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Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Texas House passes ban on sexuality-based school clubs after emotional debate
Texas House Democrats rebuked their Republican colleagues in unusually personal terms Saturday over a bill that would ban Texas schools from authorizing clubs on 'sexuality or gender identity,' with Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu of Houston labeling it the work of "monsters.' The proposal, Senate Bill 12, passed from the House last week without the Senate version's ban on school-sponsored LGBTQ pride clubs and other sexuality-based groups. But lawmakers replaced that provision when negotiating a compromise, and the House adopted those changes in a 77-40 vote on Saturday night. Democrats warned the prohibition would apply to Girl Scouts and Christian men's athletic groups as much as it would pride clubs — but that only those groups for gay teens would end up facing enforcement. 'This bill is hate,' said state Rep. Erin Zwiener, D-Dripping Springs, who identifies as bisexual. 'This is one of the most nakedly hateful bills we have had on the floor of this House.' Republicans have labeled SB 12 from state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, the 'Bill of Parental Rights.' The 36-page proposal bans diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in public schools, which Republicans argue detract from educational instruction and foster division based on race and sex. It also tightens parental notification and consent requirements regarding a child's mental or physical health, psychological treatment and sex education. The bill's Republican sponsor said public schools have no place hosting clubs based on sexuality. He also said he's been 'repulsed' at 'some of the things I've heard defended in our public schools,' including in debates over school library book restrictions. 'We're not going to allow gay clubs, and we're not going to allow straight clubs,' said state Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano. 'We shouldn't be sexualizing our kids in public schools, period. And we shouldn't have clubs based on sex.' More: Texas House passes bill to implement sweeping restrictions on school libraries Democrats argued the ban on sexuality-based clubs will strip LGBTQ youth of a safe space from bullying, which disproportionately impacts gay teens and preteens. They also fiercely contested Leach's characterization of the prohibited clubs as 'sex clubs," for which he later apologized and said he "misspoke." 'There is nothing inherently more sexual about the existence of LGBTQ people than there is of straight people,' Zwiener told him. 'And if we are concerned about overly sexualized behavior in our schools, I would hope you would focus more on the comments young men make about young women in the locker room than about a bunch of queer kids getting together to support each other.' Over several hours of debate, other Democratic House members shared personal stories to illustrate why they opposed the measure. State Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, said his daughter was the vice president of her school's pride club, where students colored, watched movies and went to a musical together. 'I don't know why grown-ups in this body are so triggered by that,' he said. Later, state Rep. Christian Manuel, D-Houston, asked a colleague, "What club in your school taught you to be gay or to be a lesbian?" "Nobody taught me to be who I am today," Democratic state Rep. Jessica González of Dallas, who is lesbian, responded. "It's just how I felt." Several Republicans expressed incredulity that their colleagues across the aisle found the ban objectionable. State Rep. Alan Schoolcraft, R-McQueeney, said organizations like the Gay-Straight Alliance and GLSEN are 'efforts to fundamentally change the moral and social fiber of this country' and that "they're attacking us through our children." The bill will soon be sent to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and would apply beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. A spokesperson for Abbott signaled the governor supports the legislation. "DEI agendas divide us rather than unite us and have no place in the state of Texas, which is why Governor Abbott called on the Legislature to ban DEI in grades K-12," said Abbott spokesman Andrew Mahaleris. "The Governor will thoughtfully review any legislation sent to his desk that helps achieve this goal.' This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas to ban school LGBT clubs under bill passed by state Legislature
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Democrats lash out as Legislature bans school clubs that support gay teens
Democrats took to the floor of the Texas House on Saturday to label a ban on clubs that support gay teens the work of 'monsters' and to say the ban endangers children and strips them of their dignity. The Democratic representatives grew emotional in opposition to a bill that would ban K-12 student clubs focused on sexuality and gender identity. Senate Bill 12, authored by Sen. Brandon Creighton, won final legislative passage Saturday after lawmakers in both chambers adopted the conference committee reports that specifically clarified that schools will be banned from authorizing or sponsoring student clubs based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Backers proclaimed that the bill enshrines a parent's rights and puts the parent not just at the table, but at the head of the table where the child's best interests are decided. They also targeted diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) policies, claiming that they project ideologies on students and put too much focus on race, sexuality and gender identity instead of the quality of education. Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, emphasized that these clubs exist because of a long history of oppression against the LGBTQ+ community. He warned against demonizing students and teachers for discussing gender and sexuality. 'The real monsters are not kids trying to figure out who they are,' Wu said during the House discussion. 'The monsters are not the teachers who love them and encourage them and support them. They are not the books that provide them with some amount of comfort and information. The real monsters are here.' Lawmakers shared personal stories about LGBTQ+ youth. Rep. Rafael Anchía said his daughter was a vice president of a pride club at her school. He stressed that these clubs 'are no more about sex than 4-H or ROTC or the basketball team.' 'It wasn't a sex club,' Anchía said. 'They'd get together and they'd watch movies. They'd color. They'd go to musicals. It was about a kid who felt weird who found her people and everything about it was good. I don't know why grown-ups in this body are so triggered with my daughter getting together with her classmates in a school-sponsored activity.' Anchía also told the Texas Tribune he 'didn't sign up for five anti-LGBT bills this session.' Rep. Jolanda Jones, D-Houston, shared her experience as a Black woman and a lesbian, saying she didn't come out until the age of 50 because she knew 'the world wasn't safe.' She warned that banning LGBTQ+ clubs could worsen bullying. 'And we have the nerve to say that we care about mental health,' Jones said. 'We've passed bill after bill about access to care, about youth suicide, about prevention and treatment. But this bill makes kids sicker, sadder, more alone. This bill doesn't protect children. It endangers them. It doesn't give parents more rights. It strips children of their dignity.' SB 12 is often referred to as the 'Parental Bill of Rights' because it claims to give parents more control over their children's schools. But Rep. Erin Zwiener, D-Driftwood, addressed those who are 'afraid that your kids or your grandkids might grow up queer,' warning that the bill could harm family relationships. 'Getting silence in schools from the LGBTQ community, which is what this bill is designed to do, will not stop your kids from being gay,' Zwiener said. 'It will just make them afraid to come out. It will make them afraid to live their lives as their full selves. It will make them afraid to tell you when they figure out that they're LGBTQ and it might damage your relationship with them forever.' Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, argued that allowing religious organizations in schools but banning 'clubs that allow students to be who they are, is a double standard that flies in the face of the principles you say you support.' 'An LGBTQ person can't change who they are any more than the fact that I can't change that I'm Black,' Collier said. 'What you're saying to students today is that you will be accepted as long as you are who we say you should be.' If signed by the governor, the bill will become law on Sept. 1. First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Down to the wire: Texas lawmakers tackled communism, school prayer, squatters Thursday
Texas lawmakers are racing to toward the June 2 finish line for the 2025 legislative session. Here are some of the highlights of Thursday's action. The Texas House voted overwhelmingly to require public school students to learn about 'historical events and atrocities' that took place under communist regimes, putting Texas in line with Florida and other states that have adopted similar policies. Senate Bill 24 by Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, mandates the state to develop curriculum for fourth- through 12th-grade social studies classes that include 'the oppression and suffering experienced by people living under communist regimes, including mass murder, violent land seizures, show trials, concentration camps, forced labor, poverty, and general economic deterioration.' It would also mandate teaching about the history of communist movements in the U.S. Democratic state Rep. Gene Wu of Houston expressed concern that the bill could give a false impression about the prevalence of the ideology in U.S. history, saying that in the past, people who fought for worker's rights were often accused of being communists. More: Bipartisan contingent of Texas senators advance bill to teach 'horrors of communism' Austin Democratic Reps. Vikki Goodwin and Gina Hinojosa sought unsuccessfully to require students to learn about fascist regimes in addition to communist ones. A proposed amendment from Rep. Jon Rosenthal, D-Houston, to add education on Nazism and its 'resurgence in the United States and Europe in the present day' also failed to stick. Republican Rep. Stan Kitzman of Pattison, an army veteran who represents a large, rural area west of Houston, made a rare appearance at the back mic to defend the legislation. 'Communism is responsible for more misery and murder around the planet in the 20th century than any other form of government,' he said Thursday to applause from members. Rep. Mihaela Plesa, D-Dallas, gave an emotional address about her family's experience fleeing the communist regime of former Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. 'When my parents grew up, when the government killed a member of your family, they would send you the bill for the bullet,' Plesa told the lower chamber. 