Rep. Phil King Interview on Budget

As part of our continued coverage of the recently completed legislative session, we will be releasing a series of sit down interviews with key conservative legislators that had an impact on important issues during the session. Our 3rd interview is with Rep. Phil King.  We talked with Rep. King about the important battle on the budget, including his leadership in efforts to cut spending, not raise taxes, and to protect the state’s rainy day fund.

Gov. Perry Signs Texas Budget: Liberty Institute Applauds Texas’ Fiscal Responsibility

Today, Gov. Rick Perry signed the 2012-2013 Texas budget in Amarillo, Texas. Texas legislators successfully balanced the budget without raising taxes or using the Rainy Day Fund.

Kelly Shackelford, president/CEO for Liberty Institute, attended the bill signing ceremony today and released the following statement:

“We are so thankful that Texas is not Washington, D.C., and Governor Perry and the Texas Legislature have shown the rest of the country how to pass a balanced budget without raising taxes. Fiscal responsibility protects families, brings greater prosperity, and protects our freedoms by not ballooning government. This is why so many people and businesses are moving to Texas.”

Texas Legislative Session Ends, Special Session Begins

The 82nd Texas Legislative Session ended yesterday.  Victories include the Sonogram bill, the Choose Life license plate bill, a conservative balanced budget (that didn’t raise taxes, doesn’t use the rainy day fund), and Voter I.D. And quickly thereafter, it was announced that the first called Special Session begins today.

Click here to see what bills have been filed in the House and the Senate for the special session.

We’ll continue our work on conservative social and fiscal issues during the special session as well.

Two items we’ll be covering for sure are budget issues related to defunding Planned Parenthood, no use of the rainy day fund and no new taxes, and education policy that respects the authority of the State Board of Education.

Taxpayer Savings Grant Effort for Parents & Education On Floor Today

We are in support of this effort.  More details here.  http://www.taxpayersavingsgrants.org/home

Texans for a Conservative Budget launch conservativebudget.com

Liberty Institute supports a Texas State Budget that will live within the state’s fiscal means.  Texans for a Conservative Budget, a strong coalition of conservative groups and organizations from around the state and which Liberty Institute is a part, has launched a new website: conservativebudget.com/

We encourage you to visit the website and find out how you can tell your Representatives that Texas deserves a conservative Budget.

Weekly Legislative Update Video and Happy San Jacinto Day!

Happy San Jacinto Day from inside the Senate Chamber at the Texas Capitol.

We have great news this week on the pro-life front in the Texas legislature! It looks like the Choose Life License Plate bill is expected to come to a vote in the House very soon. The bill approves a specialty license plate with the “Choose Life” message, and profits from selling the plate would support abortion alternatives. The bill has already passed through the Senate, and could be on its way to Gov. Perry’s desk for his signature in the near future!

We testified in favor of another good bill recently. Rep. Dan Huberty filed HB 2923, which prevents the national takeover of Texas education by way of nationalized education standards. The bill was heard in the House State Sovereignty Committee chaired by Rep. Brandon Creighton. Shortly after the Texas State Board of Education approved social studies standards last year, Obama’s Education Secretary Arne Duncan condemned our elected Board’s fine work in a written statement. There is no way that Duncan read all the standards, and there is no way that we can have an open and transparent process in our state if we allow Washington, D.C., to take over our school curriculum. The national standards, as pushed by the Obama administration, effectively take away local and parental control over what kids learn and disregard what works best in each community. As we’ve seen time after time, education works best when teachers, parents, and students work together instead of allowing unelected bureaucrats to seize power in local communities.

Full Video of Texans for a Conservative Budget Press Conference

Yesterday was an important day at the Capitol as conservative groups from all over the state stood together to stand for a conservative budget.  The message was simple:

1. Cut non-essential programs
2. Don’t raise taxes or fees
3. Don’t go back into the Rainy Day fund

Now that the Texas House has passed HB 1, the budget must now be debated and voted on by the Senate.  Click here to find your elected officials contact information, or you can download our Texas Legislative Guide with all of Texas’ elected officials contact information at http://legislativeguide.libertyinstitute.org/

Below find video of the entire press conference.

Part1:

Part 2: