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March 13, 2018      5:53 PM

House report: Bathroom bill, underfunding of education and infrastructure threaten Texas economy

Chairman Cook suggests Gov. Abbott was duplicitous about bathroom bill: “His actions surprised many because the governor's top aides had made it clear, to me and others, during the regular legislative session that the governor did not want that bill on his desk."

The long-awaited Texas House Economic Competitiveness Committee’s report is out this afternoon, providing an in-depth look at potential pitfalls for the state’s economy including inadequate funding for public education and controversial social legislation like the failed “bathroom bill.”

Likening it to a report issued by a Fort Bend County engineer 25 years ago warning of potential flooding – which became a reality when Hurricane Harvey roared ashore – Chairman Chairman Byron Cook, R-Corsicana, said “that was a good analogy. Here were clear threats that were laid out and were dismissed.”

As he released the wide-ranging report, Chairman Cook also dropped a bombshell, saying Gov. Greg Abbott’s top aides were privately saying last year that the state’s chief executive did not want the so-called “bathroom bill” to be passed by the Legislature at the same time the governor was publicly placing it on the special session agenda.

“His then-Chief of Staff (Daniel Hodge) told me in my office that he did not want this bill on his desk,” Rep. Cook said in an interview with Quorum Report. “At the same time this was moving forward and the governor was putting it on the call.”

By Scott Braddock

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