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Fighting For You

Fighting For You

Progressives in the 2017 Legislature

TEXAS STRONG: Resistance at the 2017 Legislative Session

Progressives from around the state and our champions in the legisla-ture fought hard this session. From immigrant and voting rights to LGBTQ equality and reproductive freedom - we will continue to resist attacks on our fundamental rights.

What Progessives Did this Legislative Session

Progress Texas stood with progressive lawmakers in fighting back against intolerance under the dome during the 2017 Texas Legislative Session. And with the help of grassroots activists diligently coming out in droves to rallies and protests at the Capitol and around the state, we echoed the resistance far and wide.

The Worst of the Worst in Pictures, Annotated

Taking their cue from Trump in the White House, this session Texas Republicans prioritized otherizing and oppressing marginalized communities and restricting the rights of a growing majority of Texans whose interests and values they couldn’t possibly represent.

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Abortion AccessAccountabilityHot TopicsLGBTQResistTX Legislature

5 Ways Texas GOP Will Try to Screw Texans Over During Governor Abbott’s Special Session

Lucy Stein
June 30, 2017
Governor Abbott called a special session of the Texas Legislature, putting the lives and rights of Texans on the line to score Republican primary points.
5 Ways Texas Republicans Will Try Screw Texans Over During Gov. Abbott’s Special Session
Hot TopicsTX Legislature

Abbott's Pick-Up Sticks Play Politics with Special Session

Glenn W. Smith
June 27, 2017
Outnumbered Democrats are valiantly trying to remind them that there’s a future coming that the state is woefully unprepared to meet.
Cartoon -- pick up sticks.jpg
Abortion AccessAccountabilityEconomic OpportunityHealth CareImmigrationJusticeLGBTQResistTX Legislature

Open Letter to Gov. Abbott and Texas Lawmakers: An Attack on Any Texan Is An Attack on All Texans

Progress Texas
June 21, 2017
36 groups representing diverse voices across the state denounce the extreme politics driving the Texas legislative agenda and vow to fight back.
JusticeTX Legislature

Here’s Everyone That’s Suing Texas & Gov. Abbott Over ‘Papers Please’ SB 4

Annie Bright
June 17, 2017
Senate Bill 4 isn’t just anti-immigrant and racist, but unconstitutional too - and from El Paso to San Antonio, Texans are fighting back.
FIGHTSB4
AccountabilityTX Legislature

Was Legislative Session a Success?

Glenn W. Smith
June 5, 2017
GOP leaders showed they were eager to be hurtful.
Glenn AAS
Economic OpportunityTX Legislature

Texas GOP's Backwards Priorities Prevented Progress in Fight for Fair Wages

Annie Bright
June 2, 2017
Despite a valiant effort by progressive Democrats, the Republican controlled Texas Legislature stifled any progress on raising the minimum wage, ensuring equal pay, and investing in paid leave.
fair-wages.png
JusticeTX Legislature

These Women Legislators Advanced ‘Rape Kit’ Reform Through the Texas Legislature

Annie Bright
June 2, 2017
Reps. Donna Howard and Victoria Neave accomplished real reform for sexual assault survivors in a tough legislative session.
howard-neave.png
ImmigrationResist

Texas Republican Called ICE on 'Show Me Your Papers" Law Protesters, Threatened to Shoot Colleague

Video
May 30, 2017

On the last day of our regular legislative session, amidst a peaceful protest to resist racist “show me your papers” SB 4, Tea Party Republican Matt Rinaldi of Irving told a group of Latino lawmakers he called ICE to deport the protestors. And it didn’t stop there. Rinaldi — who barely hung onto his seat in 2016 — also threatened to “put a bullet in one of his colleague’s heads.”

Rinaldi
Abortion AccessHealth CareTX Legislature

Reproductive Justice Group Challenges Legislature to Address Maternal Mortality of Black Women

Lucy Stein
May 26, 2017
Amidst inaction in prioritizing Texas’ maternal mortality crisis this legislative session, The Afiya Center released a groundbreaking report on the state of Black women in Texas with a briefing at the Capitol.
Hot TopicsJusticeResist

Houston Democrat Lays Out History of Voter Suppression

Video
May 26, 2017

State Rep. Jarvis Johnson laid out the history of racially discriminatory, voter suppression laws in opposing Republican's newest voter ID bill, Senate Bill 5. "'The poll tax was not about race,' so they said. 'The literacy test was not about race,' so they said. 'The grandfather clause was not about race,' so they said."

Jarvis Johnson