MOMS

Brian Harrison

This bill, the Property Tax Relief Act, contains a couple key provisions designed to limit increases in property taxes. Most notably, the bill lowers the appraisal cap from 10% to 5% and would expand the cap to also include business property owners, such as restaurants and apartment complexes, rather than just residential. Support is Moms for America's position as this bill helps protect homeowners and businesses from even greater levels of taxation. While this bill serves as a step in the right direction, lawmakers should advance additional reforms to provide broad-based property tax relief, which will help spur economic growth.

Protecting Homeowners and Businesses from Spiking Property Taxes by Limiting Annual Property Assessment Increases.

This bill requires all individuals who provide ridesharing services (through companies such as Uber and Lyft) to undergo annual training on human trafficking awareness and prevention. The training materials provided by rideshare companies must meet a long list of requirements and be approved by the Attorney General. Oppose is Moms for America's position as while human trafficking is certainly a tragedy which society should work to combat, the solution is not the further expansion of the government regulatory state and imposition of new mandates and costs onto the private sector. A much more laudable approach is for the private sector and companies within to invest and establish their own individual procedures to solve societal problems as opposed to the imposition of one-size-fits all government mandates.

Expanding Government Overreach through New Annual Mandates on Ridesharing Drivers Pertaining to Human Trafficking Training.

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 Moms for America's position as ensuring public safety and national defense is arguably the most important role of government. Failure to secure our nation's border not only has catastrophic implications on the ability to maintain law and order, but also creates countless other issues ranging from welfare to the education system.

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

This bill creates a statewide framework for natural gas utility companies to offer energy conservation programs. These programs typically involve subsidies for purchasing higher energy efficiency appliances or for retrofitting a home or business to increase energy efficiency. The programs are paid for by raising natural gas utility rates on all customers through "rate recovery" which also provides utility companies a larger guaranteed profit. Additionally, the bill allows utility companies (which heavily lobbied for the bill) to receive additional profit for designing, marketing, administering, and delivering an energy conservation program. Oppose is Moms for America's position as this and many other energy efficiency schemes are largely designed to enrich select product manufacturers, service providers and utility companies at the expense of all other Texans. Such cronyism is especially harmful to low-income and elderly individuals on fixed incomes who can't afford rising utility costs.

Hiking Natural Gas Utility Costs for Texans to Enrich Utility Companies and Create New Energy Conservation Programs.

This bill allows counties and municipalities which have established a "reinvestment zone" (i.e. tax increment financing) the ability to also utilize the funds to subsidize "legacy homeowners". As a result, individuals who have owned their property for at least 7 years and experienced a significant increase in their property taxes (due to a rise in their home value) would be eligible to have a portion of their property taxes subsidized. Oppose is Moms for America's position as government central planning schemes such as tax increment financing should not be deployed in the first place. This measure merely worsens the cronyism by further distorting the tax code and providing advantages to select homeowners. Government should instead ensure property taxation is conducted in a broadly applied manner without carveouts and as low of rates as possible for all property owners.

Worsening Tax Cronyism by Providing Subsidies for Certain "Legacy Homeowners" in Government-Created Reinvestment Zones.

This bill increases penalties on individuals who knowingly engage in vote fraud, such as voting more than once in an election or impersonates another person when submitting a ballot. Under the bill, the penalty is increased from a Class A misdemeanor to a Felony of the Second Degree, which can carry a 2 to 20 year prison sentence. Support is Moms for America's position as maintaining strong safeguards against voter fraud are critical aspects of ensuring free and fair elections, an essential component of democracy under our nation's constitutional republic.

Strengthening Election Integrity by Increasing the Penalty for Knowingly Engaging in Voting Fraud.

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 Moms for America's position as the budget is chock-full of countless wasteful and unnecessary spending initiatives which directly violate limited government principles and far exceed the basic and necessary functions of government. The state must pursue every available avenue to reign in its out-of-control spending, as, when coupled with the over $185 trillion federal liabilities, represents the greatest existential threat facing this country. Democratic lawmakers who opposed the bill for not containing even greater levels of spending were recording as opposing the limited government position.

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 permits the Arlington Independent School District to allow the sale and consumption of alcohol at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts facility. Support is Moms for America's position as this bill expands consumer choice and individual liberties while also generating additional sales tax revenue for taxpayers.

Expanding Individual Liberties and Tax Revenue by Allowing the Sale and Consumption of Alcohol at a Fine Arts Performing Venue in Arlington.

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 Moms for America's position as ensuring public safety and national defense is arguably the most important role of government. Failure to secure our nation's border not only has catastrophic implications on the ability to maintain law and order, but also creates countless other issues ranging from welfare to the education system.

