Before the 82nd Texas Legislature convened in January 2011, I was one of 79 state legislators, along with Governor Rick Perry and Comptroller Susan Combs, who signed the conservative legislative agenda of the Texas Conservative Coalition (TCC), called the “Pledge with Texans.” The pledge, which was developed in 2009 and 2010 with significant input and feedback from Texans across the state, was intended to serve as a foundation for conservatives’ legislative goals last session. In committing to the pledge, my colleagues and I promised to support and advance its five planks during the 82nd Texas Legislature: balance the budget without raising taxes; limit federal intrusion; improve election integrity; cut taxes and encourage the free market; and secure the Texas border.

We delivered on our promises. During the regular and first called sessions, we achieved success in advancing conservative, free market policies that have made Texas the best state in the nation in which to live and do business.

A report published by TCC reveals that we passed major legislation for each of the five planks of the pledge in a meaningful way. Moreover, every pledge signatory in the Texas House scored 90 percent or higher in keeping the Pledge, and 61 of the 70 House pledge signatories scored 100 percent on advancing the tenets of the pledge. I personally scored 100%.

I am proud to be one of the leaders who signed TCC’s Pledge with Texans, and staunchly promoted conservative principles during the 82nd Legislature. Through our tenacity and commitment, we advanced the foothold of conservative philosophy in Texas state government and laid the foundation for future victories.

Plank #1: Balance the Budget without Raising Taxes

Before the 82nd Texas Legislature convened in January 2011, I was one of 79 state legislators who pledged to balance the state budget without raising taxes. I am proud to say my conservative colleagues and I delivered on our promises, which were made as part of our commitment to the conservative legislative agenda of the Texas Conservative Coalition (TCC) called the “Pledge with Texans.” The pledge, which was developed in 2009 and 2010 with significant input and feedback from Texans across the state, was intended to serve as a foundation for conservatives’ long-term goals for Texas.

At the beginning of the regular session, Comptroller Susan Combs projected a revenue shortfall for the 2010-11 biennium, leaving legislators with $9.9 billion, or 2.9 percent, less in general revenues for 2012-13 than they had allocated for the previous two-year budget. Conservative legislators addressed the problem by reducing spending in most areas of government and without increasing taxes.

Through House Bill 275, we appropriated $3.2 billion from the Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF) to pay the state's then-current bills in the 2010-11 budget. We conscientiously retained approximately $6.5 billion in the fund as an underpinning for the state’s long-term fiscal health, and in anticipation of another revenue shortfall when the 83rd Texas Legislature convenes in 2013.

Even in the face of a revenue shortfall, public education still remains the state’s top priority. We actually increased state general revenue spending on public education by nine percent compared to the last state budget.

In addition to the state budget (HB 1), I joined other TCC pledge signatories in passing other legislation that will generate savings for the state. For example, Senate Bill 7 will improve the efficiency and quality of health care in Texas by reforming the way health and human agencies operate. Senate Bill 8, also signed into law, increases school districts’ flexibility over their workforces and payrolls in a way that makes quality instruction the first priority.

Balancing the budget without raising taxes and scouring the budget to find principled ways to reduce spending was not an easy task. But those of us who signed the pledge followed through with unwavering commitment to being responsible stewards of taxpayer money, preserving vital services, and safeguarding the future of generations of Texans.

Plank #2: Limit Federal Intrusion

Last fall, prior to the convening of the 82nd Texas Legislature, I was one of 79 conservative Texas lawmakers who signed a conservative legislative agenda that included a promise to support legislation to limit federal intrusion on states’ rights. I am pleased to say we held fast to our promises, pushing through several significant measures to limit federal intrusion into the state’s authority and responsibility.

Specifically, we pledged to advance, support and vote for legislation that reasserts the limited role of the federal government and those rights guaranteed to Texas in the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution; reject new federal funds with strings attached as an enticement to create new programs; and support health care freedom legislation that guarantees the right of Texans to make their own health care choices. We also promised to support a balanced budget agreement to the U.S. Constitution that would apply in the absence of a national emergency.

These promises were embodied in the second plank of the Texas Conservative Coalition’s “Pledge with Texans,” which was developed in 2009 and 2010 with significant input and feedback from Texans across the state. Governor Perry and Texas Comptroller Susan Combs also signed the pledge.

