We have delivered on our many promises to Texans and will continue to do so.
By Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas As
the 84th Legislative Session has come to an end I
want to personally thank you for allowing me to serve as Lt. Governor of Texas. The senators and I worked hard all session to
ensure your priorities were addressed throughout the legislative process. Im proud to say all of
your shared priorities were passed out of the Senate.
Major reform took place this session including:
- Unprecedented levels of Funding to Secure our Border
- Significant Property Tax & Business Tax Cuts
- Greater School Choice Options
- Expansion of 2nd Amendment Freedoms
- Further Defense of Traditional Marriage
- Protecting the 1st Amendment Rights of Texas Pastors
- and so much more.
Here are some highlights of the Senates accomplishments. We have delivered on our many promises to Texans and will continue to do so.
Border Security
We have provided an unprecedented funding amount of $800 million to help secure our border including the establishment of a multi-agency training center 10-hour work days for DPS Troopers reorganizing the human trafficking unit within the Attorney Generals office and so much more. State smuggling laws and E-verify will be enhanced to help ensure legal immigration will be in full force as a state requirement.
Ive consistently stated that national security begins with border security and border security begins in Texas. It is a constitutional requirement of the federal government that this administration simply ignores.
Your senators however refused to look the other way and worked hard to get the job done this session. Our work is not over but by more than doubling our border security efforts we have made incredible progress.
2nd Amendment Rights
Campus carry and Open carry legislation historically passed the Texas Senate reinforcing our Second Amendment Rights and defending liberty across the state. Now licensed handgun carriers will be able to carry a concealed handgun in a public institution of higher education campus and carry openly in all places
that allow licensed carrying of a concealed handgun.
Property & Business Tax Relief
Homeowners asked for property tax relief and the Senate listened.
SJR 1 will stop Texas from becoming the 39th state to add a sales tax to the sale of home and business property.
Were the first in the nation to pass such legislation.
SJR 1 nearly doubles the homestead exemption.
The cornerstone of our property tax package is SB 1760 which will now require local taxing entities to have a supermajority vote to raise your property taxes over the previous year for homeowners and business property owners. This is also a first and should put downward pressure on property tax increases based on appraisal values in the future.
We also listened to the pleas for help from Texas businesses to lighten the tax burden that hinders growth and job creation.
Among other pro-business legislation we cut the franchise tax by 25 and have put the wheels in motion to completely eliminate it. This sends a powerful message that Texas is serious about lasting tax relief.
Education
All school campuses and districts will now be graded on their performance like our students are receiving a letter grade of A thru F.
We will make sure all students are at the appropriate reading level by the 4th grade increase teacher quality and promote math and science teachers. As our students prepare for their career and or college Texas will make the transition seamless and place greater emphasis on career exploration and preparation for their future.
We created 1000 full scholarships for new Math and Science teachers. And for the first time in the states history we passed a school choice bill with funding out of the Texas Senate. Unfortunately it did not pass in the House.
State Budget
The Senates mission is to keep state spending under population and inflation and thats what we did with the states next two-year budget. We also made sure there was sufficient money - billions - left in reserve.
We served as good financial stewards of state funds by meeting the needs of the state without spending all available money.
This was the best and most prudent course to take with a school finance lawsuit still undecided and the recent drop in oil prices. We also left the states Rainy Day Fund untouched.
Public Integrity Unit Reforms
We moved the investigation of elected officials known as the Public Integrity Unit away from the exclusive jurisdiction of the District Attorney in Travis County.
The Texas Rangers will now handle investigations of elected officials in the legislature and statewide officials. If warranted they will refer the case to the home county of the elected official.
Transportation
While we tightened the state spending limit we also addressed state transportation needs as requested by the Texas Department of Transportation.
We redirected valuable dollars to help fund our ailing transportation infrastructure by ending the diversion of existing gas tax revenue from the State Highway Fund. This combined with your favorable vote in
November for Senate Joint Resolution 5 means weve added $5 billion per biennium to the state Highway Fund beginning in the 2018-2019 biennium.
This will be the largest transportation infrastructure commitment in a decade.
Protecting Life & Traditional Marriage
Your senators fought hard to protect the innocent by prohibiting abortions involving underage children without their parents consent and protecting religious organizations from performing marriage services against their belief. Our 1st Amendment Right should always be protected.
There are so many more critical bills that your senate passed this 84th legislative session that we are very proud of. These accomplishments are a credit to your support and the magnificent hard work our senators put forth day and night. I thank them
and you
from the bottom of my heart for a wonderful and impressive session.
I have you my constituents and the will of God to thank for supporting me in this position. Im honored to govern as President of the Senate and play a role in passing historic legislation in what I sincerely believe was one of Texas greatest legislative sessions.
Thank you again for the opportunity to serve as your Lieutenant Governor and I look forward to the many sessions ahead. Every day will continue to be a new day in the great state of Texas.
God Bless You and the Great State of Texas.
Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick was elected in 2014 winning the general election by almost 20 points including historic levels of support from Hispanic voters and women. A principled committed conservative Patrick is leading the fight to secure the border reduce property & business taxes and address Texas infrastructure challenges to assure the state continues to flourish economically.
