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Texas Public Policy Foundation CEO Kevin Roberts said state lawmakers did excellent work in the recently concluded legislative session.
But they need to return to Austin, Roberts said. There were some important bills that need to be passed, and it can be done. Republicans control both the Senate, where they have an 18-13 edge, and the House, with 83 Republicans and 67 Democrats. A special session, or even two, are likely to be called this summer.
“It's time for a special session to go finish the job,” he said. “So, let's go get it done.”
Roberts, in a Tuesday, June 1, panel discussion with Dr. Derek Cohen, vice president of policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation; Russ Vought, president of the Center for Renewing America; and political consultant Tyler Norris.
Roberts said the TPPF has been monitoring the Legislature for 32 years, and was impressed by the bills that ended up on Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk.
“Did our lawmakers achieve what we sent them to Austin to do? Texas’ substantive response to the state’s major challenges shows that Texas is still the model for good governance,” TPPF stated. “Washington continues to drift leftward, and states like California and New York are becoming unrecognizable, but the Lone Star State stands for freedom. As for the legislative session, the final results were unapologetically and objectively conservative by any standard — we did, in fact, keep Texas, Texas.”
But Roberts said during the 50-minute discussion that included questions from the audience, the task is not yet completed. The election integrity bill must be signed into law, Roberts said.
Democrats left the House and prevented final passage with a procedural move as the session wound down.
“So, they adjourned yesterday, not having gotten across the finish line, the big election reform bill,” he said. “I'm sure the four of us will talk about that by saying that it was the most productive session — up to that point where we're not ignoring the reality that it's a huge disappointment, if not an embarrassment, that that didn't get done. But we're also very optimistic that not only will they come back in a special session, but they're going to deliver the best election reform bill in the history of the world as a result of the childishness of those members walking out.”
Cohen said the Legislature was successful in declaring Texas a sanctuary state to protect gun rights, including constitutional carry, passed sweeping Child Protective Services reform, found a path to health care reform for working families and did all that will remaining true to Texas traditions and values.
Vought said to continue the progress made during the four years President Trump was in office on cultural issues — guns, family, community — must remain on the top of their agenda, he said. It’s the same with opposing LGBT activists.
“These are the issues that get you disinvited from the dinner table. And unfortunately, those are the ones that we have to work on the most,” he said. “And I'll give you just an example that didn't get done is, is that you're seeing bills in other states as it pertains to the contagion of transgender ideology in our schools and our cultural institutions. These are incredibly difficult bills to pass for politicians who don't ever want to do anything that goes against the LGBT community.”
Vought said these bills are about protecting children, protecting individuals' rights and conscience. He said conservatives must stand up for “commonsense cultural bills that will protect the country and protect Texas and make it a sanctuary.”
Roberts said legislators can, and must, uphold these views during the special session, or, if needed, sessions.
Cohen said the 2021 session was encouraging.
“I think the fact that Texas actually did pass a CRT bill — critical race theory — is a huge shot in the arm,” he said. “For that not to have happened, you would have been able to make the national argument, well, this is facing headwinds in a place such as Texas, therefore, we shouldn't do it in a place that's less red. So along those lines, I think that's really important to pass some of these bills that protect women's sports, that ensure that we're not doing health care procedures on children and in a way that it is benefiting LGBT influencers on Twitter, but not the benefit of the children. So I think that's one bucket of bills that's really important for Texas to be leading on.”
The panel also supported continued efforts on bail reform, property tax reform, stopping COVID-19 mandate laws from being imposed, preventing “woke” policies from being imposed on schools, supporting charter schools, regulating virtual education, and stopping big tech companies from banning some users.