'By passing Senate Bill 24 … we are giving children like the one I once was a chance to see their family's truth reflected in the history we teach.' The bill passed in a 119-13 vote with five members abstaining. It now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott. A bill that would remove sodas from being eligible for purchase under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program initially passed the House on Thursday. The lower chamber voted 88-47 to advance Senate Bill 379 by Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston. It would prohibit the use of SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps, from purchasing carbonated, sweetened soft drinks, which proponents of the bill say are contributing to an obesity epidemic in Texas. The Senate passed the measure by a 24-6 vote in late March. More: Greg Abbott moves to block Texans from using food stamps for soda and candy Critics have said the legislation could lead to a reduced availability of food for SNAP recipients, causing some small vendors to choose to stop accepting benefits altogether rather than sort through regulatory guidelines. Abbott last week formally requested a waiver from the Trump administration to prohibit the purchase of 'unhealthy, highly processed food' using SNAP benefits. Although it's not yet entirely clear, the waiver might be required for the state to legally implement Middleton's bill if it becomes law. The bill is part of a recent conservative movement to "Make Texas Healthy Again," which Republican lawmakers hope will lead the way in a wider movement championed by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The House must vote one more time, and the Senate will need to accept minor House tweaks to the bill, before it will head to the governor's desk for a signature. The House gave its blessing Thursday to Senate Bill 31, which aims to clarify the medical exception to the state's near-total abortion ban and educate doctors on when they can legally terminate pregnancies. The bill's House sponsor, Republican state Rep. Charlie Geren of Fort Worth, said the proposal aims to prevent maternal deaths that have occurred since Texas outlawed nearly all abortions in 2022. "We know women have died after care was delayed or denied,' said Geren, who authored the House companion for SB 31. "We know women have left Texas for lifesaving care. We know women have been horribly injured because doctors have refused to provide abortions that could save their bodies. Doctors and hospitals need the clarity that SB 31 can provide." More: Texas House passes bill clarifying medical exceptions in state abortion ban Lawmakers in the lower chamber also voted to bar cities like Austin from funding out-of-state abortion travel with Senate Bill 33, authored by Campbell. That bill's House sponsor, state Rep. Candy Noble, R-Lucas, said the legislation will ensure public money isn't "spent on an activity that is illegal in Texas." 'We don't want to be litigious, but when a city decides to clearly circumvent the intent of a law passed by the Texas Legislature, it's time for us to get stern,' she said. Several attempts from Democratic lawmakers to kill a bill to expand prayer in public schools failed Thursday when the House initially passed the measure 88-57. Senate Bill 11 by Galveston Republican Sen. Mayes Middleton would allow a school district or charter school's board to set aside time for "prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text" each day. Students and school employees would be required to provide consent forms for participation in the prayer period, and the bill would prohibit prayer or reading of religious texts over a loudspeaker. Furthermore, districts would not be required to adopt the policy. The bill, however, also strikes a provision in Texas law that prohibits educators from encouraging students to pray — a point some opponents of the measure took issue with. The House passed legislation to give more protections to homeowners whose property is being occupied by anyone who is not invited to be there. Provisions of SB 1333 include allowing an owner to submit a complaint to the local sheriff or constable of the county in which the property is located, and it requires that complaint to be made under oath. The sheriff or constable upon verifying the complaint, must "without delay to serve notice to immediately vacate on the person occupying the dwelling without the owner's consent and put the owner in possession of the dwelling." The House made changes to the version passed by the Senate, so the measure will go back to the upper chamber for further consideration. The Senate can accept the changes or request a conference committee to iron out the differences. At least one chamber, the House, has been advised that floor sessions will be held Saturday and Sunday, notwithstanding the Memorial Day weekend. That's because scores of bills are backed up, and the Legislature is entering its final full week ahead of the session's must-end date of June 2. No firm word yet from the Senate on its weekend plans, or whether Monday, the actual federal holiday, will be a workday in the Capitol. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas lawmakers tackled communism, school prayer, squatters Thursday
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bond reform: Victim advocates celebrate compromise on Texas constitutional amendment
