#TXLEGE: Grassroots update various limited government issues....

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Genesis 1:28

[Note: The embedded video begins a few minutes after the press conference began.  We apologize, but that feed is the easiest one to format for this website.  You can catch the beginning of the press conference through this link.]

Various grassroots groups around Texas held a press conference this morning at the Capitol to update a number of issues:



Highlights:

JoAnn Fleming (Grassroots America, We the People):

• State revenues, according to the comptroller, are UP $8.7 billion this session.
• No Rainy Day Fund raid
• Maintain Full defunding of the Enterprise fund and film subsidies.
• Fund all 24 months of education in the current budget; failure to do so is simply an excuse for yet another supplemental next session.
• A watered down sanctuary cities bill won't cut it.
• Note: As we have said before, even the bill passed by the Senate doesn't do much.

Aaron Harris (Direct Action Texas):

• Nothing hotter on the local level than property taxes.
• Texas has a local government debt crisis.
• Texas has the Second highest property tax burden of states without an income tax (and New Hampshire doesn't have a sales tax).
• Taxpayer funded lobbyists oppose property tax reform.
• Local governments don't want to tell the truth about their spending.
• SB 2 is a step in the right direction.
• "Elected officials are not local control, voters are."

Dana Hodges (Concerned Women for America):

• Plugs Church Security act.
• Plugs privacy act.

C.J. Grisham (Open Carry Texas):

• Constitutional carry #1 RPT priority.
• The #1 argument against constitutional carry is money.
• HB 1911 moving forward.
• Only problem is that it doesn't apply to college campuses.
• 9 states have passed constitutional carry since the legislature last met.
• HB 2022 - Gets TABC out of the gun business.
• HB 1966 - Protects 2nd amendment rights of renters.

John Seago (Texas Right to Life):

• Not all allegedly "pro-life" bills actually save lives.
• There will be 100,000 abortions between now and the next legislative session if the legislature doesn't act.
• SB 415 - Dismemberment abortion ban.
• Passed Senate, hasn't even been referred to committee in House.
• 56 house members have signed onto companion bill.
• "This is a no-brainer issue."

Terri Hall (TURF):

• House is passing "the worst type" of crony toll road bills.
• If Abbott doesn't veto these bills, he's breaking a campaign promise.
• Public money for private profit equals corporate welfare.
• TxDOT has deliberately frittered away the money they got in '13 and '15 on low priority projects.