After an exhausting week, it's time for Happy Hour! The crew is proud to welcome Ash Hall of the Transgender Education Network of Texas, as we discuss the wide range of dirty deeds that GOP lawmakers have been up to at the Capitol. In particular two anti-trans bills, SB-29 and HB-4042, designed to force our trans student athletes to conform to teams that don't align with their gender identities, and inviting conflict for Texas with the NCAA and other business interests. Also HB-1399, which bans trans children in Texas from receiving gender affirming medical care. Meanwhile, women's reproductive rights are also under attack via multiple bills in both chambers - it seems the assault is coming from all directions. Wondering what you can do to help Progress Texas fight back? Give us a listen.

Discriminatory bills in Texas would deny rights to trans kids: https://progresstexas.org/blog/discriminatory-bills-texas-would-deny-rights-trans-kids

Diana testifies on HB 3760: https://progresstexas.org/video/diana-g%C3%B3mez-testifies-protect-abortion-care

Major brands send message: Voter suppression is bad for business: https://progresstexas.org/blog/major-brands-send-message-voter-suppression-bad-business

Demand Repbulicans stop attacking Abortion:  https://progresstexas.actionkit.com/sign/petition-demand-legislators-stop-attacking-abortion-care?source=actionpage

Demand Republicans stop attacking our Democracy: https://progresstexas.actionkit.com/sign/petition-demand-republicans-end-their-attack-on-our-voting-rights?source=actionpage

Happy Hour time! We welcome guest anchor Amanda Gnaedinger this week as we discuss the role of corporate America in our political discourse, as various companies begin to weigh in against voter suppression legislation in Texas. We also cover the economic peril our state is subjected to by reckless GOP lawmaking (see: Georgia). Wesley and Diana share "war stories" of the week at the Capitol, as the fight to preserve reproductive rights and healthcare in Texas continues - and, shout-outs for several of our valued partner orgs on the ground, joining forces in the ongoing battle for progress.

PETITION: DEMAND REPUBLICANS END THEIR ATTACK ON OUR VOTING RIGHTS

https://progresstexas.actionkit.com/sign/petition-demand-republicans-end-their-attack-on-our-voting-rights?source=actionpage&fbclid=IwAR0ZfLWsDbeXdxfMDEB2ks67eadLip3G-kbL81syOB8Urm8_DSqTNv7fyTs

7 anti-abortion bills the Texas Senate is wasting time on instead of bills to help Texans

https://progresstexas.org/blog/7-anti-abortion-bills-texas-senate-wasting-time-instead-bills-help-texans?fbclid=IwAR0gRQptbrwBMfuPjlFKc36wGefg7pMPdcHSjkDk4L25IFTFeTRKRkZH3T0

Another wild week at the Texas Capitol brings us stories of waiting 20 hours to testify against anti-abortion legislation, a Republican bill to appoint lawyers for fetuses (?!), and special guest Ashley Cheng of the podcast The Rabble shares a story about the first time she took her mom to vote. We've also got updates on how Texas companies such as American Airlines, Dell, and Southwest Airlines are taking public positions against voter suppression bills.

Reference links:

Demand Dan Patrick stop attacking our reproductive rights: https://progresstexas.actionkit.com/sign/petition-demand-legislators-stop-attacking-abortion-care?source=actionpage

Abortion is healthcare Act would remove decades of Texas restrictions: https://progresstexas.org/blog/abortion-healthcare-act-would-remove-decades-texas-restrictions

7 anti-abortion bills the Texas Senate is wasting time on instead of bills to help Texans: https://progresstexas.org/blog/7-anti-abortion-bills-texas-senate-wasting-time-instead-bills-help-texans

Texas Republicans have launched an all out attack on our voting rights: https://progresstexas.org/blog/texas-republicans-have-launched-all-out-attack-our-voting-rights

Stop the Texas GOP from outlawing 2020 voting innovations: https://progresstexas.actionkit.com/sign/petition-demand-republicans-end-their-attack-on-our-voting-rights?source=actionpage

The Progress Texas Happy Hour crew convenes - central to the discussion of the Lege are misplaced priorities by Republicans and a slate of voter suppression bills, we talk about what's in them and why they're bad. Wesley and Diana weigh in on the experience of diving in at the Capitol - including a close encounter with Beto O'Rourke, and procedural shenanigans from State Rep. Briscoe Cain who shut down a hearing before hundreds of people could testify. We offer a preview on anti-abortion legislation, and then we wrap up by sharing our vaccine experiences - get your shots y'all! Thanks for listening, and be sure to sign our very important petitions!

Texas Republicans have launched an all out attack on our voting rights: https://progresstexas.org/blog/texas-republicans-have-launched-all-out-attack-our-voting-rights

Demand Dan Patrick stop attacking our reproductive rights: https://progresstexas.actionkit.com/sign/petition-demand-legislators-stop-attacking-abortion-care?source=actionpage

Stop the Texas GOP from outlawing 2020 voting innovations: https://progresstexas.actionkit.com/sign/petition-demand-republicans-end-their-attack-on-our-voting-rights?source=actionpage

Abortion is healthcare Act would remove decades of Texas restrictions: https://progresstexas.org/blog/abortion-healthcare-act-would-remove-decades-texas-restrictions

7 anti-abortion bills the Texas Senate is wasting time on instead of bills to help Texans: https://progresstexas.org/blog/7-anti-abortion-bills-texas-senate-wasting-time-instead-bills-help-texans

Not all emergencies are priorities at the Texas Capitol: https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/24/texas-mass-shootings-guns

Senior Strategist Glenn Smith joins the weekly Happy Hour crew for this week’s rundown of the crazy world of Texas politics. GOP efforts in the Lege to undermine voting rights are troubling and reminiscent of the Jim Crow era. Republicans also continue their typical attacks on reproductive rights – all of this even as the people of Texas demand action from lawmakers on COVID. We’re also now seeing the effects of racist Republican language about the pandemic, exemplified by Chip Roy’s tirade this week in D.C., in a rise of anti-Asian violence, which must be countered by all of us - “if one person is in chains, we’re all in chains”. On a hopeful note, we celebrate the huge progress under President Biden in the national vaccination effort, as well as the months-long sacrifice of most Texans to protect their communities - in spite of Governor Abbott’s attempts to undermine safety precautions. And the conversation on Matthew McConaughey continues – politically, where is he exactly?

This week, the Progress Texas team reflects on the lessons of the pandemic, one full year in. We also talk Polling: what do Texans think about Greg Abbott, Ted Cruz, the recent energy crisis, priorities at the Lege, the assault on reproductive rights, and the Texas response to COVID? We find, once again, that Progressive values are mainstream values. President Biden's American Rescue Plan is now a reality - what's it mean for Texas families? And, will Matthew McConaughey run for Governor - and if he does, what's that mean for Texas Democrats?