The Brief Victim advocates celebrated an apparent bi-partisan compromise on bond reform at the Texas House on Tuesday. The proposed Constitutional amendment would give judges discretion to deny bail to violent defenders. The measure needs the support of at least 12 House Democrats. SJR 5 passed out of committee on a 10-1 vote, including support from Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu. HOUSTON - Victim advocates at the center of the fight for tougher bail restrictions are cautiously celebrating a compromise measure poised to pass the House with the 100 votes necessary to place it before voters on the statewide ballot. What we know SJR 5, along with other bond reform bills, was passed out of the House Jurisprudence Committee with support from Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu and Houston Representative Jolanda Jones. Both Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have threatened to force a special session if Democrats block the measure. Progressive groups, including the ACLU, oppose SJR 5, contending it denies due process, presumption of innocence and the constitutional guarantee of access to bail pending trial. Victim advocates say 200 people in Harris County alone have been killed since 2020 by repeat offenders granted bail as they awaited trial for other alleged crimes. What we don't know As of now, it's uncertain how many of the 62 House Democrats will join Republicans when SJR-5 hits the floor for a vote. Political analysts say Democrats who vote "no" risk the campaign label "soft on crime" in their next re-election bid. What they're saying Fox 26 spoke with Andy Kahan of Crime Stoppers Houston and public safety crusader April Aguirre about the latest development. Aguirre believes the legislation is heading in the right direction. "Since our constitution was written here in the state of Texas in1847, criminal behavior has evolved and we have to evolve to match the criminal element," Aguirre said. "Unfortunately, right now we are not doing that. Criminals have become more violent. We are not targeting the Walmart shoplifter. We are targeting murderers, people who commit sexual assaults against children and people who want to commit aggravated robbery. It is time we hold these people accountable and keep Texans safe." Kahan weighed in on how the proposal will affect Texans' safety. "All along, we have always felt that Texas voters should be able to decide whether judges should have discretion not to grant bond to defendants charged with certain violent crimes, and I truly believe the murder of Jocylin Nungaray put this over the tipping edge," said Kahan. "When people found out that the two defendants charged with her murder were actually given a bond, albeit a very high bond, people were outraged, and we were saying, 'the judge has no choice.'" Aguirre believes that had the law been in place earlier, many victims would still be alive today. "There's just no question," Aguirre said. "We are giving second, third and fourth chances to criminals who have not earned that and have not been rehabilitated. We are simply cutting them loose." "The judges I have spoken with have told me we need discretion and if you give them discretion it also means they don't have an excuse, and that means they are accountable to the voting public," said Kahan. "Lawmakers must choose, support the safety of the people they represent or the criminals who kill them," said Abbott during a recent speech in Houston. What's next SJR-15 will require the support of 100 of the 150 House members to gain approval. If that happens, the Texas Senate, which overwhelmingly approved its version of the same bill, would consider the House measure and potentially negotiate changes acceptable to both chambers before a final vote. The Source Information in this article came from Fox 26 coverage at the Texas Capitol.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas House of Representatives approves initial bill that would ban Chinese citizens from owning property
A bill in the Texas House would prevent people from China and other countries from buying property in the state. Additions by representatives would also give the governor the ability to add other countries to the ban without legislative approval. Opponents have called the bill racist. Lawmakers in the Texas House of Representatives have advanced a bill that, if approved by the state Senate, will prohibit citizens of China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from buying real estate in the state—and would give the governor broad power to add any other nation he wants to that list. The House added the gubernatorial powers to the bill, which had already been approved by the Senate. It now will be voted on once more by the House before it goes back to the Senate for another vote. (The upper chamber had previously approved the bill, but the amendments require a revote.) If passed by both branches, it then moves onto the governor. Critics, including most Democratic representatives, have lambasted the bill, calling it racist. Proponents say the goal is to ensure countries deemed hostile do not gain any level of control in the state. "We must not allow oppressive regimes who actively seek to do us harm to seize control and dictate their terms over our economy, supply chain and our daily lives," said Rep. Cole Hefner, the Republican sponsor of the bill. Exceptions were made for non-citizens from those countries who entered the U.S. legally. Rep. Gene Wu, a Democrat who immigrated from China as a child, warned the bill could result in attacks on Asian Americans. "Nobody around here knows the difference between Chinese and Taiwanese or Japanese or Vietnamese," he said. "When the attacks come, when the hate crimes start, it will be against Asians – everybody with [an] Asian face." Texas' attempts to limit who can buy property in the state come on the heels of a similar bill in Florida, which was passed in 2023. That bill is currently on hold after a federal appeals court ruling. This story was originally featured on
