Texas Republicans to Consider 10 Propositions on Primary Ballot

[Elderberry]

Texas Scorecard by Cary Cheshire February 3, 2020

https://texasscorecard.com/state/texas-republicans-to-consider-10-propositions-on-primary-ballot/

“Keep in mind that this is an opinion poll of Republican voters and not a policy referendum.”

In addition to a bevy of candidates running for office, Republican primary voters will get a chance to vote on 10 propositions that could have a major impact in deciding which issues merit attention from the Texas Legislature in 2021.

Each primary election year, the governing body of the Texas GOP puts a handful of measures on the ballot as a poll of the party faithful. While the outcome of this election isn’t as impactful as the constitutional amendments election that Texans often participate in following the Texas Legislature’s time in Austin, this opinion poll ahead of the legislative session is intended to help guide policy debate when lawmakers do convene.

As the Texas GOP notes on its website:

“Keep in mind that this is an opinion poll of Republican voters and not a policy referendum. When you vote YES or NO, you are telling us what you think should happen. You are not voting to make a law but merely saying you agree or disagree with the statement.”

The 10 Republican Party primary ballot propositions are as follows:

1.   Texas should not restrict or prohibit prayer in public schools.
2.   Texas should reject restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms.
3.   Texas should ban the practice of taxpayer-funded lobbying, which allows your tax dollars to be spent on lobbyists who work against the taxpayer.
4.   Texas should support the construction of a physical barrier and use existing defense-grade surveillance equipment along the entire southern border of Texas.
5.   Texas parents or legal guardians of public school children under the age of 18 should be the sole decision makers for all their children’s healthcare decisions including, but not limited to, psychological assessment and treatment, contraception, and sex education.
6.   Texas should ban chemical castration, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and genital mutilation surgery on all minor children for transition purposes, given that Texas children as young as three (3) are being transitioned from their biological sex to the opposite sex.
7.   Texans should protect and preserve all historical monuments, artifacts, and buildings, such as the Alamo Cenotaph and our beloved Alamo, and should oppose any reimagining of the Alamo site.
8.   Texas election officials should heed the directives of the Office of the Governor to purge illegal voters from the voter rolls and verify that each new registered voter is a U.S. Citizen.
9.   Bail in Texas should be based only on a person’s danger to society and risk of flight, not that person’s ability to pay.
10.   Texas should limit our state legislators’ terms to 12 years.
   

[thackney]

Bail in Texas should be based only on a person’s danger to society and risk of flight, not that person’s ability to pay.


I think the ability to pay is an important part of the equation.  A $50,000 bail for some keeps them in in jail while others could write that amount off as a business expense.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Bail in Texas should be based only on a person’s danger to society and risk of flight, not that person’s ability to pay.


I think the ability to pay is an important part of the equation.  A $50,000 bail for some keeps them in in jail while others could write that amount off as a business expense.

Why should that matter?

If a rich guy is a danger or flight risk, then just raise the bail.

[thackney]

Why should that matter?

If a rich guy is a danger or flight risk, then just raise the bail.

Are you not taking the ability to pay into account if you make that judgement? 

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Are you not taking the ability to pay into account if you make that judgement?

If one is assessed bail solely because of danger to society or flight risk, how else could it be?

[thackney]

If one is assessed bail solely because of danger to society or flight risk, how else could it be?

I believe we are saying the same thing.  If the person has the ability to easily pay a bail that most others would find extremely difficult, to make them stay around on bail, the bail must be much higher.

With that in mind, read the proposal:

Bail in Texas should be based only on a person’s danger to society and risk of flight, not that person’s ability to pay.

They ability to pay must be part of the consideration.  Otherwise the bail is too high for some and too low for others.

I am against this proposal as written.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

I believe we are saying the same thing.  If the person has the ability to easily pay a bail that most others would find extremely difficult, to make them stay around on bail, the bail must be much higher.

With that in mind, read the proposal:

Bail in Texas should be based only on a person’s danger to society and risk of flight, not that person’s ability to pay.

They ability to pay must be part of the consideration.  Otherwise the bail is too high for some and too low for others.

I am against this proposal as written.

Bail in Texas should be based only on a person’s danger to society and risk of flight, not that person’s ability to pay.

Am reading what it says and am still unsure why it is not something to support.

Bail should be a mechanism that is used to protect society from someone dangerous as well as ensure that person shows back up for trial.

If someone is indigent, that person should not have a small bail if the crime was dangerous and a flight risk should he/she?

[thackney]

Bail in Texas should be based only on a person’s danger to society and risk of flight, not that person’s ability to pay.

Am reading what it says and am still unsure why it is not something to support.

Bail should be a mechanism that is used to protect society from someone dangerous as well as ensure that person shows back up for trial.

If someone is indigent, that person should not have a small bail if the crime was dangerous and a flight risk should he/she?

And if the person is wealthy, they should not get a bail amount that they could consider a throw-away amount.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

And if the person is wealthy, they should not get a bail amount that they could consider a throw-away amount.

Absolutely.  I think we both support that.

It is the case I described that can satisfy us both, and it is contained in the proposal isn't it?

[thackney]

Absolutely.  I think we both support that.

It is the case I described that can satisfy us both, and it is contained in the proposal isn't it?

No.

The ability to pay MUST be part of the evaluation of flight risk.  The proposal as written excludes that from consideration.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

No.

The ability to pay MUST be part of the evaluation of flight risk.  The proposal as written excludes that from consideration.

but isn't that what it says?

Are you suggesting that the threat of danger or flight risk is not included with the statement Bail in Texas should be based only on a person’s danger to society and risk of flight?

How would a judge ever assess bail for someone rich if it is not?

[thackney]

It says to not base bail on ability to pay.  I will vote against.