Metcalf Minute

I hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day
weekend celebrating with their families and loved ones. At the time of this
writing, we are still in Austin finishing up our important second called
special legislative session.

This week, the Texas House advanced three
key measures that put accountability, election integrity, and the rule of law
first. I was proud to help author and support each one, and I want to share why
these bills and resolutions matter for Texans.

First, House Bill 18, which I am a
coauthor of, makes it clear that lawmakers shouldn’t be fundraising for their
campaigns when they skip town to break quorum. When a legislator flees the
state to block the people’s business, they should not turn around and use that
time to collect campaign checks or spend political money on hotel rooms and
airfare. Texans expect us to show up, do our jobs, and fight for them, not turn
a political stunt into a fundraising opportunity. HB 18 is about restoring
accountability and making sure the Legislature works for the people, not
against them.

Second, House Resolution 128, which I am
also proud to coauthor, strengthens the House rules to prevent future
quorum-busting stunts. Democrats left the state during the first called special
session this year to grind the people’s business to a halt. HR 128 makes sure
there are serious consequences for walking away from duty. Under this
resolution, members who are absent in order to obstruct the legislative process
will face penalties such as steep fines, loss of positions within the house,
recalculation of seniority, and even the forfeiture of their operating budgets
that pay their staffs. These measures ensure that lawmakers cannot abandon
their responsibilities without accountability. Texans deserve a Legislature
that is present, working, and delivering results.

Third, Senate Bill 54 strengthens
election integrity by tightening up how voter addresses are handled. Under
current law, if a voter moves within their county, their registration record
can be changed on the spot, which risks confusion and errors on the rolls. SB
54 fixes this by allowing voters who move within their county to still cast a
ballot after filing a simple statement of residence, but their underlying
registration record will not be immediately altered. This commonsense safeguard
helps ensure accurate voter rolls, prevents abuse, and keeps our elections
secure and fair. Texans must have confidence that their elections are run with
integrity, and SB 54 helps deliver that.

Together, these measures reaffirm our
commitment to transparency, accountability, and conservative values. Whether
it’s making sure lawmakers do their jobs, safeguarding our elections, or
holding the line against obstruction, the Texas House is delivering for the
people.

I’m proud to help author and support
these bills and resolutions, and I’ll keep fighting every day for the
conservative priorities that matter most to Texans. It is an honor to serve
House District 16.

On September 1^st many bills we
passed during the regular session officially became law.

I would like to highlight HB 34, a bill
that I authored, that protects our state by prohibiting public investments in
foreign adversaries like China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. Texas taxpayers
should never have to worry that their hard-earned dollars are funding regimes
that oppose our values and threaten our future. Another important priority that
became law this week was SB 17 that I proudly joint sponsored. SB 17 was
written with one clear purpose—to keep Texas land out of the hands of Chinese
Communist party regimes. That’s why I was proud to help author and carry this
bill to get it across the finish line during the regular session. We will not
allow our farmland, infrastructure, or natural resources to become tools for
our enemies.

I’m proud to have championed this
legislation to the finish line during the regular legislative session and proud
to see it now become law. Texas is standing strong and putting our security
first.

May God bless you, your family, and the
great state of Texas.