPS action was for an emergency situation.  Still “no evidence.”

State law continues to exist to allow for quick, immediate action by CPS for emergency situations.  SB 1440 applies to an investigation, examination, and access to medical records.  So there is no need for an “expedited” process, unless it is acted on with good cause and credible evidence.

At least one opinion piece cites to the legal analysis letter we helped write, but apparently, they didn’t read the entire text, otherwise they would have seen the specific analysis we gave of these problems.  Or maybe they just ignored them and wrote what they wanted to say, so as to not show both sides of the issue.

Contributors to that letter included constitutional and board certified family law attorneys and many more. 

Click here to see the letter and co-signers at end of letter. SB1440 VETOrequest TheHonR Perry 06 15 09

Oh, they also point to the “conservative groups” that supported the letter.  They must have ignored the fact that the Citizens Commission on Human Rights and Parent Guidance Center signed onto the letter, not known to be “conservative” organizations.  They must have also missed the fact that the Director of the National Coalition on Child Protection reform wrote his own opinion piece in the Fort Worth Star Telegram supporting a veto, and the DailyKos also voiced outrage over this bill, as did other liberal and libertarian groups and voices.

The reality is, these opinion pieces contiue to reveal more and more that these news outlets are more and more out of touch with Texans.

17, 737 v. 455?  Very decisive.

Gov. Perry Vetoes SB 1440, Stands for Parental/Children’s Rights!!

AUSTIN, Texas – We have just received word that Gov. Perry has vetoed SB 1440, which would have allowed Child Protective Services expansive new power to search and seize children and their medical records without consent or notice to parents, without a court hearing, and without “good cause”, in direct violation of a recent federal court of appeals decision.

“We applaud Gov. Perry for standing for parental rights, and sending the message that our Constitutional rights cannot be cast aside by unverified, uncorroborated anonymous tips.” said Jonathan Saenz, director of legislative affairs and constitutional attorney at Free Market Foundation (FMF).

“Texas children are not ‘children of the state.’  This bill was a direct attack on the fundamental rights of every Texas parent.  I am very thankful we have Governor Perry in office to stop this last minute bill amendment, which would have been a travesty for Texas,” said Kelly Shackelford, president of free market Foundation.

FMF opposed the bill because of wording added on the last days of the session by Rep. Patrick Rose (D-Dripping Springs) after the original bill, SB 1064, by Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin), failed to receive a House vote.  In a last minute attempt to save the failed legislation, the language was reintroduced by Rep. Rose as an amendment to SB 1440, which passed the House.  FMF helped draft a legal analysis letter, which was signed onto by numerous national and Texas groups and sent to the Governor asking him to veto the legislation on the grounds that it violates clearly established law: it strips children and parents of fundamental rights, and opens the door to dangerous government intervention in the home and elsewhere.

“This veto was vital. Enacting a law like SB 1440, which is clearly unconstitutional, is as foolish as a kid saying, ‘It’s only illegal, if I get caught,’” said Cecilia Wood, Board Certified Texas family law attorney.

Thank you to all the calls and emails that came in from the grassroots across Texas!!  We heard reports of 5000+ people had contacted Gov. Perry’s office on this issue.  I was also told that this bill was “the talk of the Capitol” this week.

View the Governor’s news release here.

Click here to view Legal Analysis letter we helped write, along with board certified Family attorneys and the Texas Home School Coalition. http://texaslegislativeupdate.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/sb1440-vetorequest-thehonr-perry-06-15-091.pdf

Breaking!! SB 1440 House Sponsor to Gov. Perry: Reject SB 1440

SB 1440 House Sponsor, Rep. Jerry Madden has delivered a letter to Gov. Perry, specifically asking him to reject SB 1440.  This is incredibly important as Rep. Madden was responsible carrying and helping pass this bill in the House. 

Click here for a link to Rep. Madden’s letter  http://texaslegislativeupdate.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/maddenrejectionletter.pdf   “I was led to believe that SB 1064 had no opposition in the House Human Services Committee hearing, a point that has been subsequently disputed.”

VETO SB 1440: LIST SUPPORTING VETO KEEPS GROWING!!

