"An informed democracy will behave in a responsible fashion." - Thomas Jefferson
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ISSUES AND LEGISLATION
FEDERAL LEGISLATION
Causes
Summaries of congressional legislation and voting records of members of Congress
The Clerk of the US House of Representatives
Official documents relating to the work of the US House
U.S. Congress
Look up federal legislation, find live coverage of that House & Senate floors, and find contact info for individuals and committees.
U.S. Senate
Official documents relating to the work of the US Senate
https://www.senate.gov/index.htm
Voting Rights Lab
Analysis of voting and election laws across all 50 states and the District of Columbia
https://tracker.votingrightslab.org/
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LEGISLATIVE & POLITICAL ACTION RESOURCE LIST
(Courtesy of The Liberty and Justice Lege Watch)
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TEXAS LEGISLATION
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House Public Comment page
Leave public comment for any bill scheduled for a hearing.
https://comments.house.texas.gov/home
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House Research Organization
Read impartial reviews of legislation & issues by a nonpartisan independent department of the Texas House of Representatives.
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TX Demographics Center
A focal point for the production, interpretation, and distribution of demographic information for Texas.
https://demographics.texas.gov/
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Texas Legislative Online
Look up TX legislation, set alerts, check House and Senate calendars and journals, and find contact info for individuals and committees.
https://capitol.texas.gov/Home.aspx
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Progress Texas
Progress Texas is a rapid response media organization promoting progressive messages and actions. While campaigns come and go, we’re the permanent home for progressive media and action in our state.
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ISSUES (In Alphabetical Order)
ANIMAL WELFARE
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Texas Humane Legislative Network
Texas Humane Legislation Network (THLN) is the only Texas-based organization focused on addressing unjust state animal welfare laws. We at the Texas Humane Legislation Network - a 501c4 - are working to stop animal cruelty and abuse before it starts.
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CAMPAIGN AND ELECTION REFORM
Common Cause Texas
Common Cause Texas has an innovative, pragmatic, and comprehensive pro-democracy agenda designed to build a better democracy in our Lone Star State.
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CHILDREN
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Children At Risk
Children At Risk is a non-partisan research and advocacy nonprofit dedicated to understanding and addressing the root causes of child poverty and inequality. Established in 1989 by Houston child advocates and researchers, the organization has grown into a statewide organization tackling Texas children and families’ most pressing needs.
https://childrenatrisk.org/advocacy/
No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in Texas. At No Kid Hungry, that's our promise. If it sounds simple, that's because it is. That doesn’t mean ending childhood hunger is easy. We know what works, and we’ve made extraordinary progress for kids and families. But the job isn’t done, and won’t be done until we’ve met that promise and every single child in America has the food they need to grow up healthy and strong.
https://state.nokidhungry.org/texas/
CIVIL RIGHTS
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ACLU Texas
The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas is a leading civil rights organization in the Lone Star State. Since our formation in 1938, we have worked in the courts, the legislature, and through public education to protect civil rights and individual liberty.
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ENVIRONMENT
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Sierra Club Texas
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The Sierra Club is the most enduring and influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. We amplify the power of our millions of members and supporters to defend everyone’s right to a healthy world.
https://www.sierraclub.org/texas
Texas Campaign For The Environment
Texas Campaign For The Environment envisions a Texas free from pollution. As the largest environmental group in Texas organizing support through door-to-door canvassing, grassroots is both who we are and what we do.
https://www.texasenvironment.org/
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FAITH BASED
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Texas Freedom Network
Founded in 1995, the Texas Freedom Network is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization of more than 150,000 religious and community leaders who support religious freedom, individual liberties and public education. Based in Austin, TFN acts as the state’s watchdog for monitoring far-right issues, organizations, money and leaders. The organization has been instrumental in defeating initiatives backed by the religious right in Texas, including private school vouchers and textbook censorship at the State Board of Education.
Texas Impact
Texas Impact exists to put faith into action. The organization equips faith leaders and their congregations with the information, opportunities, and outreach tools to educate their communities and engage with lawmakers on pressing public policy issues. They help people live out their faith in the public square, moving the faith community from charity to justice.
Vote Common Good
Many Evangelical and Catholic voters are experiencing a reckoning of their faith and feel called to oppose policies and approaches of division, racism, selfishness, cruelty, and exclusion.
Vote Common Good is inspiring, energizing, and mobilizing people of faith to make the common good their voting criteria. They train and support candidates to connect with Evangelical and Catholic voters.
https://www.votecommongood.com/
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GERRYMANDERING
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All On The Line
All On The Line is on a mission to end gerrymandering because it contributes to the polarization and dysfunction in our political system. It’s time to end map manipulation and finally have fair districts. We deserve accountable, responsive elected leaders.
