Monday, July 13, 2015

Simpson rebukes lawless state agencies; repeats call for Special Session


"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice;
But when a wicked man rules, the people groan."
Proverbs 29:2

Big news out of Team Simpson today:
(Longview, TX) Monday, David Simpson sent a letter to Governor Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Patrick, Attorney General Paxton and Speaker Straus concerning the decisions of state agencies to pay benefits for same-sex partners. Simpson observed that the Texas constitution prohibits new spending without legislative approval.

Simpson started his letter stating, “The further we are removed from the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) pertaining to marriage, the more concerned I become about the enforcement of our Texas Constitution and Texas statutes…. While I do not agree with the decision . . . my main concern at this point is our state’s response.”

Simpson also noted that Article 8, Section 6, of the Texas Constitution stipulates: “No money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in pursuance of specific appropriations made by law.”

Simpson then stated, “There is no question that the appropriations made by the Texas Legislature did not include benefits for same-sex partners. In fact, such benefits have been intentionally prohibited by state law. The SCOTUS has the authority to decide a case, but it has no authority to appropriate state funds, and anyone who expends state funds without an appropriation is in violation of state law.”
Read Simpson's full letter below:

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