State Legislative Ratings Guide Texas
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2013 STATE LEGISLATIVE RATINGS GUIDE TEXAS The American Conservative Union took our highly touted Congressional Ratings program to the State Legislatures for the third year in a row, grading members on their votes on key conservative issues. In 2012, we graded State Legislatures in fifteen critical states, including Colorado, Florida, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia. In 2013, we expanded our ratings to twenty states. ACU first began rating members of Congress in 1971. Since then, our ratings system has become the most important conservative measuring stick in American politics -- the gold standard for voters seeking more information on their representatives’ records. Throughout the history of our conservative ratings program, the ACU has also become the go-to source for determining whether an elected official’s philosophical rhetoric matches his or her record. Our guides provide a comprehensive analysis of the legislative landscape over the preceding year. This differentiates us from other useful guides which may emphasize single areas, like taxes, Table of Contents defense, or social policy. 2 Our annual matrix covers issues running the gamut of legislative action, ACU Board Members ................. including domestic energy production, healthcare, government reform, A Letter From The Chairman ....... 3 climate change, border security, foreign policy, and social issues. These How We Selected the Votes ....... 4 issues are carefully selected to ensure legislators are scored and rated on the bellwether conservative topics they voted on over the course of the year. Conservative All-Stars ................. 4 TX House Vote Descriptions ....... 6 This expansion of our Conservative Ratings program is part of Chairman House Scores ............................. 8 Al Cardenas’ vision for building on successful ACU initiatives and taking the fight for conservative principles to the state and local levels. Eventually TX Senate Vote Descriptions ......14 we will bring our ratings to all fifty states -- scoring every legislature in Senate Scores ...........................15 every state, every year. American Conservative Union • 1331 H St. NW, Suite 500, Washington DC 20005 • (202) 347-9388 • conservative.org TEXAS 2013 STATE LEGISLATIVE RATINGS ACU Board Members Al Cardenas (Chairman) Asa Hutchinson Thomas S. Winter (First Vice Chairman) David A. Keene Donald Devine (Second Vice Chairman) Suhail A. Khan Becky Norton Dunlop (Treasurer) James V. Lacy Jameson G. Campaigne, Jr. (Secretary) Michael R. Long Joe Bast Honorable Serphin Maltese Jeffrey Bell Carolyn D. Meadows Morton C. Blackwell Cleta Mitchell Ambassador John Bolton Joseph A. Morris Floyd Brown Grover G. Norquist Muriel Coleman Ron Robinson Dr. Larry Eastland Allen Roth Paul Erickson Matt Schlapp Carly Fiorina Fred L. Smith, Jr. Charlie Gerow Lewis K. Uhler Alan M. Gottlieb Kirby Wilbur Van D. Hipp, Jr. ACU Foundation Board Members Carly Fiorina (Chairman) Millie Hallow Van D. Hipp, Jr. (Treasurer) Colin A. Hanna Carolyn D. Meadows (Secretary) David Keene Al Cardenas Robert Luddy Amy Noone Frederick Ambassador Roger F. Noriega Tim Goeglein Thomas S. Winter 22 TEXAS 2013 STATE LEGISLATIVE RATINGS January 21, 2014 Dear Fellow Conservative, On behalf of our Board of Directors, I am pleased to present the American Conservative Union’s 2013 State Legislative Ratings for members of the Texas Legislature. Since 1971, our Congressional ratings have become the gold standard in holding every member of Congress accountable for Al Cardenas, ACU Chairman their voting record on the most important issues facing our nation. In 2011, we brought that same commitment to conservative ideals to the states, rating members in five legislatures. I am pleased to report that, in 2013, we scored twenty states. This is a part of the ACU plan to bring our ratings to all fifty states – scoring every legislature in every state, every session. There could not be a more critical time for conservatives to evaluate America’s leadership and hold them accountable for their actions. Our economy, our international standing, our very moral fiber are weaker because this administration has put us on a course to bigger government, less freedom, and an abandonment of traditional values. With our government expanding faster now than at any time in our country’s history, the ACU intends to continue to play a major role in giving the American people the tools they need to make informed voting decisions at every level of government. While some may be disheartened by the results of November’s elections, conservatives found themselves in a similar situation after President Obama first took office in the spring of 2009. The cause of conservatism dramatically reasserted itself in the 2010 elections, with conservative legislators winning an unprecedented number of elections nationwide. Because of this, our 2013 State Legislative Ratings are vital for voters to make informed choices on the future of our nation. We can come back even