State of Texas Archives: on Families & Children

MJ Hegar: Paid family leave for both mothers and fathers

Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Paid Parental Leave keeps families healthy and happy

John Cornyn: Supports using campaign funds for candidate child care

Cornyn weighed in Friday with the commission--offering his "full support."

MJ Hegar: Asked FEC to allow campaign funds for candidate child care

Cornyn weighed in Friday with the commission--offering his "full support."

Federal law bars diversion of campaign cash to "personal use." Donor funds can't be spent on groceries or a home mortgage. But the FEC has long held that candidates may tap campaign accounts for outlays they wouldn't need to make if they weren't running for office. In 1975, the commission let a candidate pay for child care out of campaign funds when his wife joined him on the stump. Hegar's lawyers filed a request June 5 for an advisory opinion tailored to her situation.

Lupe Valdez: Pro paid sick leave; choosing job over sick family is wrong

Ted Cruz: Amendment to define marriage as between man & a woman

Ted Cruz (R): No. Sponsored amendment to define marriage as between man & a woman.

Beto O'Rourke (D): Yes.

Greg Abbott: Adoption agencies ok to disallow LGBT adoptions

Summary by Reuters news service:The Texas governor signed a law to protect the religious rights of faith-based groups in state child welfare programs, but critics said it could be used to discriminate against LGBT and non-Christian families in adoptions. Governor Abbott signed House Bill 3859 which allows faith-based groups working with the Texas child welfare system to deny services "under circumstances that conflict with the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs." It was supported by several Christian groups.

Legislative Outcome: Passed by Senate 21-10-0 on May/22/17; Passed by House 93-49-11 on May/10/17; Signed by Governor Greg Abbott on Jun/15/17

Don Huffines: Adoption agencies ok to disallow LGBT adoptions

Summary by Reuters news service: The Texas governor signed a law to protect the religious rights of faith-based groups in state child welfare programs, but critics said it could be used to discriminate against LGBT and non-Christian families in adoptions. Governor Abbott signed House Bill 3859 which allows faith-based groups working with the Texas child welfare system to deny services "under circumstances that conflict with the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs." It was supported by several Christian groups.

Legislative Outcome:˙Passed by Senate 21-10-0 on May/22/17; State Sen. Huffines voted YES; Passed by House 93-49-11 on May/10/17; Signed by Governor Greg Abbott on Jun/15/17

Lance Gooden: Adoption agencies ok to disallow LGBT adoptions

Summary by Reuters news service:The Texas governor signed a law to protect the religious rights of faith-based groups in state child welfare programs, but critics said it could be used to discriminate against LGBT and non-Christian families in adoptions. Governor Abbott signed House Bill 3859 which allows faith-based groups working with the Texas child welfare system to deny services "under circumstances that conflict with the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs." It was supported by several Christian groups.

Legislative Outcome: Passed by Senate 21-10-0 on May/22/17; Passed by House 93-49-11 on May/10/17; Rep. Gooden voted YES; Signed by Governor Greg Abbott on Jun/15/17

Royce West: Don't allow LGBT discrimination by adoption agencies

Summary by Reuters news service:The Texas governor signed a law to protect the religious rights of faith-based groups in state child welfare programs, but critics said it could be used to discriminate against LGBT and non-Christian families in adoptions. Governor Abbott signed House Bill 3859 which allows faith-based groups working with the Texas child welfare system to deny services "under circumstances that conflict with the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs." It was supported by several Christian groups.

Legislative Outcome: Passed by Senate 21-10-0 on May/22/17; Sen. West voted NO; Passed by House 93-49-11 on May/10/17; Signed by Governor Greg Abbott on Jun/15/17

Sylvia Garcia: Don't allow LGBT discrimination by adoption agencies

Summary by Reuters news service:The Texas governor signed a law to protect the religious rights of faith-based groups in state child welfare programs, but critics said it could be used to discriminate against LGBT and non-Christian families in adoptions. Governor Abbott signed House Bill 3859 which allows faith-based groups working with the Texas child welfare system to deny services "under circumstances that conflict with the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs." It was supported by several Christian groups.

Legislative Outcome: Passed by Senate 21-10-0 on May/22/17; Sen. Garcia voted NO; Passed by House 93-49-11 on May/10/17; Signed by Governor Greg Abbott on Jun/15/17

Van Taylor: Adoption agencies ok to disallow LGBT adoptions

Summary by Reuters news service:The Texas governor signed a law to protect the religious rights of faith-based groups in state child welfare programs, but critics said it could be used to discriminate against LGBT and non-Christian families in adoptions. Governor Abbott signed House Bill 3859 which allows faith-based groups working with the Texas child welfare system to deny services "under circumstances that conflict with the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs." It was supported by several Christian groups.

