- Anti-School Choice
Authored by State Rep. Abel Herrero (D–Corpus Christi), this amendment would prevent any state funding from going toward school choice.
Expanding parental choice in education is an area in which Texas lags desperately behind many states who have realized that a one-size-fits-all system doesn’t serve every child. Texas should be increasing opportunities for children rather than restricting them.
- Defund Border Security for Libraries
Authored by State Rep. Toni Rose (D–Dallas), this amendment would take $1 million from the Department of Public Safety’s IT budget and move it to the Library and Archives Commission.
Rose’s amendment would take vital resources away from securing the Mexican border and instead utilize them to “expand broadband access.”
- Online Voter Registration
Authored by State Rep. Celia Israel (D–Austin), this amendment would compel the Secretary of State to allow online voter registration.
Allowing online voter registration would compromise the integrity of our elections. At a time when Texas is currently facing major revelations of voter fraud, lawmakers should be closing loopholes in our electoral system rather than opening them.
- Defund Agriculture in favor of Migrant Labor Housing
Authored by State Rep. Ramon Romero (D–Fort Worth), this amendment would take $50,000 from the Agriculture Department’s travel budget and spend it on “Migrant Labor Housing.”
While cutting the travel budget of state agencies would normally garner conservative support, redirecting tax dollars into housing for illegal aliens is not a prudent decision.
- Equal Pay
Authored by State Rep. Ina Minjarez (D–San Antonio), this amendment would require state agencies to implement equal pay strategies.
As business owners know, each employee’s value to an organization varies along with job title, experience, and workload. Minjarez’s amendment is a needless regulation looking for a problem.
- Native Plants Garden
Authored by State Rep. Donna Howard (D–Austin), this amendment would take $50,000 from the Texas Facilities Commission and use it to create the “Texas Native Plant Education Garden” on the Capitol grounds.
With lawmakers facing a tough budget session, lawmakers should prioritize spending on core governmental services rather than pet projects.
- Excess Revenues to CPS
Authored by State Rep. Rafael Anchia (D–Dallas), this amendment would dedicate “any excess general revenue” to the Department of Family and Protective Services in order to spend on CPS.
While well-intentioned, this amendment would have a disastrous effect. Revenue estimates are frequently different from the actual amount of money collected—often by billions of dollars. Lawmakers should refrain from “throwing money” at the problem and instead pursue structural reforms of CPS.
- Defund Border Security in favor of UH Minority Studies
Authored by State Rep. Armando Walle (D–Houston), this amendment would take $2.5 million in Border Security funding and give it to the University of Houston for Mexican American, Asian American, and African American Studies.
Taxpayer resources should be used on serious, state responsibilities, not for subsidizing the leftist multicultural agenda.
- Punishing Lawmakers for Voting Against the Budget
Authored by State Rep. Ken King (R–Canadian), this amendment would prevent any government funding from being appropriated in the legislative districts of members of the Texas House that vote against the budget.
Blatantly unconstitutional, petty, and vindictive, King’s amendment is a direct attack on lawmakers’ ability to represent their constituents. In light of the House budget’s unnecessary raid on the Rainy Day Fund, King’s amendment is an attempt at blackmail lawmakers into becoming accomplices.
- Cut Border Security for Commission on the Arts and Tourism
Authored by State Rep. Ana Hernandez (D–Houston), this amendment would take $10.6 million in Border Security funding and spend it on the Commission on the Arts and “Cultural Tourism” grants.
Illegal immigration is a major problem for Texans, and providing funds for border security is a core function of government. Art projects and pet tourism projects are not.
