News / Articles

4.19.21 Capitol Action Report

LWV Texas | Published on 4/19/2021

April 19, 2021 - News, Updates & Action

The League at the Capitol

Janet Imhoff, Vice President Advocacy

Thanks for Your Support!

Our Take Action Alerts have been wildly successful. Over 62,000 emails from League members and supporters have been sent to members of the Texas Legislature!

We updated our Action Alerts for HB 6 and SB 7, the two omnibus elections bills we oppose, but they passed the House and Senate, respectively. As they go to the other chamber, keep up the pressure!

Even if you have already contacted your legislators, keep sending emails through the Take Action Center. You will also find the phone numbers for your legislators in the Take Action Center. Use the Action Alerts as talking points to tell your legislators you oppose HB 6 and SB 7. These are the most effective ways to voice your opinion to your elected officials.

There are currently eleven Action Alerts in the Take Action Center. Go there now! Spend 10 minutes to take action!

Only six weeks to go in the Regular Session! Hang in there!

Actions Needed Today:

HB 530, allowing election judges to carry guns at the polling place, goes to the House floor today! Send this Action Alert again this morning!

Six important redistricting bills are being heard Tuesday morning, 4/20 at 8 AM. Send this Action Alert to support a Citizens Redistricting Committee.

Three New Action Alerts:

The big Gun Safety bill is HB 1927, for permitless carrying of handguns, sometimes called “Constitutional Carry.” Our new Action Alert, “It Should be Easier to Vote Than to Carry a Gun in Texas,” needs your response! This bill just passed the House, and we need to stop it in the Senate! Read the details of the House floor debate on Aimee Turney’s Gun Safety Issue Update. OPPOSE this bill!

A new voting bill needs your SUPPORT: Assure Texas Military/Overseas Votes Count! This one would introduce “instant run-off voting” for the military and other Texans who live overseas.Several other states have implemented this procedure to help those run-off votes count. Here is the new Action Alert.

Advocacy at the Capitol:

Issue Chairs have recorded 110 actions at the Capitol (as of 4/15), ranging from oral testimony, leaving written testimony at committee meetings, emailing written testimony to committees, registering our positions on bills, and entering statements in the House portal.(The Senate has no portal.)

Thank You Capitol Corps Volunteers!

Valerie DeBill(Austin Area) has joined the team of volunteers delivering testimony at the Capitol on behalf of the League.

Three cheers for Susana Carranza(Austin Area), pictured here at the Capitol. Susana testified from 8:51 a.m. April 15th to 12:38 April 16th.

AND she was removed from the gallery for wearing a white t-shirt because some people opposed to the bill wearing white prayed during the break on the floor during a point of order.

We owe Valerie and Susana, as well as our dedicated Issue Chairs, a big thank you!

You can be a part of the team, too!

Donate Now to Support League Action at the Capitol!

Your League in the News!

April 16 Press Conference at the Capitol

Texas League President, Grace Chimene was one of the speakers at the April 16th press conference hosted by Representative Ron Reynold. The press conference focuses on Texas voter suppression bills HB 6 and SB7.

Grace joined leaders from the NAACP Texas State Conference, Texas Association of African American Chambers of Commerce, Texas LULAC, and the Texas Association Mexican American Chambers of Commerce. Speakers addressed the impact HB 6 and SB 7 would have on Texas voters and in particular, Texas voters of color.

You can watch the video of the FB live stream here.

CBS Austin coverage here.

Return to Previous Page

Support Democracy!

News / Articles

4.19.21 Capitol Action Report