This past Saturday, the State Republican Executive Committee (SREC) met in Austin for their 3rd Quarterly meeting and adopted three resolutions that were brought before them. The first was regarding the handling of the Alamo grounds by the Texas General Land Office and other private entities. The second instructed Republican House candidates to indicate whether they would support the Republican Speaker candidate chosen by the Republican Caucus, and the final resolution respectfully called for the preservation of historical landmarks so that “free-thinking individuals can understand and judge the past by their own standards.”

Alamo:
During debate on the Alamo resolution, the SREC adopted language asking the Texas GLO to “voluntarily commit to transparency in finances and operations of the Alamo.”

Republican Party of Texas Chairman James Dickey commented saying, “On a whole, I believe it was the intention of the SREC to make sure those involved in the Alamo situation know that there is a perception of an issue there, and transparency goes a long way in relieving fears that one of our most sacred symbols of freedom in Texas is not being sullied in any way.”

Speaker of the House:
The SREC’s resolution regarding the Speaker of the Texas House called for “Republican House candidates in 2018 to indicate to Republican Primary voters whether they will support the Republican Speaker candidate who wins the majority of the votes in the Republican Caucus.” The party platform plank #70 calls for the Speaker to be determined by a secret ballot in the Republican Caucus, which met last Thursday to determine their voting process.

Chairman James Dickey stated, “I have been very involved in speaking with the Republican Caucus about the platform plank and the prescribed method of determining a new Speaker and have received positive feedback so far. The SREC’s resolution will hopefully help the primary electorate be better informed, and I am hopeful that our efforts will yield fruit in this process.”

Historical Landmarks:
The final resolution passed by the SREC on Saturday reviewed the rich, diverse history of the Republican Party in Texas being founded by African Americans and Anglo Texans who shared the common principles of liberty and also reviewed the forgotten, sordid history of Democrats supporting Jim Crow laws and the Klan. It concluded by calling for the preservation of historical sites so that history may be properly judged and then further upheld the Republican Party’s support of equal rights for all Texans.

Chairman James Dickey commented on the resolution saying, “It was a respectful tribute to our past as a Party and a reminder that while we have come a long way, the nation who forgets its history is doomed to repeat its mistakes.”

Roll call votes and full resolutions available here.

For Reference:

Historical Landmarks
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Party of Texas affirms that historical sites in Texas should be preserved and maintained so that free-thinking individuals can understand and judge the past by their own standards; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Party of Texas continues to support equal rights, as endowed by our Creator and guaranteed by the Constitutions of the United States and of Texas, for all Texans.

*Plank 78, Republican Party of Texas 2016 Platform

Alamo
BE IT RESOLVED that decision-making authorities shall affirm and emphasize the intrinsic significance of the 1836 battle in telling the story of the Alamo; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Republican Party of Texas respectfully asks that the Texas General Land Office voluntarily commit to transparency in finances and operations of the Alamo, including the open records requests for information from nonprofit corporations engaged in the restoration and operation of the Alamo; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Texas’ authority regarding the Alamo shall not be infringed upon by any organization or authority, including but not limited to local governments, the federal government, the United Nations, or UNESCO; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that this resolution be submitted to the Texas General Land Office and to the 2018 Republican Party of Texas convention Platform and Resolutions Committee for its consideration.

Caucus
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Party of Texas expects Republican House candidates in 2018 to indicate to Republican Primary voters whether they will support the Republican Speaker candidate who wins the majority of the votes in the Republican Caucus; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that that a copy of this resolution shall be delivered by the Republican Party of Texas to every candidate for the Texas House of Representatives who files for a position on the ballot as candidates in the 2018 Republican Primary.