Beckley Briefing Blog

Uncover the impact voucher programs have had on public schools in Texas and how defunding these institutions would be detrimental to student success.

The city council of Carrollton, Texas provided comments regarding House Bill 4072 , which was proposed during the 87th Texas Legislative Session. The city council of Carrollton, Texas expressed their opposition for HB 4072 . HB 4072 sought to simplify and clarify local sales and use tax administration by establishing as the state’s default sourcing method a destination-based method under which sales are sourced to the location where the item is shipped or delivered or where the purchaser takes possession. HB 4072 requires that local sales taxes be collected and reported based on an item’s final destination as opposed to the transaction location. The city council of Carrollton voiced that the proposed changes would have disproportionally impacted cities with large commercial bases, placed undue burden on businesses, and caused unintended consequences. Our office also reviewed the potential impact of HB 4072 on the City of Lewisville. If HB 4072 had been passed, the changes would have resulted in an annual loss of more than $10 million in sales tax for Lewisville. Lewisville would have likely faced reduced services and employee layoffs across all city departments, including police and fire departments. The Office of State Representative Beckley proudly represented the interests of Carrollton and Lewisville, by opposing this piece of legislation. HB 4072 intended to address a perceived inequity that results from the misuse of Chapter 380 agreements, but the Comptroller already has the authority to invalidate these types of agreements. Cities use Chapter 380 agreements to grow their economies and benefit their communities. HB 4072 was unsuccessful during the 87th Legislative Regular Session; it was voted out of the Ways & Means House Committee but did not make its way to the House Floor. HB 4072 was left pending in the Calendars Committee; the Calendars Committee has jurisdiction over the placement of bills and resolutions on appropriate calendars. The 87th Regular Session ended on May 31, 2021. Sincerely, State Representative Michelle Beckley

Are you or a loved one heading to college this Fall? Does he/she/they need financial help? The Office of Representative Michelle Beckley is asking for submissions for the Texas Armed Services Scholarship. The Texas Armed Services Scholarship (TASSP) has been created to assist promising students from the State of Texas who are committed to education and service. It encourages young leaders to participate in the Texas Army National Guard, the Texas Air National Guard, the Texas State Guard, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Merchant Marine, or to become commissioned officers in any branch of the armed services of the United States. Each year the governor and the lieutenant governor may each appoint two students, and each state senator and each state representative may appoint one student to receive an initial conditional scholarship award. The amount of the award will be up to $10,000 and cannot exceed the student’s cost of attendance. Eligibility for Nomination: Students selected must meet two of these four academic criteria: Be on track to graduate or have graduated high school with the Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP), the distinguished level of achievement under the Foundation High School program, or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program Have a high school grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale Achieved a college readiness score on the SAT (1020) or ACT (23) Be ranked in the top one-third of the prospective high school graduating class Eligibility for Award: To receive a scholarship, an appointed student must: Be registered with Selective Service or be exempt Be enrolled an in good standing in a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program or another undergraduate officer commissioning program as certified by the institution Maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) as indicated by the financial aid office at the recipient’s institution of higher education Enter into a written agreement with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Complete school-initiated Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program application by October 15, 2021 Repay the scholarship if requirements are not met If you’re interested in the Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program, please send your resume and a short essay (300-500 words) explaining your interest in the program to Michelle.Beckley@house.texas.gov . You will receive an update to your nomination status by July 9, 2021. Feel free to reach out to our District Director , Ariana Johnson, if you have any questions about the Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program. Thanks and good luck! Please note: The scholarship applicant should be a House District 65 constituent. If you are unsure of who represents you in Texas, find out here . Best wishes, State Representative Michelle Beckley

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) issued a statement on Monday about tight grid conditions due to the high number of forced generation outages. Provided below are resources for customers to report electric outages, check meter usage, view outage maps, and find contact information for energy providers. Remember - a failure to plan is a plan to fail. Be sure to visit these resources before it's too late. Oncor Resources CoServ Resources Texas-New Mexico Power Resources The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) Resources ERCOT's request to conserve energy during peak hours (3-7 p.m.) continues through Friday. Be sure to follow these energy tips to help reduce electric use. Set thermostats to 78 degrees or higher Turn off lights and pool pumps Avoid using large appliances Turn off and unplug items that are not in use or are unnecessary

Thank you for electing me as your State Representative for House District 65. It’s been a long road, but we have reached Sine Die, which marks the end of the 87th Texas Legislative Session! It has been an honor serving your interests in Austin, and I am greatly appreciative of your support over the last few months. This newsletter will focus on our accomplishments this session, and on the overall outcome of the 87th Legislature. During this session, we filed an assortment of bills aimed at improving the quality of life for Texans across the state. We introduced bills to expand healthcare access, preserve our environment, ensure fair elections, and lead towards equality. Throughout the entirety of the session, we have heard from constituents and Texans across the state. By sharing your concerns, beliefs, and opinions we have been able to better assess your needs, thus allowing us to better serve House District 65. We pride ourselves on our engagement with our constituents, and other Texans across the state. The ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic did not stop the Texas Legislature from convening, but business was not-as-usual. The Regular Session of the 87th Texas Legislature convened on January 12, 2021… but due to my concerns of the Opening Day Ceremony becoming a super spreader event, I was sworn-in with Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos offsite at the Mexic-Arte Museum's murals to Black Lives Matter and in remembrance of those we lost to COVID-19. I received my first dose of the vaccine in January; and my staff called elderly House District 65 constituents to notify them of the vaccination clinic in Denton County.