COS Texas Grassroots Action and Advocacy at the Capitol
The Convention of States Action Texas is watching and scoring state legislators during Gov. Greg Abbott’s call for a Special Session. There were 20 items on Gov. Abbott’s call and the grassroots understand that legislators must pick a side—they are either on the side of the People or the side of obstructionists.
COSAction Texas activists meet at the Capitol in Austin with Freedom Caucus House members Briscoe Cain, Matt Schaeffer, and Matt Rinaldi.
The Special Session presents a rare opportunity for diverse, like-minded groups from all over the state to stand in solidarity against the delay tactics under Speaker Joe Straus. Hashtag #PassThemAll has become a clarion call for activists who want decision-making returned to the people and their communities.
COSAction Texas supports policies and legislation that makes Texas stronger and returns power from Austin back to Texans in their communities. Legislators need to pay more attention to voters and the desire for smaller government at both the federal and the state level. COSAction-TX volunteers have been visiting legislative offices in Austin, calling, emailing and providing testimony for the issues they care about.
COSA-TX sees tremendous value in training volunteers in advocacy through involvement during the Special Session and presents a unique hands-on training environment for new activists. The grassroots experienced first-hand the Austin “swamp” this session and find the lack of will to pass meaningful, conservative legislation for the People of Texas distasteful.
On Thursday, July 27th, COSA-TX volunteers watched the House and met with members of the Texas Freedom Caucus, as well as liberty organizations such as Texas Values and Texas Right to Life to discuss the importance of returning decision-making power back to communities and local citizens.
COSAction Texas State Director, Angie Turner, commented that “volunteers are more educated and engaged in what is happening in Austin than ever before and excited about participating as Texans in the Special Session. This is a time to stand with other liberty organizations, while growing our grassroots in navigating the legislative process. Status quo even at the state level is not acceptable to the people any longer.”
One COSA-TX volunteer, Melanie K., commented, “Citizens are fed up with law makers believing they can take our choices away and make decisions for us, “hey government, just leave us alone!”
It’s time to remind legislators to #PickASide and #PassThemAll. COSA-TX grassroots are watching and expect them to do the right thing for citizens.
Here are the issues that are being addressed during the Special Session:
- Rollback elections for excessive property tax increases
- Caps on local and state spending
- Municipal annexation reform
- Restricting local government regulation of school bathrooms and other facilities
- Prohibiting use of taxpayer dollars to collect union dues
- Sunset legislation
- Teacher pay increase of $1,000
- Administrative flexibility in teacher hiring and retention practices
- School finance reform commission
- School choice for special needs students
- Preventing cities from regulating what property owners do with trees on private land
- Preventing local governments from changing rules midway through construction projects
- Speeding up local government permitting process
- Texting while driving preemption
- Prohibition of taxpayer funding for abortion providers
- Pro-life insurance reform
- Strengthening abortion reporting requirements when health complications arise
- Strengthening patient protections relating to do-not-resuscitate orders
- Cracking down on mail-in ballot fraud
- Extending maternal mortality task force
