FOUNDERSPAC

Stephanie Klick

This bill eliminates the state's mandatory vehicle safety inspection effective January 1, 2025. As a result, car owners will no longer be forced to annually take their vehicle in for an inspection, however a $7.50 annual fee (the current inspection fee) will still be assessed on vehicle owners. Texas was one of only 13 states which required annual vehicle inspections. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Transportation Section 64: "Vehicle Taxes". "Only commercial vehicles should be required to obtain a state safety inspection."

Providing Significant Regulatory Relief to Car Owners by Eliminating the State's Mandatory Annual Vehicle Safety Inspection.

This bill extends the duration of postpartum coverage provided under Medicaid from 60 days to 1 year. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Life-Affirming Health Care Concepts Section 165: "Alternatives to Abortion". "We urge the Republican Party of Texas to support programs that provide assistance to pregnant women by: Ensuring women have medical insurance coverage up to one year postpartum, making it safer for pregnant women to give birth in Texas."

Increasing Government Dependency and Ballooning Medicaid Welfare Spending by an Additional $381 Million by Hiking Postpartum Benefits from 60 Days to 12 Months.

This bill prohibits home-rule municipalities from submitting any climate change charter to voters for approval unless the charter has been approved by the state legislature. This includes any rule or policy statement related to climate change or environmental impact. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Energy and Environment Section 57: "Environment". "We oppose environmentalism that obstructs legitimate business interests and private property use, including the regulatory taking of property by governmental agencies. We oppose environmentalism that obstructs legitimate business interests and private property use, including the regulatory taking of property by governmental agencies."

Protecting Texans from Politicized Climate Change Agendas by Requiring Municipal Charters on Climate Change be Adopted by the Legislature.

This bill establishes 10-year mandatory minimum sentences for individuals convicted of human smuggling and 5-year mandatory minimum sentences for operating a stash house (10 years if in an area subject to a declared state of disaster). The bill also enhances penalties for property damage that occurs as a result of concealing or harboring a person in the country illegally from a misdemeanor to a third-degree felony (2-10 years in prison). Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Courts, Prosecutions, Restitution Section 187: "Human Trafficking Jurisdiction". "The Texas Legislature shall pass legislation granting the Texas Attorney General full concurrent jurisdiction over multi-jurisdictional cases, to be limited specifically to those cases involving human trafficking."

Strengthening National Security and Law and Order through 10 Year Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Human Trafficking.

This bill requires public information that is stored in a searchable or sortable electronic spreadsheet or database to be made available upon public request and provided in a format which is easily searchable or sortable. Additionally, public requests for this information may not be denied on the basis that the request would require searching, sorting, or filtering electronic information. Finally, the bill requires government contracts for electronic public information to use reasonable efforts to ensure that public access to the information is not restricted or more difficult to access than other government records. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Government Operations Section 230: "Government Authority". "We believe any government authority that has the ability to levy a tax or fee or to appraise property on the people should be accountable to those who pay the taxes via the electoral process, from the local level to the federal level."

Strengthening Government Transparency and Accountability by Requiring Government Data Be Provided in an Easily Searchable Database to the Public.

The Bryant amendment #3 to a bill relating to teacher retirement benefits. This amendment increases the cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) by an additional 4%. For example, a retired teacher who would receive a 6% COLA under the bill, would now receive a 10% COLA. Oppose is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Spending Restraint Section 78: "Government Pensions". "The Texas Legislature shall enact new rules to begin to transition government pensions for public sector employees from a defined benefit pension to a defined contribution retirement plan similar to a 403(b)."

Worsening Texas' Unfunded Pension Crisis by Providing Even Greater Unpromised Payouts to Beneficiaries.

The Raney amendment #2 to the education omnibus bill. This amendment removes the school choice provision from the bill which provides voucher-like educational savings accounts (ESAs). Each qualifying student would receive an ESA with $10,500 towards private or parochial school tuition. Oppose is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Parents' Rights Section 101: "School Choice". "Texas families shall be empowered to choose from public, private, charter, or homeschool options for their children’s education, and the funding shall follow the student without strings attached. We also support tax credits and exemptions for education and choice within the public school system."

Blocking School Choice by Removing the Provision Creating Educational Savings Accounts from the Education Bill.

