Tag Archives: texas senate

Anti-Latino Bills Move Forward in Texas Senate

Posted on April 8, 2015 | Comments Off on Anti-Latino Bills Move Forward in Texas Senate

Credit: Denver Post (Click to Enlarge)

I think this is the most unsurprising news of the week. A Texas Senate subcommittee on “border security” moved two bills forward that would, (1) Legalize racial profiling of Latinos for immigration purposes, and (2) Stop in-state tuition rates for immigrant students whose families have more than established residency in Texas. Both bills move on to a full committee. Of course, all of this happened after dozens of students and advocates testified against both bills versus a few who spoke in favor.

While Republicans call these bills changes in policy, the targeted nature of these bills says a lot more. Anti-Latino attitudes by Republicans have once again come up to the surface and more lies are spread about the community. Some will call it fear, I’ll call it downright bigoted policy-making for their own political purposes.

Then there are those who will say that Latinos need to vote in larger numbers. I don’t disagree, but the caveat is that Democrats need to do a better job of defending Latinos and immigrants, instead of playing to right-wing voters by talking anti-immigrant nonsense with some delusion that they will earn their votes. Frankly, these attempts at “centrism” remind me of Rahm Emanuel working with racist Tom Tancredo on immigration reform.

Whether Republicans will come to their senses and kill these bills is still up in the air. Obviously, there’s a race against the legislative clock. How hard they work for these nonsense bills versus bills of dire importance will further show us what they are really about.

Update:  Earlier today, this post caught my attention. In other words, SB1819 (in-state tuition ban) can be beaten. It’s time to deluge Republican senators with phone calls telling them to vote NO on SB1819 if it reaches the Senate floor.

UPDATE:  Both bills (sb185 and sb1819) were approved by the full committee and will be sent to the full Texas Senate.

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Posted in Elections, Sensible Immigration Reform, Texas Lege

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Action Alert: Sen. Garcia on Senate Select Committee on Redistricting

Posted on May 31, 2013 | Comments Off on Action Alert: Sen. Garcia on Senate Select Committee on Redistricting

Inbox ~ From State Senator Sylvia Garcia:

After completing my first Legislative Regular Session, I am very proud of what my team and I were able to achieve in such a short amount of time.

However, our work is not done. On the same day that the regular session ended, Governor Perry called a Special Session on Redistricting with specific instructions to adopt the interim court-drawn maps for the State House of Representatives, State Senate, and U.S. Congressional Districts.

I am honored to have been appointed by Lt. Governor Dewhurst to serve on the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting.  I am committed to working for a fair set of maps that best represents the voting rights of minorities and that the redistricting process is open and transparent.

Texas has a long history of discrimination in voting rights that unfortunately continues today. This is why a special provision of the Voting Rights Act, known as Section 5,  was enacted to protect minorities against discriminatory voting laws before they get enacted in states like Texas that continue to pass laws that are aimed at diluting minority political access. Regrettably, the Texas Attorney General has filed litigation to remove these protections, while also trying to implement discriminatory redistricting maps and laws, like last session’s photo id law.   It’s important to let the Texas leadership and the Attorney General know we are watching them and will continue to fight for the protection of voting rights.

Opportunities to Make Your Voice Heard

Wednesday, June 5, 2013:  
Community Briefing related to redistricting at the East Aldine District Offices located to discuss the redistricting process and give valuable input to take back to Austin.
5333 Aldine Mail Route Road,
Houston, TX 77093
8:00 AM to 9:00AM

Legislative Public Hearings to share your thoughts on the redistricting maps
June 1 , 2013: House Select Committee on Redistricting,  9:00 A.M. Capitol Building in Austin, Extension Auditorium, E1.004

June 6, 2013: Senate Select Committee on Redistricting, 9:00 A.M. Capitol Building in Austin, Senate Finance Committee Room, E1.036

June 12, 2013: Senate Select Committee on Redistricting, 9:00 A.M. Capitol Building in Austin, Senate Finance Committee Room, E1.036

For those that cannot make these events, but want to provide additional input on the redistricting maps please contact my General Counsel, Luis Figueroa atLuis.Figueroa@state.senate.tx.us.

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Posted in 2013 Categories, Accion, Elections, Local Politica, Texas Lege

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Los Favorit@s del Lege

Posted on May 28, 2013 | Comments Off on Los Favorit@s del Lege

Well, the Trib had their online vote and the final tally left me wanting more of my favorites to be in the Top 10. Oh, well. Here’s my Top 5.

