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James Talarico Profile picture
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2 Jun, 11 tweets, 4 min read
The legislative session is over!

We accomplished so much in the last 140 days, but it was only possible because of my incredible team.

Please help me thank them for their service. #txlege
We still have a special session on the horizon, but I want to take a moment to celebrate our team’s 10 biggest accomplishments...

1. We passed one of the only police reform bills this entire session.

2. We capped insulin copays in the state of Texas.

3. We passed historic early childhood legislation.

4. We put the first limits on pre-k class sizes in Texas history.

5. We passed legislation to give all incarcerated minors a full high school education.

6. We opened up millions of state dollars for social-emotional learning programs in Texas schools.

7. We successfully worked with our Democratic colleagues and trans activists to kill SB 29, the bill that attempted to ban trans kids from competing in school sports.

8. We killed the racist version of HB 3979 and forced Dan Patrick to pass the House version that requires Texas students learn “the history of white supremacy and the ways in which it is morally wrong.”

9. We introduced bold progressive legislation like a $70,000 minimum teacher salary. Although many of these bills weren’t given hearings, we built public support for these big ideas.

10. And in the final hours of the session, we worked with our Democratic colleagues to walk out and kill SB 7, the Texas voter suppression bill.

• • •

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More from @jamestalarico

James Talarico Profile picture
28 May
Today I killed HB 3979—the bill that attempted to teach our students a whitewashed version of American history—with a Point of Order.

If kids are old enough to experience racism, then they're old enough to learn about it. #txlege
I started by asking the bill author why Senate Republicans removed language requiring social studies educators to teach students that white supremacy is morally wrong from the House version of the bill...
If you’re new to the Texas House, the back microphone is used to ask questions and the bill author is supposed to answer them.
Read 10 tweets
James Talarico Profile picture
24 May
WE DID IT!! We capped the out-of-pocket cost of insulin in Texas!

Our bill is headed to the Governor’s desk for a signature! #txlege
Thank you to all the people impacted by type 1 diabetes across the country who reached out to me after I shared my story.

And thank you to @loiskolkhorst, @EddieLucioIII, and @FourPriceTX for helping us get this bill passed.
This bill is a big step forward, but it’s certainly not perfect.

It doesn’t cover uninsured Texans and it only applies to state-regulated health plans.

We have a lot more work to do.
Read 6 tweets
James Talarico Profile picture
22 Apr
Our planet’s survival depends on young people.

I’m authoring legislation to teach climate change as part of the core curriculum in our public schools. #EarthDay
The time to stop climate denialism is before it even starts.

House Bill 4157 will ensure every public school student in Texas has a strong science-based understanding of human-caused climate change and its consequences.
This bill would also ensure students learn about the unique ecosystems in their own local bioregion.

Too many of us are disconnected from the land and water on which our communities depend.

You can’t protect what you can’t name.
Read 4 tweets
James Talarico Profile picture
20 Apr
Happy 4/20! I’ve filed legislation to legalize cannabis, expunge past marijuana convictions, and use the new tax revenue to fund early childhood education. #txlege Image
This is a popular bipartisan idea.

According to the @TexasTribune’s latest polling, 60% of Texans support the full legalization of marijuana.

Only 13% said it should be completely illegal.
Marijuana is not a “gateway drug.” Most people who use marijuana do not go on to use harder substances.

In fact, medical research suggests alcohol and tobacco are far more dangerous to our health than cannabis.
Read 8 tweets
James Talarico Profile picture
16 Apr
Two years ago, Javier Ambler was killed by police officers for a reality TV show.

Today the House passed my bill banning police departments from contracting with reality TV programs.

We voted to name the bill Javier Ambler’s Law. #txlege Image
In 2019, Javier Ambler—a father of two—was pulled over by Williamson County Sheriff’s deputies for not dimming his headlights.

The deputies were followed by a camera crew for Live PD, a reality TV show that relies on violent police encounters to boost their ratings.
Cameras rolled as deputies tased an unarmed Ambler while he begged for his life.

Deputies continued to tase him until he died of congestive heart failure.

Live PD destroyed the footage.
Read 5 tweets
James Talarico Profile picture
6 Apr
3 years ago I almost slipped into a coma and died. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

I paid $684 for my first 30-day supply of insulin. Some pay $1000+ a month. Many die without it.

Today I introduced legislation to cap the price of insulin at $50 a month. #txlege
I haven’t shared this story publicly before.

In May 2018, I was a healthy 28-year-old running for the Texas House. I decided to walk the entire length of my district and hold town halls along the way.

I hike Big Bend every year, so I wasn’t concerned about a 25 mile walk...
But halfway through the walk, I began feeling nauseous and fatigued.

Before the town hall in Hutto, I vomited in the bathroom.

This article quotes me telling the crowd “I am going to sit down because I am a little tired." bit.ly/39IzF4n
Read 21 tweets

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