FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – APRIL 14, 2023 – HOUSTON, TEXAS
 
The Texas Conservative Liberty Forum, in its mission to represent the citizens of Texas who believe in the conservative values of limited government and personal responsibility, and in the freedom of conscience and full equality under constitutional law for all citizens, has undertaken the review of key bills before our state legislature of great consequence to major issues of contention in our state. In this session, our focus is on the highly charged debate over questions of freedom of speech, religious liberty, and new civil rights laws aimed at concerns of unfair discrimination in the areas of sex, sexuality, and self-identity.
 
In undertaking this review, we have considered the input of members and supporters of all walks of life, demographic groups, faiths, and beliefs.
 
The Texas Conservative Liberty Forum does NOT support passage of Texas House Bill 1266 (or similar bills), which seeks to legally designate as “sexually oriented business” any venue that features any performances that include cross-dressing.  We are sympathetic to concerns regarding much-publicized events aimed at minors featuring cross-dressing performances that also included sexually inappropriate content for minors (crude and sexually suggestive or explicit language, sexually suggestive motions, and states of undress).  However, this bill is likely to be overturned on First Amendment concerns, and is not enforceable on a practical level. As it stands, this bill would literally designate venues featuring a performance by Dame Edna, traditional stagings of Shakespearean plays, a showing of Mrs. Doubtfire, or some episodes of the Carol Burnet show, as “sexually oriented.”  
 
The actual sexually oriented content of a performance, regardless of whether cross-dressing is present, should be the focus of any bill aimed at sexually oriented content.
 
Similarly, Texas Conservative Liberty Forum does NOT support passage of Texas Senate Bill 12.  While this bill is more restrained, it still introduces a pointless element that could be used to harass businesses that feature any cross-dressing at all.  Again, this is likely violation of First Amendment rights.  Perversely, the above bills may appear to provide a defense for sexually oriented content inappropriately available to minors if it does not feature cross-dressing.  This cannot possibly be the intent of the authors of these bills.
 
The best defense of conservative values of freedom of speech and conscience is one based on principle and applicable to all.
 
We urge the bills’ authors to withdraw these bills as they stand today.

For more on TCLF and its positions on key bills filed this legislative session, please visit texasconservativelibertyforum.org.

Marco A. Roberts, Chairman

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MARCH 27, 2023 – HOUSTON, TEXAS

The Texas Conservative Liberty Forum, in its mission to represent the citizens of Texas who believe in the conservative values of limited government and personal responsibility, and in the freedom of conscience and full equality under constitutional law for all citizens, has undertaken the review of key bills before our state legislature that are of consequence to major issues of contention in our state.

In that process, Texas Conservative Liberty Forum has adopted formal SUPPORT for Texas Senate Bill 14 & House Bill 1686.

There are few issues of greater controversy than the growing concern of the application of highly consequential medical procedures on minors.  Ranging from the administration of puberty blockers and hormone therapy to major surgery, these procedures are performed for the purpose of anatomical alteration of the body so that it more closely corresponds with a minor’s self-declared identification with the opposite sex. The plain fact of the matter is that to date, there is no clear scientific understanding of the cause of gender dysphoria or transsexuality, nor the value of current drastic procedures as applied to minors – notwithstanding the claims made by Gender Ideology activists, and regardless of the media’s uncritical repetition of those claims.

Meanwhile, the scientific evidence is beginning to show three things: 1) the dramatic and alarming increase of minors self-diagnosing as needing these medical procedures; 2) the reality of irreversible and often damaging effects resulting from these procedures; and 3) the growing numbers of individuals reaching adulthood regretting their childhood decision to transition.

The question before the legislature is not one about discrimination.  It is about true informed consent and our obligation to protect children from the consequences of things they cannot understand or account for.  For that reason, the Texas Conservative Liberty Forum SUPPORTS the passage of Texas Senate Bill 14 and House Bill 1686.

For a more comprehensive detail of our reasoning, please visit our website’s at:

Marco A. Roberts, Chairman
Texas Conservative Liberty Forum

communications@texaslibertyforum.org
Text/VM: 713-380-1607

SEE FULL STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF SB 14 AND HB 1686 & RECOMMENDATIONS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - JUNE 18, 2022 - HOUSTON, TEXAS
Thursday night, June 17, the Platform Committee of the Republican Party of Texas added the following proposed new language to its party platform, subject to delegate approval at today's final day of the biannual state convention:
This added language offers no policy prescription.  It provides no legislative or policy direction, while provoking pointless dissent and discord among conservative ranks.  It was inserted into existing language under the Health and Human Services section of the Platform Committee Final Report in late deliberations in what some members of the Platform Committee described as a surprise move.  The added language also violates the grand compromise secured in 2018 between opposing factions within the Republican Party, including the leading representatives of Texas Values and LCR Texas, and which was adopted by 2/3 of the Platform Committee of 2018.  When the final vote adopted the compromise language that affirms marriage as a Biblical sacrament, the hall erupted into applause.  In 2020, the grand compromise held, and no infighting took place between conservatives over the plank, who were able to devote their attention to other matters of consequence.
"Change the existing plank Homosexuality to the following: Human Sexuality: We affirm God’s Biblical design for marriage and sexual behavior between one biological man and one biological woman, which has proven to be the foundation for all great nations in Western civilization. We oppose homosexual marriage, regardless of the state of origin. We urge the Texas Legislature to pass religious liberty protections for individuals, businesses, and government officials who believe marriage is between one man and one woman. We oppose the granting of special legal entitlements or creation of special status for sexual behavior or identity, regardless of state of origin. We oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose non-traditional sexual behavior out of faith, conviction, or belief in traditional values."
We urge all convention delegates to support the Platform Minority Report - Health and Human Services.

communications@texaslibertyforum.org
Text/VM: 713-380-1607