During Wednesday's interview of Lt. Governor Dan Patrick by Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith in Austin, Lt. Governor Patrick said, "I think all of the bills we've released as priorities are supported by Republicans and Democrats." Lt. Governor Patrick's claim came during a spirited exchange between Patrick and Smith about the reasons for Patrick's apparent desire to take the lead on the transgender facility access issue. Patrick upbraided Smith for what he claimed was the Tribune's biased coverage of his intervention on the issue, claiming that he was largely following public opinion on the issue. He cited polling procured by his political team and covered in the Tribune, but also upbraided Smith for a Tribune story that failed to mention that UT/Texas Tribune polling also showed support for his position. Lt. Governor Patrick broadened his claim of public support for his priorities by telling Smith that his entire 25 item agenda announced last year similarly enjoyed public support and invited him to "find a bill on that list that is not supported by the people of Texas."
Well, we're with the Lt. Governor on using UT/TT polling data in political and policy coverage in which public opinion data contributes to informing the public. We've gone through our data archive and found polling results relevant to fifteen of the Lt. Governor's declared priorities. The language below describing each bill was taken directly from the press releases on the Lieutenant Governor's website (here, here, and here). We've added links to more extensive crosstabs in addition to presenting the topline results and crosstabs by party identification, along with some other highlights based on the Lt. Governor's claims about public support Wednesday morning. By and large, these items do poll well or appear to have a receptive audience in the cases of specific proposals we haven't yet asked specific items about – for example, the disposal of fetal tissue. The partisan patterns of this support, however, vary. In some cases, overwhelming support among Republicans and split support among Democrats create a somewhat misleading impression of public consensus.
On the issue of regulating transgender access to public facilities that prompted this discussion at the Tribune event, our items showed the public closely divided, with barely over 50 percent in two separate items believing that birth gender should govern access (broadly speaking, Lt. Governor Patrick's position) – a position shared by 76 percent of Republicans, 46 percent of true independents, and only 26 percent of Democrats. Crucial for debate in the upcoming session, nearly a quarter of Democrats had no firm opinion, compared to only 10 percent of Republicans. Graphics and links to the data are provided below. If you didn't catch the interview, video is embedded after the graphics. The discussion begins about 27 minutes into the interview.
SB 2 – Property Tax Reform – Texans pay the sixth highest property taxes in the nation and the high rates are taxing people out of their homes and hampering business growth. This must change.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| Enough to make a difference to most Texas families | 29% |
| Not enough to make a difference | 56% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 14% |
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| Strongly support | 51% |
| Somewhat support | 26% |
| Somewhat oppose | 10% |
| Strongly oppose | 6% |
| Don't know | 8% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly support | 38% | 44% | 62% |
| Somewhat support | 26% | 32% | 26% |
| Somewhat oppose | 14% | 11% | 6% |
| Strongly oppose | 11% | 2% | 1% |
| Don't know | 11% | 12% | 4% |
More items on taxes and tax cuts here.
SB 3 – School Choice – There is broad support for legislation to ensure that every parent has the option to send their child to the school they believe is best for them.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| Favor | 31% |
| Oppose | 19% |
| Don't know enough to say | 42% |
| No opinion | 7% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Favor | 14% | 26% | 47% |
| Oppose | 32% | 18% | 10% |
| Don't know enough to say | 47% | 42% | 38% |
| No opinion | 8% | 14% | 5% |
| category | Democrat | Republican | Tea Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Favor | 15% | 34% | 65% |
| Oppose | 32% | 16% | 10% |
| Don't know enough to say | 46% | 44% | 23% |
| No opinion | 6% | 5% | 1% |
| category | White | Black | Hispanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Favor | 35% | 18% | 27% |
| Oppose | 21% | 18% | 14% |
| Don't know enough to say | 38% | 56% | 47% |
| No opinion | 6% | 8% | 12% |
More crosstabs on voucher support heading into the 2015 session here.