Legislative Outcome: Passed by Senate 21-10-0 on May/22/17; Sen. Taylor voted YES; Passed by House 93-49-11 on May/10/17; Signed by Governor Greg Abbott on Jun/15/17

Pat Fallon: Adoption agencies ok to disallow LGBT adoptions

Summary by Reuters news service:The Texas governor signed a law to protect the religious rights of faith-based groups in state child welfare programs, but critics said it could be used to discriminate against LGBT and non-Christian families in adoptions. Governor Abbott signed House Bill 3859 which allows faith-based groups working with the Texas child welfare system to deny services "under circumstances that conflict with the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs." It was supported by several Christian groups.

Legislative Outcome: Passed by Senate 21-10-0 on May/22/17; Passed by House 93-49-11 on May/10/17; Rep. Taylor voted YES; Signed by Governor Greg Abbott on Jun/15/17

Greg Abbott: Reform Child Protective System or more children will die

We need more workers, with better training, smarter strategies and real accountability to safeguard our children. While improving child safety in CPS, we must also remain vigilant in protecting parental rights. We must remember that the best place for a child, if at all possible, is with their parents. We also need to develop a Network of Nurture. We need a legion of families in every county who can open their homes and open their hearts to fostering our vulnerable children. Do not underfund this rickety system only to have it come back and haunt you.

Marco Rubio: Hispanic values: Burning desire that kids have it better

Ted Cruz: Hispanic values: faith, family & patriotism

Greg Abbott: Conscience dictates if marriage is only one man & one woman

"The Supreme Court has abandoned its role as an impartial judicial arbiter, [and] have imposed on the entire country their personal views on an issue that the Constitution and the Court's previous decisions reserve to the people of the States.

"Despite the Supreme Court's rulings, Texans' fundamental right to religious liberty remains protected. No Texan is required by the Supreme Court's decision to act contrary to his or her religious beliefs regarding marriage.

"The Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, combined with the newly enacted Pastor Protection Act, provide robust legal protections to Texans whose faith commands them to adhere to the traditional understanding of marriage.

"As I have done in the past, I will continue to defend the religious liberties of all Texans--including those whose conscience dictates that marriage is only the union of one man & one woman.

John Cornyn: Respect the traditional institution of marriage

He supports providing opportunity for all and removing government limitations on freedom so that every citizen has the chance to realize the American dream.

Government must provide a "hand-up" for citizens, not merely a "hand-out." The best gifts government can give to citizens are the ability and skills to improve their own lives.

Rick Perry: Let foster teens act as their own medical consenters

HB 915 monitors psychotropic medicine for foster children in Texas. The bill gives children in the foster care system the opportunity to provide an opinion on their medical care, allows foster care youth at the age of 16 and older to act as their own medical consenter, and increases the youth and medical consenter's awareness of side-effects and alternatives to prescribed psychotropic medicine.

HB 1227 gives court appointed special advocates, or CASA volunteers, better access to foster child's information. Currently, the CASA volunteer must stay inside the child protective services office to access any information. This bill will lay the foundation to create an internet information system.

Ron Paul: Let parents decide on mental health screening for kids

Forced mental health screening simply has no place in a free or decent society. The government does not own you or your kids, and it has no legitimate authority to interfere in your family’s intimate health matters. Psychiatric diagnoses are inherently subjective, and the drugs regularly prescribed produce serious side effects, especially in children’s developing brains. The bottom line is that mental health issues are a matter for parents, children, and their doctors, not government.

George W. Bush: More daycare funds; caseworkers; “Second Chance” homes

Bush’s 1999 legislative record included:
• Increased funding for child care for low-income families.
• Provided funding for an additional 380 child protective caseworkers to “rescue children before they become a tragic statistic.”
• Provided funds for four pilot “Second Chance” homes for unwed teenage moms.

Paul Sadler: Supports abstinence education in schools

Sadler supports the following principles concerning education.
• Support sex education programs which stress abstinence.
• Increase state funds for school construction and facility maintenance.
• Increase state funds for hiring of additional teachers.
• Allow parents to send their children to the public school of their choice.
• Advocate bilingual education programs in public schools.
• Fund public school education in Texas by increasing state taxes rather than local property taxes.

George W. Bush: Teach kids right (abstinence) and wrong (drugs & gangs)