Christian Employers Alliance

Charles Schwertner

This bill prohibits localities from issuing bonds (debt) to purchase or lease tangible personal property if the property will no longer be useful before the debt matures. According to the bill's sponsor, local debt reached $417 billion in fiscal year 2022. Support is the CEA Position as Haggai 1:6 - "You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it."

Protecting Taxpayers by Prohibiting Localities from Issuing Bonds (Debt) to Purchase Personal Property that has a Lifecycle Expected to Expire Before the Bond Matures.

This bill requires cities to provide written notification of any proposed zoning change which could cause a non-conforming use for a property owner or business. If the owner is required to close or cease operations, they would be entitled to compensation, such as the loss in market value of the property. The bill is, in part, in response to a case where a shingle factory operating for 80 years was forced to shut down without any compensation. Support is the CEA Position as Proverbs 29:2 - "When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan."

Strengthening Property Rights by Protecting Businesses from Local Zoning Changes.

This bill earmarks $1.54 billion in state funds to continue construction of barriers along the Mexico border. Additionally, the bill provides $40 million for State Troopers to patrol Colony Ridge which has high levels of illegal immigrants. Support is the CEA Position as Romans 13:1-4 - “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”

Restoring Law and Order by Earmarking $1.54 Billion in State Funds to Construct Barriers Securing the Mexico Border.

This bill prohibits local governments from enacting any ordinances which bans or restricts the sale or use of an engine based on the type of fuel used. Additionally, the bill prevents localities from banning any energy source infrastructure (such as gas stations). Support is the CEA Position as Proverbs 29:2 - "When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan."

Protecting Consumer Choice by Preventing Localities from Imposing any Ordinance which Restricts or Bans Gas-Powered Engines or a Source of Energy.

This bill requires an aspiring dietician to now obtain a master's degree, register with a national commission, complete an internship or other accepted training program, and undergo examination to work in the profession. Oppose is the CEA Position as Galatians 5:1 - "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." 

Increasing Employment Barriers and Enriching Certain Educational Institutions by Forcing Dieticians to Obtain Masters Degrees.

This bill prohibits state and local governments from imposing COVID-19 vaccine or mask mandates or from ordering private businesses or public or private schools to close for the purpose of stopping the spread of COVID-19. The bill does contain some exceptions for jails, hospitals, and other facilities where other rules conflict. Support is the CEA Position as Romans 14:3-4  - “The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall.”

Protecting Individual Liberties by Prohibiting Government-Imposed COVID-19 Vaccine or Mask Mandates.

This bill generally raises the bar to prosecute organized retail theft by now requiring a person to steal at least $100 of merchandise and be found to have "intent for the redistribution of that merchandise into the supply chain" to be guilty. Oppose is the CEA Position as Psalm 82:3-4 - “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

Fueling Lawlessness and Business Closures by Making it Harder to Prosecute and Punish Cases of Organized Retail Theft.

This bill eliminates the state's mandatory vehicle safety inspection effective January 1, 2025. As a result, car owners will no longer be forced to annually take their vehicle in for an inspection, however a $7.50 annual fee (the current inspection fee) will still be assessed on vehicle owners. Texas was one of only 13 states which required annual vehicle inspections. Support is the CEA Position as Proverbs 29:2 - "When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan."

Providing Significant Regulatory Relief to Car Owners by Eliminating the State's Mandatory Annual Vehicle Safety Inspection.

This bill prevents public colleges and universities within the state from taking certain actions against student organizations due to their membership policies surrounding sincerely held beliefs. Support is the CEA Position as Acts 4:19-20 - “But Peter and John replied, ‘Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to Him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.’”

Protecting Free Speech and Assembly on Public College Campuses by Ensuring Student Organizations Can Set Membership Policies Based on their Sincerely Held Beliefs.

This bill is largely targeted towards online providers of clear orthodontic aligners such as SmileDirectClub. Under the bill, clear aligners (which are similar to braces) are now classified as a "medical device" and can't be provided to an individual unless they undergo an in-person examination by a dentist, receive dental x-rays, and are provided a prescription for their usage by a dentist. This protectionism merely enriches orthodontists and dentists and prevents the free market from expanding competition and lowering costs for consumers. Unfortunately, perhaps due to similar attacks in other states, SmileDirectClub was forced into bankruptcy and shutdown on December 21, 2023. Oppose is the CEA Position as Isaiah 10:1-2 - "Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people.

Expanding Government Power in the Orthodontics Industry to Shutdown Competition by Online Providers of "Clear Aligners" such as SmileDirectClub.

This bill, the Medical Freedom Act, expands on the state's Right to Try Act passed in 2015, which applied to individuals with terminal illnesses. Under this bill individuals with a severe chronic disease are also given the "right to try" an investigational drug, biological product, or device that has completed phase one of a clinical trial but is not yet approved by the FDA, if certain conditions are met. The bill also provides protections for doctors and manufacturers by providing legal immunity from any harm or injury that results from using the investigational product and ensures doctors can recommend such products without facing any disciplinary actions from the state's professional licensing board. Support is the CEA Position as Luke 8:43-48 - “And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.” 