Fair Maps Texas
Fair Maps Texas is a nonpartisan reform effort aimed at fixing the broken redistricting system in Texas.
https://www.fairmapstexas.org/
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GUN SAFETY
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Everytown For Gun Safety
https://www.everytown.org/state/texas/
Texas Gun Sense
Texas Gun Sense advocates for common sense, evidence-based policies to reduce gun injuries and deaths.
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HEALTH
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Every Body Texas
Every Body Texas believes that access to safe, unbiased, high-quality sexual and reproductive healthcare is a universal human right. For over forty years we've advocated for access to sexual and reproductive healthcare across Texas.
https://www.everybodytexas.org/
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HOUSING
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Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers
The Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers (TAAHP) is a non-profit 501(c)(6) trade association serving affordable housing industry providers. Our principal goal is to increase the supply and quality of affordable housing for Texans with limited incomes and special needs.
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JUSTICE
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Texas Appleseed
Texas Appleseed is a public interest justice center. Our nonprofit works to change unjust laws and policies that prevent Texans from realizing their full potential. We anchor a dynamic network of pro bono partners and collaborators to develop and advocate for innovative and practical solutions to complex issues. Texas Appleseed also conducts data-driven research that uncovers inequity in laws and policies and identifies solutions for lasting, concrete change. The many issues on which we work are united by the goal of greater justice. When justice is beyond reach, Texas Appleseed provides the ladder.
https://www.texasappleseed.org/
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Texas Center for Justice & Equality
Since 2000, TCJE has advocated to end mass incarceration, shift funding towards community supports, and reduce deep racial inequities in the criminal punishment system. Our work is guided by the needs of those most impacted by the system: people of color, people in poverty, and people with substance use disorder, mental health issues, and trauma.
Texas Civil Rights
We are Texas lawyers and advocates for Texas communities, boldly serving the movement for equality and justice in and out of the courts. We envision a Texas where all communities thrive with dignity and justice, and without fear.
TCRP believes that legal advocacy and litigation are critical tools to protect and advance the civil rights of everyone in Texas, particularly our State’s most vulnerable populations, and to effect positive and lasting change to law and policy. We believe that by serving the rising social justice movement in Texas with excellent legal representation and bold strategies, we can respond to the needs of the communities we serve.
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LGBTQ
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Equality Texas
Equality Texas works to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Texans through political action, education, community organizing, and collaboration.
The Equality Texas Foundation works to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Texans through education, community organizing, and collaboration.
https://www.equalitytexas.org/
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PUBLIC EDUCATION
Raise Your Hand Texas
Raise Your Hand Texas supports public policy solutions that invest in Texas’ 5.4 million public school students. We work in communities throughout the state to educate, engage and activate advocates who care about public education – all while keeping five values in mind: integrity, democracy, courage, equity, and pragmatism.
https://www.raiseyourhandtexas.org/
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PUBLIC POLICY
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Every Texan
Every Texan envisions a Texas where people of all backgrounds can fulfill their potential and contribute to our community. Unfortunately, too many Texans can’t access the conditions they need to thrive — good health care, education, and jobs. One of the most effective ways to make sure every Texan has access to these conditions is to strengthen public policy. And that’s where we focus our work: We strengthen public policy to expand opportunity and equity for every Texan.
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REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
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Every Body Texas
Every Body Texas believes that access to safe, unbiased, high-quality sexual and reproductive healthcare is a universal human right. For over forty years we've advocated for access to sexual and reproductive healthcare across Texas.
https://www.everybodytexas.org/
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood was founded over 100 years ago on the revolutionary idea that women have the right to access the information and care they need to live strong, healthy lives.
https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/
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TEACHERS
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Texas AFT
Texas AFT is a statewide union with 66,000 members, including educators, school employees, and retirees. We believe that education is the path to a just and democratic society and that the only way to give students a quality education is through the dedicated work of empowered public educators.
https://www.texasaft.org/campaigns/respect/#demands
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Texas State Teachers Association
https://www.tsta.org/issues_and_action/political-affairs/
Texas Retired Teachers Association
https://trta.org/inside-line-blog/
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WORKERS
Texas AFL-CIO
The AFL-CIO is the voice of labor in Texas. Their membership is made up of teachers, firefighters and farm workers, actors and engineers, pilots and public employees, painters and plumbers, steelworkers and screenwriters, doctors and nurses, stagehands, electricians and more.
The Texas AFL-CIO is a state federation of labor unions representing 235,000 members in Texas. They advocate for working people in the political and legislative arenas.