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

This bill establishes the Texas Technology and Innovation Program to provide matching or supplemental funds to businesses that already receive federal funds through the federal small business innovation research and small business technology transfer programs. Oppose is Moms for America's position as the free market - not central planning by government bureaucrats - is best equipped to drive economic growth. The state must pursue every available avenue to reign in its out-of-control spending, which, when coupled with the over $185 trillion federal liabilities, represents the greatest existential threat facing this country.

Worsening Cronyism by Forcing Taxpayers to Provide Additional Subsidies to Companies Already Receiving Federal Grants through the Texas Technology and Innovation Trust Fund.

This bill allows courts to remove district attorneys for misconduct if they refuse to prosecute certain types of crime. The bill is largely in response to cases of "reform-minded" prosecutors that have refused to prosecute crime or uphold the state's abortion laws. Support is Moms for America's position as ensuring public safety and protecting property rights serve as essential components of government. Unfortunately, this bill is necessary to combat many of the so-called criminal justice "reforms" which have led to skyrocketing crime rates and are being advanced in state legislatures by George Soros and other radical-left billionaires through their funding of advocacy organizations on both sides of the political aisle.

Strengthening Public Safety by Allowing Courts to Remove Rogue DAs which Refuse to Prosecute Crime.

This bill requires anyone who provides sewage disposal system pumping services in the state to become licensed and empowers the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to determine the qualifications. Oppose is Moms for America's position as the state already has certain licensing and regulatory protections in place surrounding septic tanks and this measure represents an excessive employment barrier. Ultimately, the private sector, via certifications, rating systems, and the free market, is much better equipped to provide consumer protection while also ensuring competition and low consumer costs.

Increasing Employment Barriers and Reducing Competition by Forcing Sewage Disposal Pump Technicians to Obtain a License.

This bill changes the way the "no-new-revenue tax rate" is calculated by referencing the Texas Education Code. This new calculation will result in a higher rate (ultimately higher taxes) by including other funding within the formula. Oppose is Moms for America's position as this bill places even greater tax burdens on property owners and further grows government. Instead of gaming property tax calculations, lawmakers should work to make housing more affordable by lowering property taxes and cutting the out-of-control spending at all levels of government.

Hiking Property Taxes by Gaming the Calculation of the "No-New Revenue" Property Tax Rate.

This bill, the Medical Freedom Act, expands on the state's Right to Try Act passed in 2015, which applied to individuals with terminal illnesses. Under this bill individuals with a severe chronic disease are also given the "right to try" an investigational drug, biological product, or device that has completed phase one of a clinical trial but is not yet approved by the FDA, if certain conditions are met. The bill also provides protections for doctors and manufacturers by providing legal immunity from any harm or injury that results from using the investigational product and ensures doctors can recommend such products without facing any disciplinary actions from the state's professional licensing board. Support is Moms for America's position as this measure strengthens individual liberties and medical freedom by ensuring patients and their doctors - not government bureaucrats - are the ones making decisions over treatment and healthcare.

Strengthening Individual Liberties and Medical Freedom by Providing the "Right to Try" Experimental Drugs to treat Severe Chronic Diseases.

This bill creates the Texas Energy Efficiency Council within the Public Utilities Commission to, among other purposes, "provide a statewide collaborative approach to promoting energy efficiency" and "make recommendations for improving energy efficiency programs." Oppose is Moms for America's position as this further expands the size and scope of government in order to promote a politized environmental agenda. The bill also has the potential to advance future mandates on property owners, like those passed under SB 2453 this session.

Expanding Government and Paving the Way for Additional Energy Efficiency Mandates through the Creation of a Texas Energy Efficiency Council.

This bill authorizes Angelina County to impose a new hotel tax, with the revenue to be used to promote tourism, conventions, and hotels. Oppose is Moms for America's position as all state and local tax codes should be constructed in a broadly applied manner with as low of rates as possible for everyone. Additionally, it is not the proper role of government to fund tourism promotion and taxpayer funds should not be utilized to advance government-favored industries.

Increasing Taxation and the Growth of Government by Allowing Angelina County to Impose New Taxes on Hotels for Wasteful Tourism Promotion Initiatives.

This bill establishes a new health insurance mandate relating to "biomarker testing" which is applicable to all private policies offered in the state and Medicaid. Specifically, the bill requires all policies to cover biomarker testing to diagnose, treat, manage, or monitor a person's disease or condition if the test is supported by "medical and scientific evidence." Oppose is Moms for America's position as each and every health insurance mandate or price control on co-payments prevents an individual from selecting a plan with just basic or customized coverages to fit their specific needs. As a result, health insurers are forced to only offer costly plans loaded with coverages that most individuals do not need. This can result in lower-income or younger individuals choosing to purchase no insurance plan at all due to the high cost.

