Texas Catholic Voice Jan. 20, 2025

Happy New Year, TCV readers! This issue of the TCV kicks off our weekly updates for the 89th legislative session which opened on Tuesday, Jan. 14. It was an exciting day for legislators and their families, especially for new members. TCCB policy analyst Jenny Andrews likens it to the first day of school when everyone, armed with sharpened #2 pencils, is imbued with hope. In this Jubilee Year of Hope, we pray that all our elected officials will work together for the advancement of the common good. 

The biggest news to share this week is the election of Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) as speaker of the House. He is now consulting with House members about their preferences for committee appointments. These are generally announced by the end of this month. Because committee chairs wield great power in moving legislation, many members wait for committee assignments to be announced before bill filing. We anticipate an increase in filed legislation after that. We will continue to read and analyze bills and publicize the bishops’ positions on our website after we inform the bill authors. 

When hearings commence, each week the TCV will include the bills being heard that week in committee that we support or oppose. We will also keep you apprised of the bills gaining traction. We anticipate parental choice will be the number one priority at the outset as the lieutenant governor has publicly stated the Senate’s school choice legislation will be SB 2 (SB 1 and HB 1 are always the budget). It is likely the governor names it an emergency item, to bypass the constitutional prohibition on passing legislation within the first 60 days of session. 

Helpful links

To understand better and follow more closely the workings of the Legislature, the following websites are teeming with information, including legislators’ bios, committee members, rules, procedures, and links to live broadcasts of hearings and floor debate as well as archives from previous sessions. We recommend bookmarking them for quick access:

https://house.texas.gov/  

https://senate.texas.gov/ 

https://capitol.texas.gov/ - includes the feature MyTLO which offers personalized viewing of legislative content 

Catholics at the Capitol

Finally, every week we will share a brief video called “Catholics at the Capitol” to highlight important developments, provide an update of our work for the week, and note upcoming events. Enjoy the first installment, embedded below, and please share on social media! And don’t forget to tell your fellow Catholics to sign up for the Texas Catholic Advocacy Network! 

Happy Martin Luther King Day!

The legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, one of our greatest American heroes, cannot be forgotten. The civil rights movement he led proved that violence is not necessary to achieve justice, and that moral courage and human solidarity are the keys to lasting reform.  

Capitol rallies!

Texas Alliance for Life’s annual Rally for Life will be Saturday, Jan. 25, beginning at 1 p.m., as we march to the Capitol. TCCB is on the host committee and several bishops will be in attendance. Please join us as we continue to build a culture of life in Texas! 

Please also join us for Children at Risk’s Anti-Human Trafficking Rally Day on Thursday, Jan. 30, noon to 1 p.m., at the south steps of the Capitol. This is a powerful opportunity to stand united against human trafficking and advocate for justice and reform. Let’s join forces to show lawmakers that human trafficking reform has strong statewide support!