![]() The House didn't, and the bill died in the Senate. Patrick threatened to let it die, if the House didn't pass a bathroom bill. Instead, thanks to the actions of the Freedom Caucus, Lt. The Senate had its own version of the bill, which it could have passed to save the agencies. Without the bill, those agencies would be forced to close in 2018. The bill would have extended the life of several state agencies, including the Texas Medical Board. Those measures and others were either dead on arrival or heavily watered down in the House.īut on one of the final nights of the legislative session, the Freedom Caucus used House rules to block a very important bill from coming to the floor for a vote. It also would have blocked municipalities from passing their own non-discrimination policies on bathroom access. That legislation would require transgender people to use the bathroom that corresponds to the sex on their birth certificate. Patrick has been pushing several Tea Party-minded measures, like public school vouchers and a so-called bathroom bill. Dan Patrick, have been battling the House all year. While the group made no friends in the Texas House, the Texas Senate was certainly pleased. But in the end, the vast majority have voted with the Freedom Caucus on everything from religious liberty amendments to the anti-sanctuary cities bill.īut did the Texas Freedom Caucus do anything more than irritate, frustrate and anger the rest of the Texas Legislature? Some Republican complained throughout the legislative session about the group and its tactics. ![]() Matt Rinaldi (R-Irving), told Hispanic Democrats he had called federal immigration officials on protestors at the Capitol. That anger fueled last week’s skirmish on the House floor when Freedom Caucus member, Rep. "hen the police are doing their work – and as part of that they are enquiring into this person's identity – and they learn that the person has, for instance, a federal detainer, that they can honor that," Schaefer said.įor Democrats, it was the breaking point. Matt Schaefer (R-Tyler) added a provision to allow anyone detained by police to be questioned about their immigration status. When a bill on immigration and local law enforcement came up, Freedom Caucus member, Rep. That pushed lawmakers to a simmering boil. Then it was on to using amendments to fold in far-right principals into major legislation. "Whereas locals say, 'Hey everywhere we travel to we pay a tax.' Why can't the folks that come to see us pay the same tax to let us better our city, as well?" Drew Springer (R-Muenster) said about the caucus fighting the creation of a local hotel and motel tax in some districts. And so on a principled standpoint, they like to oppose it," Rep. "They see it as a tax increase potentially. This group kicked off the legislative session by killing off uncontroversial bills, like ones creating a utility district or allowing the creation of a local tax. While many of the Republicans in the Texas House agree with the Freedom Caucus' ideals, their tactics have angered others. "That means that people aren't getting aren't getting school lunches, and that research isn't being done, and that schools aren't funded and that children go hungry. ![]() But in the end what does that mean?" Villalba said. Jason Villalba (R-Dallas) says it makes governing harder. ![]() But no matter the name, the principles play well on the campaign trail in deep red states.īut Rep. In Kansas it’s the called the Truth Caucus. ![]() There are similar groups popping up in legislatures across the country. Jonathan Stickland (R-Bedford) said during a debate on the House floor this session. "This discussion and my opposition to this bill has been on one simple thing: whether this should be handled by the government or should be handled by communities and individuals," Rep. And each time they oppose legislation, they make sure to drive that point home. The caucus appears to have simple goals: block any increase in taxes or government. And just like at the federal level, the 12 members of the Texas caucus have shifted the debate in the Texas House to the right. House that has played an oversized role in running Congress. The moniker is inspired by the group of far-right conservatives in the U.S. They call themselves the Texas Freedom Caucus. Last week, Texas made national news when state lawmakers got into a shouting match that escalated into shoving and even death threats.īut anger among politicians working at the Texas Capitol had been growing for weeks, and some lay blame for that at the feet of a small group of extremely conservative lawmakers. ![]()
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