Increasing Health Insurance Premiums by Mandating All Policies Provide Coverage for Biomarker Testing.

The Herrero amendment #45 to the appropriations bill. This amendment prohibits any funds in the bill from being used for school choice programs, including school vouchers, education savings accounts, tax credit scholarships, or grants that allow students to attend private schools. Oppose is Moms for America's position as this amendment worsens educational outcomes for all students by blocking competition and a market in education, which encourages schools to provide the best education so they can attract parents to enroll their child and receive the associated funding.

Blocking School Choice by Prohibiting Any Appropriations within the Budget for School Choice Programs.

This bill prevents state employees and officers from downloading or accessing TikTok or other applications declared by the Governor to pose a risk to the state, on state devices. Support is Moms for America's position as the installation of such systems poses a significant and unnecessary threat to state and federal networks. Additionally, state employees should not be utilizing government equipment to access entertainment apps such as TikTok.

Strengthening National Security by Banning TikTok from Being Accessed on State-Issued Devices.

This bill, the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act, makes a person's hair texture or hairstyle a protected characteristic if is commonly associated with a particular race. CROWN applies to public schools and institutions of higher education, employment, and housing. Oppose is Moms for America's position as this bill serves as a new tool by plaintiffs' attorneys to subject business owners and housing providers to frivolous litigation. Such actions merely drive-up costs for consumers and can be particularly devastating for small businesses and landlords.

Increasing Frivolous Litigation and Legal Liabilities by Making "Hair Texture and Style" a Protected Characteristic in Employment and Housing.

This bill allows public higher education institutions (state colleges and universities) to adopt policies which allow for the termination of tenured faculty for reasons such as "professional incompetence" or "conduct involving moral turpitude". Support is Moms for America's position as all individuals holding positions funded by taxpayers should be held accountable and perform their duties to the standards set by the state. This bill serves as a step in the right direction at restoring some accountability at the state's institutions of higher education, which have largely turned into stages promoting radical social and political agendas.

Ensuring Colleges and Universities can Remove Poor-Performing Professors by Restricting the Use of Tenure.

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 Moms for America's position as this this motion denies Texans a significant broadly applied property tax cut which would make housing more affordable and help spur economic growth.

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

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 Moms for America's position as this amendment is designed to ensure school districts are using taxpayer funds to provide the best education possible for students, rather than wasting funds on administrative and other unnecessary expenses.

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

This bill prohibits children under 18 years of age from receiving sex-reassignment procedures or puberty blockers until they reach the age of consent. Support is Moms for America's position as it is a role of government to protect children from abuse and physical harm. Irreversible decisions such as sex-reassignments should not be made until an individual reaches the age of consent.

Protecting Children Under 18 from Sex-Reassignment Surgeries and Prescriptions with Irreversible Implications Until they are Old Enough to Consent.

This bill provides for the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, created this legislative session via a constitutional amendment, to be used to purchase land "for the creation and improvement of publicly accessible state parks." The state budget included $1 billion in funding for this purpose. The state is currently tasked with managing and maintaining over 13 million acres of land under its control. Oppose is Moms for America's position as the private sector is best equipped to manage and maximize land utilization - including for parks. Further growing government control and ownership of land merely drives up taxpayer costs and leads to further government spending initiatives.

Further Growing Government's Unsustainable Land Holdings through a $1 Billion Centennial Parks Conservation Fund Program.

The Tinderholt amendment #1 to a bill prohibiting public colleges and universities from establishing a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) office. The amendment eliminates language in the bill which forces public institutions to make efforts to reassign employees whose positions will be eliminated due to the bill's prohibition on DEI offices. The amendment also eliminates the requirement that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board conduct an annual study on the impact of the bill on students, broken down by categories such as race, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Support is Moms for America's position as an endless number of private sector employees have lost their positions or faced similar employment challenges. All government positions should be staffed with the most qualified applicants for the given role, not filled by individuals merely seeking work due to job loss - especially those in formerly radical politicized positions surrounding Diversity, Equity and inclusion.

Fighting Back Against Efforts Designed to Weaken the DEI Bill by Forcing Taxpayers to Fund DEI Studies, Retaining DEI Employees, and Delaying Implementation of the Bill.