In the First Called Session of the 82nd Legislature, my conservative colleagues and I passed Senate Bill 7, a particularly strong, conservative health care reform bill proposing that Texas join an interstate health care compact, which is a constitutional vehicle to free the state from prescriptive federal health care mandates and a substantive response to the challenge of the federal government's increasing disregard for states’ constitutional authority and prerogatives.

We also passed House Concurrent Resolution 18, calling for a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. While Texas operates within a spending limit contained in the Texas Constitution, the absence of a constitutional requirement to balance the federal budget has allowed the federal government to engage in deficit spending, resulting in the record levels of debt U.S. taxpayers must eventually repay. With the recent extension of the debt limit, and with more protracted debates over spending looming, a balanced budget amendment is an immediate priority to stop our nation's self-defeating cycle of debt.

Federal intrusion against our state prerogatives and authority is a significant threat to the constitutional rights of Texans, and to the State of Texas. I believe every encroachment of the federal government on state sovereignty is a step away from individual liberty and toward centralized and ineffective government. That’s why I am proud my fellow TCC members and I passed bold legislation this year to uphold the liberty of all Texans.

Plank #3: Improve Election Integrity

Safeguarding election integrity is one of the core functions of state government. During the regular and first called sessions of the 82nd Texas Legislature, my conservative colleagues and I passed several significant measures to improve election integrity and safeguard against election fraud.

Improving election integrity was Plank #3 of the Texas Conservative Coalition’s “Pledge with Texans,” a conservative reform agenda I signed – along with 78 other Texas lawmakers, Governor Perry and Comptroller Susan Combs – prior to the start of the regular session last January. The pledge, which was developed in 2009 and 2010 with significant input and feedback from Texans across the state, was intended to serve as a foundation for conservatives’ long-term goals for Texas. In committing to the pledge, we promised to support and advance all of its planks during the 82nd Texas Legislature.

The most significant legislation we passed relating to election integrity was Senate Bill 14, which requires individuals to show photo identification before voting. This bill names several forms of government-issued photo identification to be accepted at polling places, including an election identification certificate; personal identification card issued to the voter by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS); military identification card that contains the voter’s photograph; United States Citizenship certificate that contains the voter’s photograph; United States passport; and license to carry a concealed handgun issued by the DPS. The bill also provides reasonable exceptions to the photo ID requirement for indigent, elderly and disabled voters and allows individuals not carrying photo ID to vote provisionally, as long as they provide verification of their identity within six days of the election.

We also passed House Bill 2449, which makes mail-in balloting more secure by addressing a shortcoming in existing law under which a vote harvester would have to be caught in possession of at least 20 ballots to be charged with a felony. Under the new law, when official ballots or carrier envelopes are obtained in violation of current law pursuant to one continuing course of conduct, the illegal conduct could be considered as a single offense and the number of ballots or carrier envelopes aggregated in determining the grade of the offense.

My fellow conservatives and I also passed House Bill 174, which will enhance the integrity of voter registration rolls by ensuring that they are accurate and up-to-date. The bill creates a mechanism through which voters who have died and non-citizens who have illegally registered to vote are removed from voter rolls immediately.

Finally, during the first called session this summer, we passed Senate Bill 1, a measure that requires verification of citizenship or residency status for new or renewal driver licenses.

Eliminating voter fraud is an essential part of protecting voters’ rights because every fraudulent vote cancels out a legitimate vote. Governor Perry designated Voter ID an emergency item when the legislature convened in January. With passage of this legislation, my fellow conservative Texas lawmakers and I have improved the integrity of elections in our state.

Plank #4: Cut Taxes

Increasing personal freedom, encouraging competition in the free market, and cutting taxes: these are all basic tenets of the conservative philosophy of government. During the regular and first called sessions of the 82nd Texas Legislature, I consistently supported legislation to uphold these conservative principles, including passing crucial “loser pays” legislation to protect individuals and businesses from bearing the costs of meritless lawsuits.

Fulfilling these promises was an important goal of the Texas Conservative Coalition’s “Pledge with Texans,” a conservative reform agenda I signed last fall, along with 78 other lawmakers, Governor Rick Perry and Texas Comptroller Susan Combs. The pledge, which was developed in 2009 and 2010 with significant input and feedback from Texans across the state, was intended to serve as a foundation for conservatives’ long-term goals for Texas. In committing to the pledge, I promised to support and advance all of its tenets during the 82nd Texas Legislature.