SB 4 – Sanctuary Cities – No city in Texas should be allowed to ignore the law. We will end this practice once and for all this session.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| Approve of sanctuary cities | 21% |
| Disapprove of sanctuary cities | 59% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 21% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approve of sanctuary cities | 36% | 14% | 6% |
| Disapprove of sanctuary cities | 34% | 62% | 87% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 30% | 24% | 8% |
| category | White | Black | Hispanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approve of sanctuary cities | 17% | 19% | 33% |
| Disapprove of sanctuary cities | 67% | 49% | 39% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 16% | 32% | 28% |
More crosstabs on sanctuary cities attitudes from February 2016 here.
SB 5 – Photo Voter ID – Nothing is more critical to our democracy than the integrity of the voting process. Photo Voter ID is essential.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| Very favorable | 51% |
| Somewhat favorable | 15% |
| Neither favorable nor unfavorable | 9% |
| Somewhat unfavorable | 6% |
| Very unfavorable | 16% |
| Don't know / No Opinion | 3% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very favorable | 23% | 44% | 78% |
| Somewhat favorable | 18% | 26% | 12% |
| Neither favorable nor unfavorable | 12% | 8% | 5% |
| Somewhat unfavorable | 11% | 8% | 2% |
| Very unfavorable | 33% | 13% | 2% |
| Don't know / No Opinion | 3% | 2% | 1% |
| category | White | Black | Hispanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very favorable | 58% | 29% | 43% |
| Somewhat favorable | 12% | 22% | 20% |
| Neither favorable nor unfavorable | 7% | 13% | 13% |
| Somewhat unfavorable | 6% | 10% | 7% |
| Very unfavorable | 15% | 23% | 14% |
| Don't know / No Opinion | 2% | 3% | 4% |
More crosstabs on voter ID attitudes from February 2014 here.
SB 6 – Women’s Privacy Act – A majority of Texans in both political parties and in every ethnic and demographic group believe that women and girls should have privacy and safety in their restrooms, showers and locker rooms. Unfortunately, legislation is necessary to assure that they do.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| Their birth gender | 51% |
| Their gender identity | 31% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 18% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Their birth gender | 26% | 46% | 76% |
| Their gender identity | 50% | 30% | 14% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 24% | 24% | 10% |
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| Their birth gender | 53% |
| Their gender identity | 29% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 18% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Their birth gender | 26% | 46% | 79% |
| Their gender identity | 51% | 30% | 10% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 23% | 23% | 10% |
More crosstabs for public access here, and for public school facility access here.
SB 8 – Fetal Tissue/Partial Birth Abortion – We will continue to fight to protect the dignity and sanctity of life by increasing criminal penalties for buying or selling human fetal tissue, among other protections, and we will ban partial birth abortion in Texas.
SB 20 – Prohibiting Abortion Insurance Coverage – It’s imperative that we continue to fight for life and for those who do not have a voice. SB 20 will protect Texans from being forced to pay for someone else’s decision to end an innocent life.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| Pro-life | 42% |
| Pro-choice | 40% |
| Neither | 11% |
| Don't know | 7% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro-life | 19% | 32% | 66% |
| Pro-choice | 63% | 40% | 23% |
| Neither | 10% | 25% | 8% |
| Don't know | 8% | 3% | 3% |
Full crosstabs here.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| Very favorable | 21% |
| Somewhat favorable | 17% |
| Neither favorable nor unfavorable | 15% |
| Somewhat unfavorable | 9% |
| Very unfavorable | 33% |
| Don't know/no opinion | 5% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very favorable | 36% | 25% | 6% |
| Somewhat favorable | 26% | 19% | 7% |
| Neither favorable nor unfavorable | 19% | 14% | 10% |
| Somewhat unfavorable | 8% | 6% | 12% |
| Very unfavorable | 6% | 26% | 63% |
| Don't know/no opinion | 5% | 10% | 2% |
Full crosstabs here.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| By law, abortion should never be permitted. | 13% |
| The law should permit abortion only in case of rape, incest or when the woman's life is in danger. | 29% |
| The law should permit abortion for reasons other than rape, incest, or danger to the woman's life, but only after the ne | 17% |
| By law, a woman should always be able to obtain an abortion as a matter of personal choice. | 37% |
| Don't know | 5% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| By law, abortion should never be permitted. | 8% | 8% | 20% |
| The law should permit abortion only in case of rape, incest or when the woman's life is in danger. | 18% | 34% | 36% |
| The law should permit abortion for reasons other than rape, incest, or danger to the woman's life, but only after the ne | 12% | 11% | 22% |
| By law, a woman should always be able to obtain an abortion as a matter of personal choice. | 59% | 42% | 18% |
| Don't know | 4% | 6% | 4% |
Full crosstabs here.
