First Amendment Tuesday: Week 2

"and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,"
Ephesians 6:19

Life, Liberty, and Property coalition held their second "First Amendment Tuesday" this morning:

Tony McDonald (Empower Texans) (Partial):



Highlights:

• Review of "lobbying" rules.

• Defeated attempt to expand the impeachment committee.

• Good changes for conservatives in House rules.

• Biggest change was 2/3rds rule in Senate.

• Rumor mill says House committee assignments will come out at the end of this week.

• Pressure the Lite Guv to refer Constitutional carry to state affairs committee rather than Criminal Jurisprudence.

John Seago (Texas Right to Life):

Highlights:

• No good piece of legislation passes automatically.

• Members care more about what their constituents think than "advocates."

• We can have a civil relationship with people with whom we disagree.

• Staff is important.

• Explain why you care about the issue.

• Keep literature to ONE PAGE.
• Don't trust staffers to take good notes.

• Beware of delay tactics that offices use:
• They don't want to commit on bills.
• Office Tour
• Life Stories: Theirs or Yours.

• If legislators refuse to commit, ask them what they need then follow up.

Ann Hettinger (Concerned Women for America -- Texas):



Highlights:

• CWA has prayer chapters all around the state.

• Capitol Library on second floor will print out bills.

Cathie Adams (Texas Eagle Forum):



Highlights:

• Reassembling a coalition has been the most effective thing we've done in a long time.

• CleanupAustin.com
• Legislators tie their retirements to district judges.
• Slush funds.

• HB 562 (Leach) - American Laws for American Courts.

• HB 623 (Bell) - Marriage Bill
• This has already been decided by the people of Texas.

David Walls (Texas Values):



Highlights:

• Loosely related to Focus on the Family.

• Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty.

• Faith and Family Day February 24th.

• TXValues.org/legislativeguide

• Religious Liberty Amendment (SJR 10)

• Our guys need encouragement.

Jeremy Newman (Texas Homeschool Coalition):



Highlights:

• They deal closely with Parental Rights issues.

• Tim Tebow bill.

• "Child Possession" loophole.

• Possible Parental rights amendment.

• Aycock sat on Tebow bill last session.

Dustin Matocha (Empower Texans):



Highlights:

• Constitutional Spending Limit.

• Zero based budgeting.

• Eliminate Margins Tax.