CLICK HERE FOR UPDATE LIST:  http://texaslegislativeupdate.wordpress.com/2009/06/16/house-sponsor-expects-veto-coalition-letter-to-gov-perry-veto-sb-1440/veto-sb1440/

To Add your  GROUP/ORGANIZATION TO THE LIST, CALL 512-478-2220 OR EMAIL US AT legislative@freemarket.org

Texas Senate & House members are now also sending letters to Gov. Perry asking him to VETO SB 1440, including Sen. Dan Patrick, Rep. Tan Parker, and Rep. Charlie Howard.

Has your State House or Senate member asked Gov. Perry to VETO SB 1440? Click here.  http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/

ACTION ALERT!: SEE BLOG POST BELOW FOR ISSUE DETAILS.

ACTION ALERT! House Sponsor, Rep. Jerry Madden, Expects Veto; Coalition Letter to Gov. Perry: Protect Children & Parents, VETO SB 1440

SB 1440, which is an unconstitutional attack on children and parental rights as a result of a drastic 4 page amendment on the last days of the session, has still not been acted on by Gov. Perry.  Children should not be torn from their homes and be traumatized because of an uncorroborated, anonymous tip.  Gov. Perry has just a few days left to sign or VETO SB 1440.  click here to read more about this issue details from previous posts. http://texaslegislativeupdate.wordpress.com/2009/06/08/parental-rights-in-jeopardy-ask-gov-perry-to-veto-sb-1440/

We helped draft a legal analysis letter, joined by a broad coalition of national and Texas groups, and sent it to Gov. Perry, urging Gov. Perry to VETO SB 1440.  Click here for Letter to Gov. Perry SB1440 VETOrequest TheHonR Perry 06 15 09

Click here to see the long list of very diverse groups/entities/persons calling for a VETO of SB 1440(we keep updating it as it keeps growing!): VETO SB1440.  Call us at 512-478-2220 if you want to add your organization to the VETO SB 1440 list.

Cecilia Wood, Board Certified Family Law Attorney & Texas Family Foundation Member is on of the many attorneys supporting a VETO of SB 1440.

Also, in the letter is a statement from the House Sponsor of SB 1440, Rep. Jerry Madden (R-Plano) who now says he expects for Gov. Perry to VETO SB 1440 and that a mistake was made by accepting the amendment with the unconstitutonal language.  Please call Rep. Madden and thank him (512) 463-0544.

Please Call Gov. Perry TODAY and ask him to VETO SB 1440  (512)-463-2000.

Also, Call your State House Represenative and your State Senator and ask him/her to VETO SB 1440.

Click here to find your State House and Senate Member.  http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/

We respectfully request the VETO of SB 1440, as it:  

1. Circumvents Constitutional Protections in the Fifth Circuit’s Gates v. TDPRS decision.

2. Entices State Actors to Violate Clearly Established Law, Subjecting Them to Personal Liability.

3. Allows DFPS to Violate Parental Rights.

4. Removes the “Good Cause” Standard Currently in the Texas Family Code.

5. Authorizes Medical and Other Confidential Records to be Given to Untrained Investigators.

6. Contains Weakened Evidence Standards.

7. Grants Sweeping Powers to Investigators Without Notice or a Hearing.

8. Lacks Parental Protections for Execution of Orders.

9. Emergency/Imminent Danger Situations Are Not At Issue, Not Affected by Veto of SB 1440.

“Liberal” blogs such as the DailyKos.com and others are also supporting a VETO of SB 1440. http://www.star-telegram.com/state_news/story/1424581.html and http://gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2009/06/conservative-veto-call-for-expanded-cps.html

Video from Press Conference on SB 1440

Attack On Parental Rights/Veto SB 1440 Update: Your Calls Are Working!!

SB 1440, a bill which  strips parents of fundamental constitutional parental rights is still undecided.  It was sent to Gov. Perry last week and has yet to be signed, so it appears that your calls are working as Gov. Perry has yet to make a decision on this bill.

The call to VETO SB 1440 continues to get louder as we joined with other organizations to have a major press conference on Wednesday and more and more stories and blog posts continue to be writteen about this issue.

 If you have not done so yet, PLEASE call Gov. Perry and ask him to VETO SB 1440!

Click here to find out more about the dangers of SB 1440.  http://texaslegislativeupdate.wordpress.com/2009/06/08/parental-rights-in-jeopardy-ask-gov-perry-to-veto-sb-1440/

Call 512-463-2000

Also, please call your own State Representative and ask him/her to ASK GOV. PERRY TO VETO SB 1440!

http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/