The fourth plank of TCC’s Pledge with Texans obligated signers to advance, support and vote for legislation that increases personal freedom and encourages the free market by lowering taxes; reforms and reduces property taxes and property tax appraisals; and cuts business tax rates, lowers businesses’ tax burden, increases competition in all areas of the economy, and encourages private sector job growth.

By far the most significant legislative victory in this category was House Bill 274, the “loser pays” tort reform legislation signed into law by the governor. This bill reforms the Texas civil justice system so cases without merit may be dismissed, and courts can award equitable and just court costs and reasonable and necessary attorney’s fees to the prevailing party. This bill will protect innocent parties from the costs of protracted, meritless lawsuits and strengthen the free market in Texas by reducing the cost of doing business in the state. In turn, this will encourage entrepreneurs and businesses to invest capital in Texas with the knowledge that the state has a fair, equitable legal climate.

My conservative colleagues and I also passed legislation to: improve oversight and auditing of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA), which provides basic wind and hail insurance coverage for Gulf Coast property owners who might otherwise be left uninsured (HB 3, first called session); equalize regulatory treatment of competing cable service providers and video service providers (SB 1087); ensure private telecommunications utilities cannot be subjected to more burdensome regulations than public utilities (SB 980); create a framework that allows the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) to implement periodic rate adjustments to expedite recovery of certain distribution infrastructure costs (SB 1693); provide an affirmative legal defense for individuals or businesses who have satisfied government environmental regulations (SB 875); and make changes to construction law dealing with retainage to reduce the number of liens filed and ensure subcontractors are paid for their work, without creating a significant burden on owners (HB 1390). All of these measures have been signed by the governor. Perhaps most importantly, SB 1 (first called session) extends small business franchise tax relief for another two years, through December 2013.

Texas’ robust business climate and superior job creation are the result of conservatives’ staunch support for free market principles. I am proud that my fellow TCC members and I joined together during the recent legislative sessions to pass significant measures to curb lawsuit abuse and affirm the role of the free market in Texas.

Plank #5: Secure the Texas Border

Among the core functions of Texas government is to secure the state’s international border with Mexico. I am pleased to report that I joined with other conservative Texas lawmakers during the regular and first called sessions of the 82nd Texas Legislature in passing strong legislation to give law enforcement officers the tools they need to secure the state’s southern border against illegal immigration, and the social and financial burdens that it engenders.

Prior to the start of the regular session, I was one of 79 state legislators, along with Governor Rick Perry and Comptroller Susan Combs, who signed the conservative legislative agenda of the Texas Conservative Coalition (TCC), called the “Pledge with Texans.” The pledge, which was developed in 2009 and 2010 with significant input and feedback from Texans across the state, was intended to serve as a foundation for conservatives’ long-term goals for Texas. In committing to the pledge, we promised to support and advance all of its planks during the 82nd Texas Legislature. We kept our word, particularly as it relates to securing the border.

The fifth plank of TCC’s Pledge with Texans obligated signers “to advance, support and vote for legislation that lawfully protects Texas and Texans from the fiscal and social costs of illegal immigration.” My fellow pledge signatories and I followed through, passing three significant bills.

In House Bill 1we devoted $87.8 million to fund border and homeland security initiatives. This appropriation includes more than $50 million for capital equipment items such as border security vehicles and fiber optic scopes that will help law enforcement agents secure the 1200-mile border between Texas and Mexico, which presents abundant opportunities for crimes such as trafficking of persons and drugs to occur. Law enforcement efforts along the border have been shown to decrease border crime by one-third in periods of less than a month.

During the first called session, we passed Senate Bill 1, which requires applicants for new, renewal or duplicate driver licenses to prove either U.S. citizenship or legal immigration. This bill also links the expiration of legal immigrants’ driver licenses, provisional licenses or occupational licenses to the expiration date of their legal immigration status. These changes will prevent illegal immigrants from obtaining driver licenses.

Finally, we passed Senate Bill 1009 to amend the Texas Education Code to require public institutions of higher education to notify United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through its Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS) when certain foreign students on certain education visas withdraw or are dismissed from their course of study. In many cases, enrollment in such a course is the basis for a foreign student’s being admitted to the United States. Therefore, it is vital that ICE be aware whenever a foreign student leaves a course, as this may invalidate his visa.

These three measures will help to protect Texas citizens and taxpayers against the social and fiscal costs of illegal immigration. I am proud that my fellow TCC members and I courageously and decisively upheld our pledge to secure Texas’ borders.