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My vote for legislation that could have the greatest impact outside of school choice and property tax reform is HB 2127, the “Texas Regulatory Consistency Act,” from Rep. Dustin Burrows and Sen. Brandon Creighton. It promises to completely change how and what local governments do on a day-to-day basis. I’ll explain.

 

Frustrated by the inability to get many big government proposals through a legislature long dominated by conservatives, the left shifted strategy to push its progressive, virtue signaling agenda in Texas’ cities and towns. San Antonio wanted to ban your F-150. Austin thought it was a good idea to let mentally ill, drug-addicted homeless people “camp” wherever they wanted. Houston, well, where do you start?

 

Part of the progressive push has been a regulatory assault on businesses that has imposed, inconsistent, contradictory, and sometimes unconstitutional labyrinth of rules and regulations that make running your business more like working for the IRS. In past sessions, the legislature has taken a rifle-shot approach to stop the nonsense by passing ‘preemption’ legislation that puts some guiderails on how far the cities can go to make your life difficult.

 

But the progressive assault has been so fierce that a new approach became necessary. Cue the Death Star.

 

The “Death Star bill,” as HB 2127 is lovingly known in the Capitol, employs field preemption to say that city regulations can’t exceed state law regarding agriculture, business and commerce, finance, insurance, labor, local government, natural resources, occupations, and property. It reins in what local governments can and cannot do, and forces them to get back to the basics. Even still, local governments have a lot of autonomy despite the primal screams heard from big city mayors and city councilmembers after the bill passed the Senate this week. (Just one more procedural hurdle awaits before it heads to the governor eagerly waiting to sign it.)

 

Hopefully the big government warriors get the message: Keep Texas Texas. Nobody wants to see our cities turn into San Francisco, Portland, or Chicago. If they try, the Death Star becomes operational. May the force, and freedom, be with you.

 

Brian Phillips

Chief Communications Officer


The Lead
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Watch
The Layout | House Bill 4081 with Rep. Travis Clardy

TPPF's Selene Rodriguez and Rep. Travis Clardy discuss HB 4081, which better equips Texas counties that have lower budgets and fewer resources to address the challenges associated with border security.

El Paso Town Hall

TPPF's Border Security Coalition hosted a town hall in El Paso to discuss the crisis at the southern border.  

TPPF's Mandy Drogin Fox Thum

TPPF's Mandy Drogin joins Fox and Friends to discuss the battle for education freedom in Texas and Governor Abbott's vow to veto the watered-down version of school choice legislation. 

The Arena Episode 3

Greg is joined by former Texas Representative Ron Simmons to discuss his experiences in the Texas Legislature, as a successful businessman, and as a father... and the life lessons learned from all three.


Events

MAY 25 — TYLER Liberty Leadership Council: Talking 2A w/ Sean Healy RSVP

 

MAY 31 — AUSTIN State of the Taxpayer: 88th Legislative Session Recap RSVP

 

JUNE 6 — MIDLAND State of the Taxpayer: 88th Legislative Session Recap RSVP

 

JUNE 14 — FT. WORTH State of the Taxpayer: 88th Legislative Session Recap RSVP

 

JUNE 15 — DALLAS State of the Taxpayer: 88th Legislative Session Recap RSVP

 

JUNE 22 — HOUSTON State of the Taxpayer: 88th Legislative Session Recap RSVP

 

See more events >>

The Postscript

5 Great Texas Summer Activities

 

Summer is coming up fast here in Texas. It's already getting into the 80's and the humidity is in full force. I'm looking forward to my first summer as a Texan, so I asked a couple of my coworkers here at TPPF for some suggestions on fun summer activities. Here's what they came up with:

 

1. Floating The River

 

This was suggested by a few people. I have to be honest, not a lot sounds better than getting a 12 pack of beer and floating down the Guadalupe River. Hopefully I can get this done this summer. 

 

2. Going To Schlitterbahn

I have actually been to Schlitterbahn a couple times before and I have to say I definitely will be returning this summer. Schlitterbahn is a top tier water park and a great place to bring your family on a hot summer day. It has great slides, a wave pool and great lazy river you can float down. 

 

3. Taking a Trip to a Texas Beach

 

I've never been to one of Texas' beaches but I've been told that there a couple beautiful ones like Rockport and South Padre Island. I look forward to visiting some of the great Texas beach towns and enjoying the water of the Gulf.

 

4. Catching a Baseball Game

 

One of the more interesting aspects of summer is that there is literally only one of the major sports on and that's baseball. I love going to baseball games and I haven't been to the Rangers' new ballpark or the home of the Astros, Minute Maid Park. My goal this summer is to go to a game in each park just to take in the atmosphere and enjoy America's pastime.

 

5. Enjoying Texas Freedom

 

There's no better way to enjoy your summer here in Texas than just acknowledging and taking advantage of the freedoms that we enjoy here in the Lone Star State. There's a reason everyone from California and New York is moving here. Texas is just better.

 

What else should I check out this summer? Hit "reply" to send your suggestions.

 

John Mondi
Digital Marketing Manager
 
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