Women are pushing forward and demanding change, but whether it’s in Washington D.C. or Austin, politicians continue to look backward when passing legislation.
Texas State Representative Jonathan Stickland (R – Bedford) has a well-documented history of disregard for Texas women and their well-being. Stickland boasted that “rape is non-existent in marriage, take what you want my friend,” so perhaps it’s not surprising his radical voting record matches his extremist rhetoric.
Time and time again, Stickland has opposed common-sense legislation to protect Texas women:
- HB603 – Stickland cast the lone dissenting vote on the “revenge porn” law, which made it crime if someone “intentionally displays, distributes, publishes, advertises, offers, or otherwise disclose visual material depicting another person engaged in sexual conduct” without their consent.
- HB189 – Stickland was one of only five state representatives who voted against extending the statute of limitations for serial sex offenders. Stickland justified voting against protecting rape victims by claiming the bill would create “he said – she said situations.” 140 of Stickland’s colleagues in the House disagreed and voted for the bill.
- HB240 – Stickland voted against a bill which would hold landlords responsible for alleged prostitution and sex trafficking activity in businesses advertised as massage parlors. Texas ranks as one of top states for reported cases of human trafficking, second to only California
- HB2552 – Stickland was one of just eight House members to vote against legislation, aimed to train commercial drivers to identify signs of human trafficking and report it. The bill also sought tougher enforcement penalties tied to human trafficking.
- HB1036 – Stickland did not support a bill that allows women access to health plans covering an annual screening for all forms of low-dose mammography intended to detect breast cancer.
- HB2813 – Stickland voted against mandating women’s health care plans include potentially life-saving screenings for ovarian and cervical cancers.
Whatever the reason, Jonathan Stickland has a consistent and disturbing record in the Texas House of voting against women – half the population he is elected to represent. His constituents and all Texans deserve better from their representatives.