This bill makes it a state crime to cross the Texas-Mexico border between ports of entry. The bill authorizes the Texas police to arrest illegal migrants and makes the crime a Class B misdemeanor carrying a punishment of up to 6 months in jail. Repeat offenders could face a second-degree felony. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Border Security and Immigration Section 257: "State Self-Defense". "We urge the Texas Legislature to invoke Article 1, Section 10, Clause 3 of the US Constitution, also known as the “state self-defense clause,” which asserts that under an active invasion (as defined or declared by the Governor of the State or Texas Legislature), the sovereign state of Texas has the authority and duty to defend Texas citizens against “imminent Danger,” not admitting delay, by any and all appropriate measures the sovereign state defines as necessary to defend from such assaults."

Restoring Law and Order by Authorizing Texas Police to Arrest Illegal Immigrants Crossing the Border from Mexico to Texas.

This bill provides that businesses with revenue up to $2.47 million are not required to pay any franchise tax (previously $1 million). Additionally, those businesses are no longer required to file a tax information report. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Spending Restraint Section 82: "Repeal Taxes". "We support abolishing the following: Business franchise taxes."

Expanding Economic Growth by Increasing the Franchisee Tax Exemption from $1 Million to $2.47 Million.

This bill expands coverage under Medicaid (government-provided healthcare) by directing the Health and Human Services commissioner to adopt rules to cover home telemonitoring services under the state's Medicaid program. Previously, this was optional if the commissioner determined that such coverage would be "cost-effective and feasible." Oppose is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Government-funded Health Programs Section 149: "Medicaid Reform". "We support Medicaid block grants to the states and returning Medicaid to its original purpose to be a temporary assistance program. We oppose any further expansion of Medicaid."

Growing Government Dependency by Expanding the Medicaid Welfare Program to Now Cover Home Telemonitoring Services.

This bill provides that a person who sells or leases a vehicle weighing at least 6,000 lbs. is not liable for not retrofitting the vehicle with equipment, or selecting certain equipment, that was not required under federal regulations when the vehicle was manufactured or sold. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Courts, Prosecution, Restitution Section 184: "Frivolous Lawsuits". "We support further reform to discourage frivolous lawsuits. We oppose the abusive use of class action lawsuits and any law that allows government agencies to collect lawyer fees from the plaintiff when they win but not have to pay the plaintiff fees when they lose."

Protecting Truck Rental Companies from Frivolous Litigation for Not Retrofitting Trucks with Safety Equipment Upon their Sale.

This bill establishes a series of new regulations which prohibit insurance companies operating in the state from discriminating against companies on the basis of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). The new framework applies to both coverage decisions of insurers as well as their rate setting practices. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Markets and Regulation Section 46: "Texas Resistance to the Great Reset". "Texas should continue to pass legislation needed to protect the citizens of Texas from corporate violation of their rights in the Great Reset/Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) scheme as follows:  Make it illegal for banks and financial institutions operating in Texas to make lending decisions based on anything other than financial concerns. The model for such legislation shall be the Fair Access to Financial Services rule promulgated by President Trump’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which was immediately suspended by the current occupant of the White House.

Combatting Radical-Left ESG Policies Imposed by Insurance Companies

This bill requires all restaurants to display a "food allergen awareness" poster for employees, with the content to be determined by the Department of State Health Services. Additionally, food education and training programs are now required to include food allergy information, and a food manager certificate examination must include this information. Oppose is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Markets and Regulation Section 41: "Reduce Business Regulations". "We believe that .. businesses should be minimally regulated at all levels". 

Growing the Regulatory State through an Excessive "Food Allergen Awareness" Poster Mandate on all Restaurants and Food Establishments.

This bill allows individuals who are not alcohol permit or license holders to sell wine to restaurants, provided the wine is at least 20 years old and still sealed. The restaurant may then sell the wine for on-premises consumption. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Markets and Regulation Section 41: "Reduce Business Regulations". "We believe that the following businesses shall be minimally regulated at all levels: Eliminate the three-tier alcohol system (production, distribution, and retail)."

Expanding Individual Liberties by Allowing Individuals to Sell Sealed 20+ Year Old Wine to Restaurants.

This bill prohibits public institutions of higher education (colleges and universities) from funding or operating any Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Office. Furthermore, the bill bans institutions from conducting diversity trainings or asking prospective job applicants to provide diversity statements. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Higher Education Section 129: "Fund and Support Western Civilization Instruction, Defund Political Correctness". "Like Hillsdale College, we agree that state universities “should value the merit of each unique individual, rather than succumbing to the discriminatory trend of so-called social justice and multicultural diversity. We oppose using public funds for homosexuality, transgender, or diversity-equity-inclusion centers."

