Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Earlier this month Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott took decisive action to defend Medina Valley High School students Constitutional right to express their religious views. General Abbott filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals - Fifth Circuit explaining that high school graduates have the right under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to pray and freely express their religious beliefs during graduation ceremonies.
The fact that General Abbott had to take this action in Texas should be a reminder to all Christians that in order to keep your freedoms we must be willing to fight for them.
This lawsuit was a result of a decision made by a district court in San Antonio that issued a court order to prohibit Medina High School students from praying publically during graduation ceremonies. According to a press release from our Attorney Generals office the parents of a Medina Valley High School student filed a lawsuit on May 26 seeking to prohibit student speakers from expressing religious beliefs during graduation ceremonies.
Within a few days after receiving General Abbotts brief an appellate judge in New Orleans overruled a district judges decision. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth District said it sided with Texas Attorney General Greg Abbotts brief filed asking U.S. District Judge Fred Bierys ruling in favor of one student to be overturned. The appellate judge struck down what he called an unconstitutional court order of a district judge.
Governor Perrys said This reprehensible action taken by a federal judge underscores the increasingly inappropriate federal encroachment into the lives of Americans by unconstitutionally banning prayer at a Texas high school graduation. The First Amendment prohibits governments from interfering with Americans rights to freely express their religious beliefs and accordingly the U.S. Supreme Court has maintained that Congress may convene every day with a prayer. I fully support Attorney General Abbotts efforts to defend the right to pray and Texas will continue to stand behind all those who wish to pray in our state. By his statement Perry supported the actions of General Abbott.
The Texas Attorney General has a record of successfully protecting Constitutional religious freedoms. Attorney General Abbott personally defended public acknowledgements of religion before the U.S. Supreme Court where he defended the States Ten Commandments monument which stands between the Texas Capitol and the Supreme Court on the Texas Capitol grounds.
I fully support Attorney General Abbotts efforts to defend Texans right to pray and I wish to personally thank Attorney General Abbott for once again fighting to protect the First Amendment rights of Texas and indeed all Americans.
I wish to encourage you to take a moment and write or email General Abbott and Governor Perry for standing tall in protecting our religious rights in Texas.
News from Austin
Special Session Update
Governor Rick Perry announced on Monday the addition of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) anti-groping legislation to the agenda for the special session. In a statement he said lawmakers could consider
legislation relating to the prosecution and punishment for the offense of official oppression on those seeking access to public buildings and transportation.
The announcement came after state Rep. David Simpson R-Longview - a Tea Party favorite - sent a letter to Governor Perry on Sunday requesting HB 41 be added to the call after attempts to pass it during the regular session were thwarted when the Department of Justice suggested the measure was in violation of federal law.
TWIA Update. Another item of much interest is SB 44 that was filed last Thursday by Senator Troy Fraser. Even though this bill will not move forward it has caused a big stir in Austin. According to some people in Austin Mr. Fraser was missing being in the center of the media attention so he submitted the bill to get noticed. Apparently it worked. I personally think that the bill was submitted to force the House conferees to accept Senates version of TWIA bill in lieu of Frasers bill. Politics as usual from Austin? Well see very soon.
There are other major legislation is still pending in both houses of the Legislature and with only eight days left in this special session time may be running out for the passage of some of these very important pieces of legislation.
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Earlier this month Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott took decisive action to defend Medina Valley High School students Constitutional right to express their religious views. General Abbott filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals - Fifth Circuit explaining that high school graduates have the right under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to pray and freely express their religious beliefs during graduation ceremonies.
The fact that General Abbott had to take this action in Texas should be a reminder to all Christians that in order to keep your freedoms we must be willing to fight for them.
This lawsuit was a result of a decision made by a district court in San Antonio that issued a court order to prohibit Medina High School students from praying publically during graduation ceremonies. According to a press release from our Attorney Generals office the parents of a Medina Valley High School student filed a lawsuit on May 26 seeking to prohibit student speakers from expressing religious beliefs during graduation ceremonies.
Within a few days after receiving General Abbotts brief an appellate judge in New Orleans overruled a district judges decision. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth District said it sided with Texas Attorney General Greg Abbotts brief filed asking U.S. District Judge Fred Bierys ruling in favor of one student to be overturned. The appellate judge struck down what he called an unconstitutional court order of a district judge.
Governor Perrys said This reprehensible action taken by a federal judge underscores the increasingly inappropriate federal encroachment into the lives of Americans by unconstitutionally banning prayer at a Texas high school graduation. The First Amendment prohibits governments from interfering with Americans rights to freely express their religious beliefs and accordingly the U.S. Supreme Court has maintained that Congress may convene every day with a prayer. I fully support Attorney General Abbotts efforts to defend the right to pray and Texas will continue to stand behind all those who wish to pray in our state. By his statement Perry supported the actions of General Abbott.
The Texas Attorney General has a record of successfully protecting Constitutional religious freedoms. Attorney General Abbott personally defended public acknowledgements of religion before the U.S. Supreme Court where he defended the States Ten Commandments monument which stands between the Texas Capitol and the Supreme Court on the Texas Capitol grounds.
I fully support Attorney General Abbotts efforts to defend Texans right to pray and I wish to personally thank Attorney General Abbott for once again fighting to protect the First Amendment rights of Texas and indeed all Americans.
I wish to encourage you to take a moment and write or email General Abbott and Governor Perry for standing tall in protecting our religious rights in Texas.
News from Austin
Special Session Update
Governor Rick Perry announced on Monday the addition of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) anti-groping legislation to the agenda for the special session. In a statement he said lawmakers could consider
legislation relating to the prosecution and punishment for the offense of official oppression on those seeking access to public buildings and transportation.
The announcement came after state Rep. David Simpson R-Longview - a Tea Party favorite - sent a letter to Governor Perry on Sunday requesting HB 41 be added to the call after attempts to pass it during the regular session were thwarted when the Department of Justice suggested the measure was in violation of federal law.
TWIA Update. Another item of much interest is SB 44 that was filed last Thursday by Senator Troy Fraser. Even though this bill will not move forward it has caused a big stir in Austin. According to some people in Austin Mr. Fraser was missing being in the center of the media attention so he submitted the bill to get noticed. Apparently it worked. I personally think that the bill was submitted to force the House conferees to accept Senates version of TWIA bill in lieu of Frasers bill. Politics as usual from Austin? Well see very soon.
There are other major legislation is still pending in both houses of the Legislature and with only eight days left in this special session time may be running out for the passage of some of these very important pieces of legislation.
