Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has broadened the focus of the newly established Senate Religious Liberty Committee. On Monday, he announced seven new interim charges for Senate committees in preparation for the upcoming legislative session, three of which pertain to the Religious Liberty Committee. This increase brings the total number of charges for the committee to four.
The committee’s new responsibilities include examining the current state of religious liberty in Texas, educating residents about their religious rights, and overseeing the implementation of recent laws. These laws involve the public display of the Ten Commandments in schools, designated periods for reading religious texts or prayer in public education, and provisions for excused absences related to released time courses.
With the addition of these charges, the total agenda items for Texas Senate committees now stands at 81.
Patrick emphasized the Senate’s commitment to advancing conservative priorities for Texas when he stated, “Come January, the Senate and I will advance the priorities of Texas’ conservative majority.”
This initiative to expand religious priorities in the Texas Senate aligns with Patrick’s recent leadership of a federal commission on religious liberty established by former President Donald Trump. That commission released a report asserting that religion in the United States is often regarded as a “problem or annoyance” rather than a respected right.
The commission’s draft report, made public by the Department of Justice, outlines recommendations for the Trump administration aimed at enhancing protections for religious expression in schools, faith-based institutions, parental rights, and healthcare objections on moral grounds. The report argues that religion has been unduly marginalized in American public life.
In addition to the religious liberty charges, other interim charges announced included a review by the Business and Commerce Committee of online ticket platforms to enhance price transparency and address deceptive practices. The State Affairs Committee has been tasked with investigating online gaming platforms that target minors and proposing measures to shield them from harmful content. They are also exploring ways to streamline divorce and child custody proceedings.
The 90th session of the Texas Legislature is set to commence on January 12.