Strengthening Individual Liberties and Medical Freedom by Providing the "Right to Try" Experimental Drugs to treat Severe Chronic Diseases.

This bill, the Fiscal Years 2024-2025 Operating Budget, represents a 21.3% increase over the prior budget, and the largest in state history. Some of the major new and increased spending initiatives within the bill include $1 billion for land acquisition for parks (3603.7% increase over the $27 million appropriated in the previous budget), an additional $100 million for the Texas Water Development Board Economically Distressed Areas Program, and $45.9 billion for business and economic development (25.8% increase). Oppose is the CEA Position as 1 Samuel 8:10-18 - "He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants... You will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day."

Fueling Out-of-Control Spending Through a $321.3 Billion Budget (21.3% Increase) with Countless Provisions that Further Grow the Size and Scope of Government.

This bill establishes a new health insurance mandate which requires most Life policies offered in the state, including Medicaid (government-provided welfare), that cover prescription contraceptive drugs to cover a 3-month initial supply and subsequent 12-month supplies of the drugs. Each and every health insurance mandate or price control on co-payments prevents an individual from selecting a plan with just basic or customized coverages to fit their specific needs. As a result, health insurers are forced to only offer costly plans loaded with coverages that most individuals do not need. This can result in lower-income or younger individuals choosing to purchase no insurance plan at all due to the high cost. Oppose is the CEA Position as 2 Corinthians 9:7 - “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Hiking Health Insurance Premiums by Mandating Insurance Companies Cover a 12-Month Supply of Contraceptive Drugs.

This bill prohibits local governments across the state from imposing any ordinances which directly regulate greenhouse gas emissions, with the state given exclusive regulatory authority. As a result, the bill would preempt local regulations that restrict greenhouse gas emissions. Support is the CEA Position as Isaiah 10:1-2 - "Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people.

Protecting Against Local Government Overreach by Ensuring Only the State Can Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

This bill is designed to curb illegal immigration by allowing the Governor to establish an interstate compact for border security with any interested states for the purpose of sharing intelligence and resources to build a physical wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Support is the CEA Position as Psalm 82:3-4 - “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

Strengthening National Security by Creating an Interstate Compact for Border Security to Help Combat Illegal Immigration and Human Trafficking.

This bill prohibits local governments from imposing any additional regulations which restrict or delay eviction proceedings. Support is the CEA Position as Leviticus 25:10 - "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family property and to your own clan.”

Strengthening Property Rights by Prohibiting Local Governments from Imposing Additional Regulations which Restrict Eviction Proceedings.

This bill amends the licensing requirements for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) technicians by establishing an alternative pathway to become licensed. The bill recognizes completion of a career and technology education program at a public school or institution of higher education as satisfying the certification training program requirements for licensure. The bill also provides for a waiver of any renewal fee and reduction in the number of required continuing education hours for technicians who provide instruction in a career and technology education program. Ultimately, the private sector, via certifications, rating systems, and the free market, is much better equipped to provide consumer protection while also ensuring competition and low consumer costs. Most government licensing entities are overly restrictive and are largely advocated by special interests seeking to restrict competition in the marketplace. Support is the CEA Position as Proverbs 14:23 - “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”

Reducing Employment Barriers and Expanding Competition Through an Alternative Licensing Pathway for HVAC Technicians.

This bill prohibits public institutions of higher education (colleges and universities) from funding or operating any Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Office. Furthermore, the bill bans institutions from conducting diversity trainings or asking prospective job applicants to provide diversity statements. Support is the CEA Position as Galatians 3:28 - “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Protecting Taxpayer Funds from Being Utilized for Politicized "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" (DEI) Offices at Public College Campuses.

This bill provides $100 million in funding to establish a new state border policing unit made up of commissioned peace officers. Funding is also directed to a number of initiatives designed to boost border security such as detention facility upgrades, temporary border barriers and compensation to certain property owners impacted. Support is the CEA Position as Romans 13:1-4 - “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.” 

Strengthening National Security and Helping to Combat Illegal Immigration and Human Trafficking Through Additional Border Security Funding and Property Owner Compensation.

This bill raises the maximum allowable interest rate which lenders may charge on consumer loans, by now allowing the federal funds rate to be included in the calculation. While existing law currently caps consumer loan interest rates between 18% and 30%, the addition of the federal funds rate could allow lenders to charge another 5% to 6% depending on the rate of inflation. Support is the CEA Position as Matthew 20:13-15 - “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’”

Expanding Borrowing and Lending Opportunities by Raising the Maximum Allowable Interest Rate on Consumer Loans by Including the Federal Funds Rate in the Calculation.

Lifetime Ratings by Policy Category