The Fall season has officially arrived and with it brings the promise of cooler temperatures, campfires, and trips to the deer blind. This Fall also brings a new election, and I wanted to start this column by reminding you and your family to be sure to register for the upcoming constitutional amendment election before the October 6 deadline. The November 4 election is quickly approaching, and it is our duty to ensure that our voices are heard. To register or view your local polling locations, simply visit: www.votetexas.gov
With that, here’s an update from your State Capitol…
Capitol Update
This week, we will continue our examination of constitutional amendments on the ballot for the upcoming November election. Specifically, this column will focus on Propositions 3, 12, 15, 16, and 17, which make reforms to public safety, the justice system, and your rights as Texans.
Proposition 3 will amend the Constitution to require the denial of bail pending trial to a person charged with certain serious felony offenses, including murder, aggravated assault, aggravated sexual assault, indecency with a child, and human trafficking.
Texas has seen a rise in violent crime across the state from offenders who were unreasonably released from custody. Our own community has witnessed the tragic murder on Audrii Cunningham by a violent predator who managed to slip through the cracks of the justice system. I was proud to support the legislation that enabled Proposition 3, and I look forward to finally reforming our broken bail system.
Proposition 12 will amend the Constitution to modify the composition of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct to ensure that commissioners reflect the values of the Texans they serve. The Governor will now appoint members to the Commission, and the Commission will now deliver final rulings on rogue and corrupt judges. I was proud to support the legislation that enabled this proposition to protect Texans from judges who chose to follow their own beliefs rather than the law.
Proposition 15 will affirm that a parent has the responsibility to nurture and protect their child and has the right to exercise care, custody, and control of the child, including the right to make decisions concerning the child’s upbringing. I was proud to support the legislation that enabled this proposition to ensure that parents are the only ones in the driver’s seat when it comes to decisions about their children’s education, health, and well-being.
Proposition 16 will expressly provide that persons who are not citizens of the United States are prohibited from voting in Texas. I was proud to support the legislation that enabled this proposition to ensure that only Texans vote in our elections and that the safety and security of our democratic process is not threatened.
Finally, Proposition 17 will allow the legislature to exempt property located in a county that borders Mexico that houses border security infrastructure, such as a border wall, from property taxes. I was proud to support the vital piece of legislation that enables this proposition and ensures that our private land owners along the border are properly compensated for having infrastructure on their property that protects all Texans from crime, human trafficking, and deadly drugs.
The mobile office is on the road again in October, and our District Director looks forward to seeing you on the following dates, in the following locations: October 1 at the San Augustine County Courthouse from 9:30-11:30am; October 8 at the Polk County Commissioner’s Court Room in Livingston from 9:30-11:30am, or at the Tyler County Courthouse in Woodville from 1:30-3:30 pm; October 15 at the Houston County Courthouse Annex in Crockett from 9:30-11:30am, or at the Trinity County Courthouse in Groveton from 1:30-3:30pm.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office if we can help you in any way. My district office may be reached at (936) 634-2762 and our Capitol office at (512) 463-0508. Additionally, I welcome you to follow along on my Official Facebook Page, where I will post regular updates on what’s happening in your State Capitol and share information that could be useful to you and your family: https://www.facebook.com/RepTrentAshby/.
