Christian Employers Alliance

Keith Bell

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 prohibits local governments from enacting any ordinances which require a firearm owner to obtain liability insurance for "damages resulting from negligent or willful acts involving the use of the firearm." Support is the CEA Position as Luke 22:36 - “He said to them, ‘But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.’”

Protecting Second Amendment Rights by Preventing Localities from Imposing Liability Insurance Mandates on Firearm Owners.

This resolution amends the state constitution to authorize counties to grant property tax exemptions to physicians who provide services to indigent patients. The tax exemption may cover up to 50% of the assessed value of a physician's homestead. 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."

Increasing Tax Burdens on other Property Owners through a Crony Carveout Providing Physicians a Tax Exemption if they Provide Indigent Services.

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 provides that a person who sells or leases a vehicle weighing at least 6,000 lbs. is not liable for not retrofitting the vehicle with equipment, or selecting certain equipment, that was not required under federal regulations when the vehicle was manufactured or sold. Support is the CEA Position as Proverbs 25:8 - “Do not bring hastily to court, for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame?”

Protecting Truck Rental Companies from Frivolous Litigation for Not Retrofitting Trucks with Safety Equipment Upon their Sale.

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 initiates a large release of prisoners within the state correctional system by significantly shortening the sentences of prisoners who committed violent crimes when they were under the age of 18. Under the bill, prisoners who committed first degree felonies as a juvenile must now only serve a quarter of their sentence or 15 years (whichever is shorter) and prisoners who committed capital offenses (sentenced to life in prison) must now only serve 20 years before being eligible for parole. Additionally, the bill establishes certain factors parole boards must consider that are expected to result in earlier releases such as "greater capacity of juveniles for change, as compared to that of adults". Oppose is the CEA Position as Deuteronomy 16:18-20 - “Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent.”

Threatening Public Safety through a Mass Jailbreak for Prisoners who Committed Murder and other Violent Crimes as Juveniles.

This bill, the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act, prohibits local governments across the state from imposing additional regulations in various fields already regulated at the state level, such as agriculture, labor, and property. The bill also prohibits local governments from enacting any ordinance or rule that conflicts with state law. Support 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."  

Combatting Government Overreach by Prohibiting Local Governments from Imposing Additional Regulations on Certain Sectors.

This bill, the Music Therapist Licensing Act, requires anyone who wishes to provide "music therapy services" in the state to become licensed, pay a fee, hold a bachelor's degree, and obtain a national certification. The license must be renewed every two years. 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." 

Imposing a Draconian New Licensing Regime on "Music Therapists" which Increases Employment Barriers and Restricts Competition.

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 establishes a new health insurance mandate relating to "biomarker testing" which is applicable to all private policies offered in the state and Medicaid. Specifically, the bill requires all policies to cover biomarker testing to diagnose, treat, manage, or monitor a person's disease or condition if the test is supported by "medical and scientific evidence." 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.”

Increasing Health Insurance Premiums by Mandating All Policies Provide Coverage for Biomarker Testing.

The Reynolds amendment #16 to a bill prohibiting children under 18 years of age from receiving sex-reassignment procedures or puberty blockers until they reach the age of consent. The amendment requires the Health and Human Services Commission to contract with local mental health authorities and local behavioral health authorities to provide and pay all costs for mental health services to children who were already receiving treatment or are diagnosed with severe gender dysphoria and prohibited from receiving these procedures. Oppose 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."

Forcing Taxpayers to Provide Mental Health Services to Children Facing "Gender Dysphoria".

This bill requires homeowner's, renter's, and condominium owner's insurance policies that include replacement cost coverage to pay 80% of the repair or replacement cost of a claim upfront, minus the deductible. Once documentation is provided showing that the repair or replacement is complete, and any deductible has been paid, the remaining balance is to be paid. While there is a role of government to protect individuals from fraudulent practices, this overreach significantly adds to the already overregulation of the insurance industry, limiting policy options and driving up costs for both businesses and consumers. Oppose 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?’”

Growing Government Regulation of Property Insurance Through a New Mandate Requiring Payment of 80% of Replacement Value Up Front.

The Tinderholt amendment #1 to a bill prohibiting public colleges and universities from establishing a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) office. The amendment eliminates language in the bill which forces public institutions to make efforts to reassign employees whose positions will be eliminated due to the bill's prohibition on DEI offices. The amendment also eliminates the requirement that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board conduct an annual study on the impact of the bill on students, broken down by categories such as race, gender identity, and sexual orientation. 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.”

Fighting Back Against Efforts Designed to Weaken the DEI Bill by Forcing Taxpayers to Fund DEI Studies, Retaining DEI Employees, and Delaying Implementation of the Bill.

This bill allows courts to remove district attorneys for misconduct if they refuse to prosecute certain types of crime. The bill is largely in response to cases of "reform-minded" prosecutors that have refused to prosecute crime or uphold the state's abortion laws. Support is the CEA Position as Deuteronomy 16:18-20 - “Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent.”

Strengthening Public Safety by Allowing Courts to Remove Rogue DAs which Refuse to Prosecute Crime.

This bill reduces regulatory barriers to now allow health insurance companies to incentivize their enrollees to utilize select healthcare providers based on quality and cost. This includes offering enrollees lower deductibles, co-payments or coinsurance. Support is the CEA Position as Luke 10:34-35 - “He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.

Lowering Healthcare Costs by Allowing Insurers to Offer Incentives which Steer their Enrollees towards Providers based on Quality and Cost.

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 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 provides that businesses with revenue up to $2.47 million are not required to pay any franchise tax (previously $1 million). Additionally, those businesses are no longer required to file a tax information report. Support 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."

Expanding Economic Growth by Increasing the Franchisee Tax Exemption from $1 Million to $2.47 Million.

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 requires anyone who provides sewage disposal system pumping services in the state to become licensed and empowers the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to determine the qualifications. 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 Reducing Competition by Forcing Sewage Disposal Pump Technicians to Obtain a License.

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." Democratic lawmakers who opposed the bill for not containing even greater levels of spending were recording as opposing the Biblically-Based Position.

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.

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