  • State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer – As the chief of the Mexican American Lege Caucus, he pulled off a Ramon Ayala concert at the Capitol with 8,000 in attendance to celebrate MALC’s 40 years of fighting for what’s right, while also representing his district and everyone else. Plus, his office kept me happy with plenty of commentary and press releases on the latest Lege stuff.
  • State Rep. Armando Walle – No, not because I like the guy, but because he, along with my own State Rep, Gene Wu, kept us all very informed with their Twitter play-by-play. They even earned an attempt at an SB1 motion to instruct to keep twitter use at a minimum. Of course, that didn’t stop them.
  • State Senator Sylvia Garcia – Because she hit the ground running despite Rick Perry’s delays. She put together a good staff that worked hard from the get-go. Kudos to the Senator and her staff.
  • State Senator Rodney Ellis – He’s another one that keeps us well-informed, and not just about his bike rides. His work on the Morton Act which ensures all evidence in a criminal case is revealed, is quite commendable–and it’s the law now. No complaints about my State Senator.
  • Honorable Mention – State Rep. Roberto Alonzo – He’s a fellow liberal from Cristal (my hometown). What other reason do you want?

And thanks to Rick Perry and David Dewhurst and their insistence on a Special Session, all Republicans end up in a tie for first as least favorites. (No surprise, right?)

I just thought I’d add my own favorit@s list since it seems to be the thing. This is the first Lege session in which I actually had two Democrats representing me in Austin. After a decade of Tommy Williams, Joe Crabb, and Dan Huberty, I must say it was a well-earned relief.

 

 

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Posted in 2013 Categories, Texas Lege

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Run-Off in SD-6

Posted on January 27, 2013 | Comments Off on Run-Off in SD-6

Looks like the Special Election to replace the late, great Senator Mario Gallegos turned out to be all about Sylvia Garcia and Carol Alvarado.

Garcia started out with a slightly stronger show in ballots by mail and even better in the in-person early vote to get her close to 50%. But it was Alvarado whose campaign made sure the Election Day vote was close, thus ensuring the run-off. In other words, no knock-out punch for Garcia in Round 1.

All in all, 5.64% of the 292,000 voters in SD-6 showed, which was slightly higher than I had predicted. Now, folks can start guessing whether there will be an increase in interest given that there are now only two, or if the usual thing will happen–even less voters will show up in Round 2.

I won’t go into any analysis because there’s not much to put under the microscope. I wake up on this Sunday morning just too damn cynical because when you look really look at things, the only winners were the the political and media consultants.

Oh yeah, and Joaquin Martinez, who I hear had an excellent celebration, along with mariachis!

Maybe Kuff has a less cynical view of things.

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Posted in Texas Lege

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DC-Voice ~ Joaquin Martinez, Democrat for SD-6

Posted on January 10, 2013 | Comments Off on DC-Voice ~ Joaquin Martinez, Democrat for SD-6

DosCentavos.net attended the Power of the Community Rally in support of SD-6 candidate Joaquin Martinez. Martinez, a Democrat and community activist, has been running a grassroots campaign powered by volunteers and shoe-leather. I took an interest in this campaign because he was saying something different, plus he was attracting young voters who are seldom targeted in local campaigns. A crowd of over 125 was in attendance at Talento Bilingue Houston for this event. Here’s his stump speech from the evening.

Update:  I just noticed that some mobile apps may not be seeing the link to the Soundcloud file, so, here’s the link where you may connect.

{There’s an error in the embedding that I’m checking out, but click on the link  to directly access the recording.}

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Posted in 2012 Profiles, Chicano Politics, DC-Radio, Houston Dems '12, Houston Politica, LatinoVote '12, LEUV, Texas Dems 2012, Texas Lege

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SD-6 Candidate Filings

Posted on December 28, 2012 | 3 comments

Well, the good people at the Communications Department of the Secretary of State just provided me with the applications of those who have filed for a spot on the January 26 ballot for the Senate District 6 Special Election. There are eight who filed applications (in the order SOS sent them).

  • Carol Alvarado – Democrat
  • R.W. Bray – Republican
  • Susan Delgado – Democrat
  • Sylvia R. Garcia – Democrat
  • Joaquin Martinez – Democrat
  • Dorothy Olmos – Republican
  • Rodolfo “Rudy” Reyes – NO PARTY AFFILIATION LISTED
  • Maria Selva – Green

More commentary on this later, but that’s the latest. PDiddie has his comments, though.

Kuff adds this to his piece from earlier today:

What we don’t know is why there was no one at the Chron or the Trib that bothered to find this out, leaving it instead to a bunch of unpaid bloggers. Be that as it may, I’ll have a post with more information tomorrow.