Protecting Taxpayer Funds from Being Utilized for Politicized "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" (DEI) Offices at Public College Campuses.

This bill, the Alan Vera Memorial Act, contains several provisions related to election integrity. The bill expands the required cooperation of the Secretary of State with other states to identify ineligible voters. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary to contract with a private sector data system to identify voters whose addresses have changed, are registered to vote in more than one state, are deceased, or who are not eligible to vote due to a felony conviction. Finally, the Secretary is required to use the National Change of Address database to identify voters whose addresses have changed to prevent multiple registrations. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Elections Section 242: "Fair Elections Procedures". "We support the right of eligible voters to cast a ballot in each election once, but we oppose illegal voting, illegal assistance, or ineligible persons. We support: Allowing, by Open Records Request, a bit-by-bit forensic imaging of all electronic devices, including servers, at Central Counting immediately before and after each election."

Strengthening Election Integrity through an Additional Voter Crosscheck.

This bill is designed to curb illegal immigration by allowing the Governor to establish an interstate compact for border security with any interested states for the purpose of sharing intelligence and resources to build a physical wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Border Security and Immigration Section 256: "Border Security Funding". "We expect both the Texas Legislature and the United States Congress to make a priority of allocating funds to effectively secure the border through whatever means necessary, including but not limited to barriers, a border wall, and/or fence everywhere along the border where it is feasible and useful, as well as personnel and technology over land, sea, and air. Texas shall seek repayment from the Federal Government for expenses incurred in securing the border."

Strengthening National Security by Creating an Interstate Compact for Border Security to Help Combat Illegal Immigration and Human Trafficking.

This bill allows retired judges who have a handgun license to carry a firearm into restricted places, such as courthouses, schools, and polling locations. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Citizen Rights Section 32: "The Right to Keep and Bear Arms". "State and Federal Legislatures shall: Recognize the right of License to Carry holders to carry anywhere off-duty or retired law enforcement can carry."

Strengthening Self-Defense and Public Safety by Authorizing Retired Judges to Carry a Firearm into Courthouses and Other Restricted Places.

This bill updates the Residential Construction Liability Act to provide additional liability protections for contractors. Under the bill, contractors are not liable for residential construction defects unless actual physical damage occurs, part of a building is unable to be used for its intended purpose, or there is a verifiable danger to the residents. Contractors are also not liable for damages that result from a failure to provide timely notice of a defect. The bill also amends various provisions related to lawsuits arising from construction defects, such as allowing contractors additional time to make a settlement offer. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Courts, Prosecution, Restitution Section 184: "Frivolous Lawsuits". "We support further reform to discourage frivolous lawsuits. We oppose the abusive use of class action lawsuits and any law that allows government agencies to collect lawyer fees from the plaintiff when they win but not have to pay the plaintiff fees when they lose."

Reducing Frivolous Litigation by Updating the Residential Construction Liability Act to Limit Liability and Provide Clarifications.

The Reynolds amendment #16 to a bill prohibiting children under 18 years of age from receiving sex-reassignment procedures or puberty blockers until they reach the age of consent. The amendment requires the Health and Human Services Commission to contract with local mental health authorities and local behavioral health authorities to provide and pay all costs for mental health services to children who were already receiving treatment or are diagnosed with severe gender dysphoria and prohibited from receiving these procedures. Oppose is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Homosexuality and Gender Issues Section 156: "Gender Identity". "We oppose all efforts to validate transgender identity. For the purpose of attempting to affirm a person age 21 or under if their perception is inconsistent with their biological sex, no medical practitioner or provider may engage in the following practices: a. Intervene in any way to prevent natural progression of puberty.

Forcing Taxpayers to Provide Mental Health Services to Children Facing "Gender Dysphoria".

This bill allows most businesses subject to state licensing requirements to sue localities to prevent the enforcement of local regulations that are more stringent than state regulations or that can be shown to "result in an adverse economic impact." Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Markets and Regulation Section 38: "Municipal Preemption". We encourage the Legislature to preempt local government efforts to interfere with the State’s sovereignty over business, employees, and property rights. This includes but is not limited to burdensome regulations on short-term rentals, bags, sick leave, trees, and employee criminal screening."

Protecting Against Overreaching Local Regulations by Allowing Businesses to Sue to Block Enforcement.