This bill earmarks $1.54 billion in state funds to continue construction of barriers along the Mexico border. Additionally, the bill provides $40 million for State Troopers to patrol Colony Ridge which has high levels of illegal immigrants. Support is Moms for America's position as ensuring public safety and national defense is arguably the most important role of government. Failure to secure our nation's border not only has catastrophic implications on the ability to maintain law and order, but also creates countless other issues ranging from welfare to the education system.

Restoring Law and Order by Earmarking $1.54 Billion in State Funds to Construct Barriers Securing the Mexico Border.

This bill expands the list of medical conditions for which a physician may prescribe low-THC cannabis (medical marijuana). Under the bill, physicians who would otherwise prescribe a patient an opioid could now prescribe cannabis. The bill also increases the maximum dosage that may be prescribed by replacing the 1% THC cap with a 10-milligram cap. Texas' medical marijuana program is currently among the strictest in the nation. Support is Moms for America's position as this bill strengthens medical freedom by ensuring physicians - not politicians - are able to determine and provide the most effective treatment for their patients. The bill also helps combat the addiction crisis currently plaguing our nation.

Strengthening Medical Freedom and Reducing Addiction by Permitting Physicians to Prescribe Low-THC Cannabis in Cases where Opioids would Otherwise be Prescribed.

This bill expands the Rural Veterinarian Incentive Program, which provides taxpayer-funded loan repayment to veterinary students and recent graduates who agree to work in counties with populations below 150,000. Previously, eligibility was limited to counties with populations below 100,000. Oppose is Moms for America's position as the free market - not central planning by politicians - is the best mechanism to determine the need and distribution of veterinarians across the state. Taxpayers in urban areas should not be forced to subsidize the amenities of individuals who choose to locate in rural or other portions of the state where veterinarians may not be as accessible.

Growing Government Central Planning and Runaway Spending by Forcing Taxpayers to Pay Off the Student Loan Debt of Veterinarians in Additional Regions of the State.

This bill makes it easier for movie production companies to receive a grant under the moving image industry incentive program by reducing the percentage of production crew, actors, and extras who must be Texas residents from 70% to 55%. Oppose is Moms for America's position as it is not the proper role of government to subsidize the film production costs of private companies - especially considering this measure enriches woke Hollywood production companies that are antagonistic to limited government principles. Lawmakers should eliminate this grant program entirely, much less expand the ability of movie production companies to receive taxpayer funds.

Worsening Cronyism by Making it Even Easier for Woke Hollywood Production Companies to become Enriched through Taxpayer Subsidies.

This bill reduces regulatory barriers to now allow health insurance companies to incentivize their enrollees to utilize select healthcare providers based on quality and cost. This includes offering enrollees lower deductibles, co-payments or coinsurance. Support is Moms for America's position this bill reduces regulatory burdens to drive greater market forces within the healthcare industry. The state's current draconian regulations within the healthcare industry prevent insurers from offering additional options and limit the ability for enrollees to select the plans that best fit their specific needs.

Lowering Healthcare Costs by Allowing Insurers to Offer Incentives which Steer their Enrollees towards Providers based on Quality and Cost.

The bill prevents localities from imposing additional regulations on farmers and ranchers engaging in agricultural operations. Under the bill, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is directed to develop a list of "generally accepted agricultural practices" that do not pose a threat to public health, which cities also may not prohibit or restrict. Support is Moms for America's position as this bill strengthens property rights by combatting overreaching local regulations. While some may argue this bill undermines "local control", our founding fathers only recognized three entities within the U.S. Constitution - federal government, state government, and the individual. It is not the role for any level of government to unduly infringe the rights of individuals, therefore making preemption measures, such as this bill, necessary.

Protecting Farmers from Government Overreach by Preventing Local Governments from Imposing Additional Regulations on the Agricultural Industry.

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 Moms for America's position as this measure helps protect individual liberties by ensuring it is individuals - not government - making the medical decision on whether or not to receive a vaccination against COVID-19. Additionally, the bill protects against overreaching government mandates related to masks and shutdowns.

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

This bill raises the maximum allowable interest rate which lenders may charge on consumer loans, by now allowing the federal funds rate to be included in the calculation. While existing law currently caps consumer loan interest rates between 18% and 30%, the addition of the federal funds rate could allow lenders to charge another 5% to 6% depending on the rate of inflation. Support is Moms for America's position as the free-market - not government price controls - is the best mechanism to ensure the lowest borrowing rates and greatest available credit options for all borrowers. This slight regulatory relief will help expand borrowing and lending opportunities, especially during periods of high inflation.

Expanding Borrowing and Lending Opportunities by Raising the Maximum Allowable Interest Rate on Consumer Loans by Including the Federal Funds Rate in the Calculation.