Contract with West Texas

Details

Category: Features

Published on 06 June 2011

• Demand no “pork” earmarks and/or kickbacks for Republicans or Democrats, and promote transparency in the budgetary process
  - No amendments or bills to direct appropriations to specific projects.
  - Voted for zero-based budgeting and a line-item budget format to increase transparency.
  - Voted against SB1 which included $250 million over 10 years for a F1 racetrack in Austin.
  


• Defend the 10th Amendment (States’ Rights) and join Attorney General Greg Abbott in protecting Texans from Obamacare.
  - Coauthored HB 5, relating to Texas entering into an interstate health care compact. - Coauthored HCR 50, reaffirming Texas sovereignty under the 10th Amendment and calling for the government to balance the budget.
  - Coauthored HCR 66, Urging the United States Congress to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gases for stationary sources.
  - Coauthored HCR 61, Expressing opposition to federal interference in state management of Texas' water resources.
  - Coauthored HCR 81, Expressing opposition to federal regulation of hazardous waste, water, and clean air and of the production, exploration, drilling, development, operation, transportation, and processing of oil, natural gas, petroleum, and petroleum products in the State of Texas.
  - Coauthored HB1937 prohibiting invasive pat-downs in airports (anti-groping bill).
• Prohibit any and all unfunded mandates, especially as it relates to public education.
  - Voted against HB 89, a bill that expands unfunded mandates in our schools.
  - Coauthored HJR56, restrict the power of the legislature to mandate requirements on local governments, HB 2491 moratorium on certain testing and assessments of certain public school students under the public school accountability system, and HB458 exempting a school district from the obligation to comply with certain unfunded state educational mandates.
• Pass a photo voter I.D. bill to protect the integrity of our ballot box.
  - Cosponsored SB 14, the voter ID bill.
• Stop any attempts at state control of water rights.
  - Filed HB 2358, Relating to the repeal of the junior priority of a water right authorizing a transfer of water from one river basin in this state to another river basin in this state.
  - Coauthored HB 1824, Relating to the management of groundwater production by groundwater conservation districts.
  - Coauthored HB 2311, Relating to exemptions from groundwater conservation district permit requirements.
  - Coauthored HB 2420, Relating to exemptions from permitting by groundwater conservation districts of the drilling and operation of certain water wells.
  - Coauthored HB 3372, Relating to rainwater harvesting systems that are connected to public water supply systems.
  - Coauthored HCR 61, Expressing opposition to federal interference in state management of Texas' water resources.
  - Coauthored HCR 81, Expressing opposition to federal regulation of hazardous waste, water, and clean air and of the production, exploration, drilling, development, operation, transportation, and processing of oil, natural gas, petroleum, and petroleum products in the State of Texas.
• Pass a spending cap based on inflation plus population; Support a “zero” base starting point for all state agency budgets.
  -Voted for zero-based budget amendment on state budget bill.
  - Coauthored HJR 42 limitation on the rate of growth of state appropriations, HB 380 limit on the rate of growth of appropriations, and HB 187, requiring zero-based budgeting
• Defeat any effort to raise taxes on hard working Texas families.
  - Authored HJR 124, Proposing a constitutional amendment requiring a four-fifths vote by the house of representatives to increase taxes.
  - Coauthored HJR 18, Proposing a constitutional amendment requiring any increase in a franchise tax rate to be approved by two-thirds of all the members elected to each house of the legislature.
  - Coauthored HJR 37, Proposing a constitutional amendment requiring certain tax bills to be approved by two-thirds of all the members elected to each house of the legislature.
  - Coauthored HJR 39, Proposing a constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to set a lower limit on the maximum appraised value of a residence homestead for ad valorem taxation.
  - Coauthored HJR 42, Proposing a constitutional amendment concerning the limitation on the rate of growth of state appropriations and the use of unencumbered surplus state revenues to provide for a rebate of state franchise taxes, to reduce public school district property taxes, and to fund the state's rainy day fund.
  - Coauthored HB 609, Relating to the limitation on increases in the appraised value of a residence homestead for ad valorem taxation.
• Pass meaningful property tax reform through an appraisal revenue cap.
  - Coauthored HB 312 limitation on increases in the appraised value of a residence homestead for ad valorem taxation.
  - Coauthored HB 609 limitation on increases in the appraised value of a residence homestead for ad valorem taxation.
  - Coauthored HB 717 Relating to the selection of the board of directors of an appraisal district.
• Pass legislation to require all state-specific taxes and fees be used for their intended purposes and not deposited into the general fund.
  - Legislation already drafted for 2013 session when we begin to rework our school funding and tax structure for better long term solutions
• Pass legislation recognizing that life begins at conception.
  - Considered by Texas Right to Life as a "Gold Star Legislator" by signing on to all 6 of their priority pieces of legislation.
  - Coauthored HB 15, commonly known as the sonogram bill.
  - Coauthored HB 779, Relating to the state's or a governmental entity's direct or indirect use of state or local tax revenue to finance the performance of an elective abortion or elective abortion-related service.
  - Authored HB 2787, Relating to emergency services for licensed abortion facilities.
  - Authored HCR 57, Expressing the legislature's position that life begins at conception.
  - Successfully carried an amendment to the state budget to prevent tax dollars from funding elective abortions.
• Support all reasonable efforts to secure the Texas/Mexico border.
  - Coauthored HB 12, the sanctuary cities bill.
  - Coauthored HCR 88, Urging Congress to enact an overhaul of the immigration system to promote economic prosperity and national security.