Inauguration Day at the Texas Capitol looked a little different this year.

Normally, hundreds of people visit the Texas Capitol on Inauguration Day to watch their legislators get sworn into office.

However, due to COVID-related restrictions at the Texas Capitol, only a small number of people were allowed to visit for the inauguration.

Because of these restrictions, the THSC team was only able to attend the opening day of the legislative session in a limited capacity.

Despite this, the team had productive conversations with several offices about legislative priorities for Texas homeschooling families.

Despite the Texas Capitol’s protocol changes due to COVID-19, the THSC Watchmen were gearing up for a successful legislative session.

The 2021 Watchmen team faced challenges and opportunities no team before them has.
Some legislator offices were operating on-site as in previous years, while some were open only by appointment and others were completely remote.

The great deal of time spent at the Capitol is sure to be a unique experience. For Texas’ Inauguration Day, officials at the Capitol recommended visitors take a COVID-19 test when they arrived.

According to a resolution passed by the Texas Senate at the beginning of the legislative session, members of the public were required to test negative before being permitted into the senate chamber.

This at least doubled the amount of time it took to enter. Despite these challenges, the THSC Watchmen took their first of many trips to the Capitol building in January.

They spent time introducing themselves to legislative staff, explaining their legislative agenda for the upcoming session, and distributing one-page documents with information on each bill they hoped to pass.

The THSC Watchmen hoped to see several important bills they were advocating for pass during the legislative session, but they spent most of their time in Austin analyzing the impacts of the hundreds of other bills filed in the Texas Capitol.

A week after the November 2020 general election, state legislators started pre-filing bills for the 2021 legislative session. By the time the Watchmen arrived in Austin in January, upwards of 300 relevant bills awaited them, with more to come.

Each Watchman was responsible for analyzing bills in different subject areas, looking for anything that could negatively affect the right of families to raise their children.

Ansley analyzed all CPS bills, Quincy examined the family law bills outside of CPS, and Jayla analyzed education bills and all other relevant legislation.

Depending on the length and relevance of a bill, the Watchmen might spend anywhere from ten minutes to three hours analyzing the bill. The Watchmen aimed to review 20 to 25 bills a day, but might analyze fewer bills on certain days if the bills required more complicated legal analysis.

What were they looking for? Often, legislation can appear not to contain anything that harms families at first glance. However, the team knows bills that seem innocent can have severe unintended consequences.

The Watchmen pay attention to the wording of legislation and look at bills from multiple angles. They often ask themselves, “Can this bill be used to do bad things?” Even changes to deadlines or definitions could negatively impact freedom for families.

At the end of each week, the Watchmen reviewed their bills with more experienced analysts on the THSC team. By the time THSC takes a final position on a bill, at least two analysts have reviewed the bill and THSC’s Policy Director has signed off.

The Watchmen have nearly finished analyzing the accumulated pre-filed bills, but more bills are filed daily. 6 weeks into the legislative session, the Watchmen had already reviewed over 500 bills and fully analyzed over 350 of those bills. By the end of the session, they reviewed and analyzed over 2,000 bills.

Over 300 homeschool students and parents joined the THSC Watchmen in Austin for THSC’s annual Capitol Days.The main focus of the event was for families to learn how to influence the legislative process, approach their elected representatives, and lobby for issues that matter to Texas families. During Capitol Days, attendees canvassed all 181 legislative offices, covering a large amount of ground in just two days.

Because of COVID-19, Capitol Days looked a bit different from previous years. THSC typically hosts the event in the Capitol’s auditorium. This year, because of social distancing, Texas legislators were hearing bills in the auditorium. Other rooms at the Capitol were also not open to outside events, so THSC hosted the event at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, two blocks down the street.

Additionally, most legislative offices required masks and a negative COVID-19 test. Capitol Days participants who planned to visit offices had to consent to COVID-19 rapid testing offered at the Capitol. Most legislative offices also required appointments, so attendees had to plan out their visits rather than spontaneously drop by offices.

Regardless of the extra challenges due to COVID-19, the event was still very successful. The Watchmen spent the week leading up to Capitol Days preparing materials for attendees. During the event, they were the boots on the ground. They helped students make their way from the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s headquarters to the Capitol and led discussion groups.

When hearings are in full swing, the THSC Watchmen spend much of their time at the Texas Capitol testifying on bills and tracking legislation. However, attending hearings is not their only responsibility.

The Watchmen must keep up with emails, phone calls, and appointments, as well as analyzing all relevant bills filed in the Capitol, so they typically even work between hearings.

During normal years, the THSC Watchmen will camp out in coffee shops in downtown Austin to work, but many of those hot spots have no indoor seating this year because of COVID limitations.

A small number of coffee shops were open, so some of the Watchmen spent their time there, but for the most part, the Watchmen had to find creative ways to change up their surroundings and get things done.

Some of their favorite places to work were in the Capitol itself. Between hearings, they often worked from the benches in the halls of the Capitol. Members of the Watchmen team frequently worked in the House and Senate galleries as they watched the happenings on the floors.

The Watchmen often worked in empty (and full) committee rooms. The cafeteria in the basement of the Capitol can sometimes be a bit loud, but it can also be a great place for the Watchmen to settle in, send emails, and meet deadlines!

A wide selection of speakers, including Dennis Prager joined THSC at THSC’s first of two annual homeschooling conventions this spring– the Called to Teach Convention in Allen/DFW! Besides learning from speakers, convention attendees shopped the convention floor, connected with other homeschooling families, and even listened to live music.

The THSC Watchmen worked as the boots on the ground for the convention, operating the registration, information, and merchandise booths, helping facilitate lectures, and answering questions.

The convention was a fantastic opportunity to connect with THSC member families. Jayla, one of the Watchmen, mentioned that one of her favorite parts of the convention was talking with THSC members. She was able to shed light on what she was able to do as a Watchman this spring, as well as hear members’ thoughts on the policies she and her team are working to pass.

When the Watchmen weren’t moving boxes or serving elsewhere, they helped out with the Teen Staff program. At the end of the weekend, they signed the teen staffers’ photo books.