SB 11 – DFPS Child Protection Bill – SB 11 will strengthen our ability to protect Texas children by enhancing investigations to reduce abuse and neglect and ensure child safety, addressing access to appropriate treatment and placement options, improving foster care contract oversight and accountability, and strengthening adoptions.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| A lot | 12% |
| Some | 33% |
| Not very much | 30% |
| Nothing at all | 25% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| A lot | 15% | 10% | 12% |
| Some | 33% | 35% | 32% |
| Not very much | 27% | 32% | 31% |
| Nothing at all | 24% | 24% | 26% |
Full crosstabs here.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| Favorable | 20% |
| Unfavorable | 36% |
| Don't know enough to have an opinion | 43% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Favorable | 26% | 14% | 19% |
| Unfavorable | 33% | 42% | 38% |
| Don't know enough to have an opinion | 41% | 44% | 43% |
Full crosstabs here.
SB 12 – Protective Vests for Police – Texas has over 77,000 licensed law enforcement officers and our state has lost more law enforcement officers in the line of duty than any state in America. SB 12 will ensure that the safety of police officers across the state is a top priority, including helping provide police with protective vests capable of stopping high-caliber bullets. Some of the officers killed in the deadly Dallas sniper ambush earlier this year had bullet-proof vests that were ineffective against high-caliber rounds.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| Very favorable | 27% |
| Somewhat favorable | 30% |
| Neither favorable nor unfavorable | 19% |
| Somewhat unfavorable | 13% |
| Very unfavorable | 10% |
| Don't know/no opinion | 1% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very favorable | 14% | 18% | 40% |
| Somewhat favorable | 26% | 33% | 33% |
| Neither favorable nor unfavorable | 23% | 21% | 14% |
| Somewhat unfavorable | 19% | 10% | 9% |
| Very unfavorable | 16% | 16% | 3% |
| Don't know/no opinion | 1% | 2% | 0% |
| category | White | Black | Hispanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very favorable | 31% | 10% | 24% |
| Somewhat favorable | 34% | 19% | 26% |
| Neither favorable nor unfavorable | 16% | 33% | 20% |
| Somewhat unfavorable | 11% | 12% | 17% |
| Very unfavorable | 7% | 25% | 11% |
| Don't know/no opinion | 1% | 1% | 2% |
Full crosstabs here.
SB 14 – Ethics Reform – SB 14 will strengthen Texas ethics laws, and ensure government officials and employees are held to high standards that inspire the public’s confidence in a transparent and ethically principled government.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| Such a law is appropriate because it allows people to judge potential conflicts of interest | 58% |
| Such a law is an invasion of privacy that goes too far | 23% |
| Haven't thought about it enough to have an opinion | 20% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Such a law is appropriate because it allows people to judge potential conflicts of interest | 65% | 48% | 52% |
| Such a law is an invasion of privacy that goes too far | 17% | 28% | 28% |
| Haven't thought about it enough to have an opinion | 18% | 24% | 20% |
Full crosstabs here.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| In Austin, by the Travis County District Attorney. | 47% |
| In the county in which they reside, by the local District Attorney. | 36% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 17% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| In Austin, by the Travis County District Attorney. | 58% | 39% | 40% |
| In the county in which they reside, by the local District Attorney. | 24% | 32% | 46% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 18% | 29% | 14% |
Full crosstabs here.
