Update: Governor Perry has Vetoed Texas SB 346 - Justice Don Willett and Senator Dan Patrick Respond
ACTION ALERT! GOVERNOR RICK PERRY MUST VETO THIS BILL SB
346! 512-463-2000
One of the
top Chairmen for Joe Straus, Charlie Geren, has pushed a bill (SB 346)
through the Texas House that, like the recent Obama IRS scandal, would
attack Texas conservative non-profit groups by demanding the groups reveal who
gives money to the non-profit groups.
This bill
would even attack churches and religious groups who do not get involved in
partisan politics and only stand for issues like pro-life and pro
marriage!
Interestingly
enough, labor unions
are specifically named in the bill as exempt from these requirements! Heck,
what about newspapers? They get involved in EVERY election and endorse
candidates and bash Republicans in issues, but they would not have to reveal
their finances under this bill. So Unions and Newspapers get a pass, but if
someone gives 25,000 to a church to buy pro-life signs then the church has to
reveal their finances! THIS IS WORSE THAT WHAT OBAMA'S IRS IS DOING!
Also, how would
you feel about having to register as a lobbyist simply because you go to the
Courthouse in Austin with a group of Christians from your church and hold
pro-life signs on the side of the road?
GOVERNOR RICK
PERRY MUST VETO THIS BILL SB 346! Call his office at 512-463-2000
Call the Texas
Governor NOW and ask that he veto this bill. Spread the word about
this outrageous shakedown and attack on the first amendment!
The
State Senate voted to pass this bill first before the house, but they did
so with good intentions not knowing the major flaws in the bill. They tried to
have a re-vote to recall this bill after they found out the flaws in the bill
and found out that it was being pushed by Straus, but it was too late. The
House conservatives were able to reveal this trickery before the bill was
voted on, but the House Democrats teamed up with the house moderate
Republicans and the House Conservative Republicans were not able to stop
this bill from passing. Since it passed the House and Senate, it now goes to
the Governor to be signed.
Governor
Rick Perry MUST veto this bill!
This is a direct
attack on the First Amendment. Non-Profits, like Pro Life groups and fiscal
responsibility groups, are non-partisan and these groups promote their issues
and support anyone who supports their issue. Because they are non-partisan and
they are created to support an issue, they are not required to reveal private
information about the non-profit in campaign finance reports. This is like how
a church works. A church is a non profit and, like other non-profits,
is protected by the First Amendment and does not have to reveal financial
info or pay taxes. A church can promote Christian issues
and encourage people to vote in support of
these Christian issues. Well, Joe Straus does not like that
because Straus has received negative attention from some of
these groups because he is not personally pro-life and has had other
fiscal responsibility issues. So what does Straus do? Straus attacks the first
amendment and calls for a shakedown of these non profit groups. These groups
are not supporting him, so he is wants to unconstitutionally target these
groups. Can someone tell me how that is ANY different from the IRS
targeting conservative non profit and Tea Party groups because they stand
for conservative values and go against the liberal values of President Obama?
Texans Should be
Outraged at this attack against the First Amendment from Joe Straus!
read more
about this bill here:
Update: Governor Perry has Vetoed Texas SB 346