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Texas has been fortunate in the prosperity of the past
decade. However, the traditional Texas workforce is
quickly being upgraded to one that relies on technological
advances and continuing education. While this has benefited
many Texans, it has also placed a never before seen
emphasis on an educated workforce.
Texas public schools are the foundation from which
countless successful futures have been launched. However,
for Texas to remain the leader it is today, it is critical
that excellence in education remain a top priority of
the Texas Legislature. Parents must get involved, teachers
must be allowed to teach and our schools must be returned
to the safe bastions of learning they once were.
There is no greater place in the world to do business
than the Lone Star State. However, excessive taxation,
frivolous lawsuits and burdensome regulation are chipping
away at the foundation of Texas' economy. Make no mistake
-- the entrepreneurial spirit that has made Texas the
leader it is today is under attack. And, unless Texas
lawmakers continue the fight to implement public policy
that promotes, rather than stifles economic development,
our economic growth could soon cease to exist.
Innovations thought impossible only a decade ago have
now become a reality. Technological advances have provided
business owners with a tremendous resource by which
goods and services can now be delivered at lightning
speed. But without leaders committed to attracting new
business, maintaining existing business and creating
new jobs, the true value of these innovations will never
be fully recognized. Now is the time for Texans to demand
that the Legislature eliminate the barriers to prosperity
and employ business where government has failed.
As Americans have become fed up with the continued
moral decay of our society, the call for traditional
family values has never been louder. For these values,
which teach respect and responsibility, are the foundation
on which this great nation was built. Proudly, Texans
have heard the call, and now it is up to lawmakers to
empower parents with the ability to protect their children
and ensure the safety of future generations.
Following the decennial 2000 Census, rural Texas sustained
a substantial blow by the not-so gradual shift in population
to the major metropolitan areas. As a result, rural
legislators have had to build strong coalitions throughout
the state to ensure that rural Texas has a voice in
the legislative process. Fortunately, through organizations
such as the Rural Caucus, Texas' farming and ranching
communities can be assured that their issues will remain
at the forefront of the legislative agenda.
In response to an alarming increase in newborns being
left in perilous places, Rep. Geanie Morrison enacted
the country's first Baby Moses Law, which provides desperate
mothers a responsible alternative to newborn abandonment.
Since the passage of this landmark legislation in 1999,
forty-three additional states have enacted similar measures.
To date in Texas, nineteen newborns have been saved
as a result of this law.
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