This bill, the Fiscal Years 2024-2025 Operating Budget, represents a 21.3% increase over the prior budget, and the largest in state history. Some of the major new and increased spending initiatives within the bill include $1 billion for land acquisition for parks (3603.7% increase over the $27 million appropriated in the previous budget), an additional $100 million for the Texas Water Development Board Economically Distressed Areas Program, and $45.9 billion for business and economic development (25.8% increase). Oppose is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Spending Restraint Section 76: "State Fiscal Restraint". " We urge the Legislature to amend the Texas Constitution and State statute with a stricter spending limitation based on US Census population growth plus inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, and apply the new limit to Texas’s total government budget. We call on the Texas State Legislature to freeze State spending until wasteful programs have been eliminated, a sustainable size of government has been restored, and substantive property tax relief has been provided to Texas citizens. Any budget surplus shall be applied to property tax relief."

Fueling Out-of-Control Spending Through a $321.3 Billion Budget (21.3% Increase) with Countless Provisions that Further Grow the Size and Scope of Government.

This bill extends the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office for an additional 12 years, until September 2035. This office is focused on "marketing and promoting the state of Texas." Oppose is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Spending Restraint Section 75: "Government Spending and Taxation". "We believe in the principles of constitutionally limited government based on federalist principles. To this end, we encourage our elected officials at all levels of government to work to reverse the current trend of expanding government and the growing tax and debt burdens placed on “We the People.” Government spending is out of control at the federal, state, and local levels, and action is needed to reduce spending, and therefore taxation, at all levels."

Fueling Tens of Millions in Wasteful Spending by Extending the Unnecessary Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office for Another 12 Years.

The Harrison and Leo-Wilson amendment #1 to a public school funding bill. This amendment provides that a school district is only eligible to receive the basic allotment funding if more than 50% of the district's maintenance and operations expenditures the previous school year were spent on salaries and benefits for full-time teachers. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under School and Property Taxation Section 93: "Administrative Bloat is Not Tranformative". "We call on Texas school administrators to deliver more education for our dollars, instead of nonstop lobbying for more dollars for education. At a minimum, 65% of revenue should be spent in the classroom. We oppose the underhanded strategy of making cuts to visible frontline teaching positions instead of administrators and overhead."

Protecting Taxpayers and Promoting Student Success by Ensuring School Funding is Directed to Teachers Instead of Wasteful Administration.

This bill requires an aspiring dietician to now obtain a master's degree, register with a national commission, complete an internship or other accepted training program, and undergo examination to work in the profession. Oppose is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Markets and Regulation Section 39: "Licensing". "We call upon the Texas Legislature to review all Texas Department of Licenses and Regulations (TDLR), business/professional licensing programs, and associated licensing for the purpose of abolishing or removing as many as reasonably possible and repealing those laws, rules, and regulations."

Increasing Employment Barriers and Enriching Certain Educational Institutions by Forcing Dieticians to Obtain Masters Degrees.

This bill primarily targets a business model within the optometry industry which has been deployed by Visionworks of America, which is owned by an insurance company called Vision Services Plan (VSP) Insurance Co. The bill prevents VSP from incentivizing its enrollees to utilize the optometry company it owns (Visionworks) through the offering of discounts or other value-added benefits. Other optometry companies have alleged that since VSP owns its own optometry company and can "steer patients" it is provided an unfair competitive advantage in the industry. Oppose is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Markets and Regulation Section 41: "Reduce Business Regulations". "We believe that .. businesses should be minimally regulated at all levels". 

Expanding Government Power to Shutdown Competition within the Optometry Industry.

This bill, the Save Women's Sports Act, requires public colleges and universities to allow males and females to only compete on the team of their biological sex based on reproductive biology and genetic make-up. However, females are allowed to compete in a male sport if their school does not offer a female team in that sport. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Governance Section 125: "Gender Identity in Schools". " The official position of the Texas schools shall be that there are only two genders: biological male and biological female. We oppose transgender normalizing curriculum and pronoun use. We hold that biological men shall compete only against other biological men and biological women shall compete only against other biological women in athletics in the public school system of Texas and at the collegiate level."

Ensuring Fair Competition in Collegiate Athletics by Prohibiting Biological Males from Competing in Female Competitions.