All it took was a nice e-mail, actually.

3 Comments

Posted in LatinoVote '12, LEUV, Texas Dems 2012, Texas Lege

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Joaquin Martinez Announces for Senate District 6

Posted on December 26, 2012 | 1 comment

Joaquin Martinez, Democrat for SD-6

As the deadline for filing comes to a close, a post by a Facebook friend caught my attention. Joaquin Martinez, a community advocate who has spent the last decade working for Neighborhood Centers, Inc., announced he would be seeking the position of State Senator for District 6. Here’s his post.

For those who may not know, the filing date for the Senate District 6 race is Thursday, December 27th. I plan on filing for candidacy for this race. I need community support and backing in order to reach some of these goals. I am setting a stage for “new,” motivated and engaged individuals that want to be a part of the conversations that affect us all.

In addition to being a father, I strive to fulfill my role as productive citizen. I understand that it is important that we find a balance in family, finances and service in our community. We work to provide paths to success for our children through education, hoping to enhance their lives with opportunities our parents did not have.

We hope to one day own homes and build a community that is a true “home” where safety and health are values upheld for function and principle. If we attain these dreams, we must realize our successes were supplemented by the guidance, love, and support of our mentors and role models; we should look to find ways to give back in the same manner they have.

I am running for office with faith that I can find common ground with current leaders through new conversations about how we can build communities from the ground up. Over the years, I have come to realize that my responsibility as a parent and community leader is to not only inform families about our civic process, but to also connect families with this process. I have had numerous discussions with individuals that are eager to take part in this social responsibility, but no one has been around to cultivate and mentor these potential leaders.

The people of Texas Senate District 6 are in a pivotal position to empower themselves in this city and this county once we have grassroots leadership willing to take on this responsibility. I want to be a part of this new conversation. I am asking those that want to become more knowledgeable with this process (while becoming more engaged) to support me during this race. If you are interested in getting involved, then please contact me at your earliest convenience. You can start by liking my page, Joaquin Martinez.

On his Campaign facebook page was this bio.

Joaquin Martinez, father to Joaquin Edward Martinez, is a native Houstonian and has been a silent community leader in the East End. Joaquin has worked for one of Houston’s oldest and largest non-profits, Neighborhood Centers, for over 10 years within the Community Based Initiatives department. Joaquin’s continued perseverance and personal values have allowed him to continue his education at the University of Houston – Downtown as he pursues a B.A. in Political Science.

Joaquin’s previous role as a Youth Manager has been to build youth programs in the East End, Sunnyside, Independence Heights, Pasadena and La Porte communities in order to build upon the skills of the youth in these communities. Joaquin also took on the role of Program Coordinator in the Pasadena and La Porte communities, where civic engagement and education were fundamental in creating an community environment. Joaquin has seen many youths become successful; he continually challenges parents to remain involved their children’s lives. Joaquin also worked as Staff under Council Member John Castillo, in which he visited several civic club meetings and was committed to assure that community member’s needs were met.

Joaquin Martinez has a strong commitment to public service. Joaquin has been a little league coach for both East End Little League and Dixie Little League for over 6 years and continues to provide a leadership role as the Vice President of the Board with Dixie Little League. Joaquin has also been active at Mason Park as a coach for the Magnolia Park Sharks for 2 years. Joaquin shall continue his involvement because he believes that these activities are not only important to the mental, physical, and social development of his child, but also to the children in his community. As a father, Joaquin has continued to be engaged in his son’s education by taking on a leadership role with the Parent Teacher Organization board. Joaquin recognizes that community involvement and genuine conversations are fundamental to the growth and development of a vibrant community.

Joaquin has attended Blessed Sacrament Church for over 20 years were he is also a member of the Knights of Columbus Council #7230. Joaquin is also member of Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity and graduate of the National Hispanic Professional Organization were he has cultivated his leadership and service values that has given him a conviction to serve his community in a leadership role.

From what I’ve seen of Joaquin, he’s an energetic community leader who can build a grassroots base on a strong foundation. Will the fast run-up to the January 26 election date be a challenge against some well-financed candidates? Obviously, but it is good to see a “new” leader put his name out there for consideration.

Contact information:

Phone (832) 278-2186

Email joaquin@martinezcampaign.com

Website http://www.martinezcampaign.com (Up and Running))

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Posted in 2012 Profiles, Chicano Politics, Houston Dems '12, LatinoVote '12, LEUV, Texas Dems 2012, Texas Lege

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