stronger in 2014, but only if we start our march toward victory now. Thank you for your continued support. I know that together we can ensure America’s best days are still ahead. Sincerely, Al Cardenas Chairman, the American Conservative Union 1331 H Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20005 Tel: (202) 347-9388 Fax: (202) 347-9389 www.conservative.org 3 2013 STATE LEGISLATIVE RATINGS GUIDE TEXAS Conservatives of the Texas Legislature Defenders of Liberty ACU Defenders of Liberty are those members of the Texas Legislature who scored 100 percent on the ACU 2013 State Legislative Ratings. Texas Senate: Birdwell Fraser Estes Paxton Texas House of Representatives: G. Bonnen Goldman Laubenberg Taylor Fallon Hilderbran Lavender E. Thompson Flynn Hughes Morrison Scott Turner Frank Kleinschmidt Stickland Zedler ACU Conservatives ACU Conservatives are those members of the Texas Legislature who scored 80 percent or higher on the ACU 2013 State Legislative Ratings. Texas Senate: Campbell Huffman Patrick Hancock Nelson Schwertner Hegar Nichols Seliger Texas House of Representatives: Anderson Dale R. Miller Sheets Bell Elkins Parker Simmons Branch Fletcher Perry Simpson Burkett Gonzales Phillips Smithee Capriglione P. King Riddle Springer Carter Krause Sanford Toth Creighton Leach Schaefer 4 TEXAS 2013 STATE LEGISLATIVE RATINGS True Liberals of the Lone Star State True Liberals of the Lone Star State are those members of the Texas Legislature who scored 0 percent on the ACU 2013 State Legislative Ratings. Texas Senate: Garcia Texas House of Representatives: Alonzo Farias Longoria E. Rodriguez Collier Giddings Martinez Fischer J. Rodriguez Cortez M. González Naishtat Rose Y. Davis Gutierrez Reynolds Walle 5 2013 STATE LEGISLATIVE RATINGS GUIDE TEXAS Texas House Vote Descriptions 1. SB 1 School Vouchers. This amendment to the general appropriations bill prohibits funds from being used for school vouchers or scholarships for private schools. ACU strongly supports the use of school vouchers that help those children who most need it get a better education and opposed this amendment. The amendment passed the House on April 4, 2013 by a vote of 103-43. 2. SB 1 Obamacare Implementation. This amendment to the general appropriations bill instructed conferees on the bill to block any measure from implementing the Medicaid expansion program under Obamacare. ACU opposes the Medicaid expansion program that will impose a future burden on Texas taxpayers and does not reform a program riddled with waste and abuse before expansion and supported this amendment. The amendment passed the House on April 4, 2013 by a vote of 77-68. 3. SB 864 Concealed Carry. This bill clarifies and separates the time requirements for both range time and classroom instruction for a concealed carry permit requiring 4-6 hours of classroom instruction without a time constraint on range time. ACU supports strengthening Second Amendment rights and supported this bill. The bill passed the House on May 6, 2013 by a vote of 116-30. 4. HB 972 Campus Carry. This bill removes as a felony offense possession of firearm on the premises of a college or university by a person with a concealed carry permit or security officers. The bill allows colleges and universities to adopt regulations of firearms once they have consulted students, faculty, staff and law enforcement. ACU supports these reasonable reforms to strengthen public safety and supported this bill. The bill passed the House on May 6, 2013 by a vote of 102-41. 5. HB 1009 School Marshalls. This bill creates a new category of armed school officers that will be trained and available at the option of school districts. ACU supports these programs as the best way to protect school children and supported this bill. The bill passed the House on May 22, 2013 by a vote of 123-22. 6. HB 2 Abortion. This bill restricts abortions to no later than 20 weeks while increasing standards for abortion clinics. ACU supports restrictions on abortions and supported this bill. The bill passed the House on July 10, 2013 by a vote of 96-49 with 1 voting present. 7. SB 2 Charter Schools. This bill allows for the expansion of charter schools by removing the cap on the number of charter schools and allowing school districts to sell or lease facilities for charter schools for $1 while strengthening standards. ACU supports the expansion of school choice for parents and supported this bill. The bill passed the House on May 26, 2013 by a vote of 105-41. 8. SB 346 Campaign Finance Disclosure. This bill would require advocacy organizations to disclose their donors in the same manner as political campaign committees but exempt unions from the same rules, similar to a bill supported by President Obama but defeated in Congress in 2010. ACU opposes efforts to limit free speech rights by leaving donors to advocacy groups open to intimidation from those opposed to their views. Amendment 6 TEXAS 2013 STATE LEGISLATIVE RATINGS Number 4 attempted to include unions in the process. ACU supported this amendment but it was tabled (killed) in the House on May 13, 2013 by a vote of 90-55.