This bill allows officials within the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) to impose additional energy efficiency and water conservation regulations on individuals constructing new homes or commercial buildings. Most notably, the bill would permit adoption of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) which contains much more stringent efficiency standards, as well as even further stringent standards in the future without legislative approval. Oppose is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Government Operations Section 237: "Unelected Bureaucrats". "We oppose the appointment of unelected bureaucrats, and we support defunding and abolishing the departments or agencies: Energy".

Infringing Property Rights and Consumer Choice by Allowing State Bureaucrats to Impose Additional Energy Efficiency and Water Conservation Mandates on New Buildings.

This bill establishes a specialized "Business Court" to hear cases involving certain business transaction and governance matters, with the judges appointed by the Governor. Judges are required to have at least 10 years of experience practicing complex civil business litigation or business transaction law, or as a judge of a court with civil jurisdiction. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Courts, Prosecution, Restitution Section 184: "Frivolous Lawsuits". "We support further reform to discourage frivolous lawsuits. We oppose the abusive use of class action lawsuits and any law that allows government agencies to collect lawyer fees from the plaintiff when they win but not have to pay the plaintiff fees when they lose."

Improving the State's Business Climate by Creating a Specialized Business Court to Hear Cases and Expedite Legal Proceedings.

This bill authorizes El Paso County to issue bonds (debt) to be repaid by higher sales or property taxes in order to finance the construction of recreational facilities, if approved by voters. Oppose is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under School Finance and Property Taxation Section 92: "Bonds Create Bondage". "We urge the Texas Legislature to amend the Texas Election Code to require bond issues be approved by a 2/3 majority of those voting and only if 20% of all registered voters in the district cast ballots. Taxpayer standing must be established to allow taxpayers to hold government entities accountable.  

Authorizing El Paso County to Indebt Taxpayers to Construct Recreational Facilities.

This bill increases the penalty for tampering with a retail gas pump to steal fuel by making it a felony of the third degree. The bill is largely in response to organized criminal groups which have figured out how to disrupt fuel dispenser pulsers and as a result gain unlimited access to fuel. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Courts, Prosecution, Restitution Section 183: "Court Accountability". "We believe district attorneys have a duty to seek justice for victims of all forms of crime and oppose policies that systematically decline to prosecute crimes."

Strengthening Law and Order by Increasing Penalties for Tampering with a Gas Pump to Steal Fuel.

This bill prohibits state and local governments from imposing COVID-19 vaccine or mask mandates or from ordering private businesses or public or private schools to close for the purpose of stopping the spread of COVID-19. The bill does contain some exceptions for jails, hospitals, and other facilities where other rules conflict. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Healthcare Independence Section 137: "Medical Freedom". "We call for an addition to the Texas Bill of Rights that explicitly states that Texans have the natural, inalienable right to refuse vaccination or other medical treatment. Therefore, the following are expressly forbidden even in an emergency or in a pandemic: d. Any mandates by public, private, government, or medical entities for treatment, vaccination, vaccine passports, mask requirements, health insurance surcharges, or use of controlled substances of any kind. 

Protecting Individual Liberties by Prohibiting Government-Imposed COVID-19 Vaccine or Mask Mandates.

This motion tables (defeats) the Tinderholt amendment #1 to a property tax relief bill. The Tinderholt amendment would provide $20 billion in property tax relief through a reduction applied equally across all school districts. Oppose is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under School Finance and Property Taxation Section 90: "Axe the Property Tax". "We support replacing the property tax system for businesses and individuals with an alternative other than the income tax and requiring voter approval to increase the overall tax burden. We urge the Legislature to immediately develop and implement a transition plan that is a net tax cut."

Denying Texans Significant Property Tax Relief by Blocking a $20 Billion Tax Cut.

This bill provides $100 million in funding to establish a new state border policing unit made up of commissioned peace officers. Funding is also directed to a number of initiatives designed to boost border security such as detention facility upgrades, temporary border barriers and compensation to certain property owners impacted. Support is the position of the Texas GOP Platform under Border Security and Immigration Section 256: "Border Security Funding". "We expect both the Texas Legislature and the United States Congress to make a priority of allocating funds to effectively secure the border through whatever means necessary, including but not limited to barriers, a border wall, and/or fence everywhere along the border where it is feasible and useful, as well as personnel and technology over land, sea, and air. Texas shall seek repayment from the Federal Government for expenses incurred in securing the border."

Strengthening National Security and Helping to Combat Illegal Immigration and Human Trafficking Through Additional Border Security Funding and Property Owner Compensation.