SB 16 – License To Carry Fee Reform – SB 16 will continue to support 2nd Amendment rights by making lawful carry more affordable for the average law abiding citizen. Texas currently has one of the highest License to Carry fees in the country, and we will fix that.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| More strict | 41% |
| Less strict | 18% |
| Left as they are now | 36% |
| Don't know / No opinion | 6% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| More strict | 71% | 47% | 15% |
| Less strict | 6% | 19% | 26% |
| Left as they are now | 16% | 29% | 55% |
| Don't know / No opinion | 6% | 4% | 5% |
Full crosstabs here.
SB 17 – Franchise Tax Reduction – SB 17 will continue to explore phase-out options of the franchise tax.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| Property tax dissatisfaction | 55% |
| Motor fuels tax dissatisfaction | 40% |
| Sales tax dissatisfaction | 34% |
| Sin taxes dissatisfaction | 34% |
| Business margins tax dissatisfaction | 32% |
| Democrat | Independent | Republican | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property tax dissatisfaction | 48% | 49% | 61% |
| Motor fuels tax dissatisfaction | 36% | 36% | 43% |
| Sales tax dissatisfaction | 31% | 36% | 35% |
| Sin taxes dissatisfaction | 28% | 40% | 35% |
| Business margins tax dissatisfaction | 30% | 29% | 32% |
Full crosstabs here.
SB 21 – Convention of States – I support the efforts of Governor Greg Abbott in adopting a call for an Article V “Convention of States” to limit the power of the federal government.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| Held up well | 59% |
| Hold a new constitutional convention | 25% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 17% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Held up well | 51% | 56% | 69% |
| Hold a new constitutional convention | 30% | 19% | 19% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 19% | 25% | 12% |
| category | Liberals | Moderates | Conservatives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Held up well | 59% | 43% | 72% |
| Hold a new constitutional convention | 29% | 30% | 18% |
| Don't know/No opinion | 12% | 27% | 9% |
Full crosstabs here.
SB 23 – E-Verify – I will continue the efforts of the Texas Legislature in the electronic verification of employment authorization. This will ensure that individuals employed by state partners are also authorized for employment.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| Strongly support | 69% |
| Somewhat support | 17% |
| Somewhat oppose | 7% |
| Strongly oppose | 4% |
| Don't know | 4% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly support | 58% | 71% | 81% |
| Somewhat support | 22% | 10% | 13% |
| Somewhat oppose | 11% | 8% | 3% |
| Strongly oppose | 6% | 5% | 2% |
| Don't know | 4% | 6% | 1% |
Full crosstabs here.
SB 24 – Religious Liberty – Sermon Safeguard – The Senate will continue to protect the most fundamental First Amendment religious liberty rights by protecting pastors from forced testimony and shielding sermons from government subpoena power.
| category | column-1 |
|---|---|
| Muslims | 23% |
| Christians | 21% |
| African Americans | 14% |
| Transgender people | 12% |
| Gays and lesbians | 11% |
| Whites | 9% |
| Hispanics | 6% |
| Women | 3% |
| Men | 2% |
| Asians | 0% |
| category | Democrat | Independent | Republican |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muslims | 27% | 26% | 17% |
| Christians | 4% | 14% | 40% |
| African Americans | 22% | 18% | 6% |
| Transgender people | 17% | 11% | 9% |
| Gays and lesbians | 16% | 7% | 7% |
| Whites | 1% | 11% | 13% |
| Hispanics | 8% | 5% | 4% |
| Women | 4% | 4% | 2% |
| Men | 0% | 4% | 2% |
| Asians | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Full crosstabs here.
Below: the video of Lt. Governor Dan Patrick's conversation with Evan Smith, recorded at the Texas Tribune event at the Austin Club the morning of January 11, 2017.