Nicolas Henderson via Flickr

The Texas state legislature passed a bill that is set to withhold funding from any state sports team that refused to play the national anthem at the start of games on Monday.

As The Hill reports:

Texas state legislators on Monday voted to approve a bill that would withhold funding from state sports teams that choose not to play the national anthem before athletic events.

According to Senate Bill 4, also called the “Star Spangled Banner Protection Act,” professional sports teams would forfeit the opportunity to further receive state money and may be required to “repay any money paid to the team by this state or any governmental entity.”

The measure passed in the House by voice vote and is expected to head to Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) desk on Tuesday for approval.

Opponents of the bill on Monday argued against the legislation, stating that it could be viewed as unconstituional.

If Governor Abbott refuses to sign the bill should Republican voters hold him accountable? Let us know what you think in the comments below.



Comments

  1. Unconstitutional? Excuse me, but where in that document does it state that sports teams are entitled to feed at the public trough?

  2. Refuse to go to their games. Kids need to learn the three R’s and cut bad on sports anyway. Can’t read a regular clock, don’t know history, can’t do any writing except print to text. Have few social skills. can’t think past the end of their little head. Brainless bunch of twits. The wind up as confused safe space, can’t find the restroom, morons.

  3. Good Morning finally a state that stands up for America the other states should follow there lead this is the problem people are not fighting back against the people that are causing these problems there sports players they get piad for sports not there polical stand maybe we’ve all have to push back maybe start electing people that keep there promises like President Donald J Trump did but washington didn’t like what he was doing and this is why that sold out America so the dems don’t keep there promises as you can see 👀from whom they elected president don’t blame me i voted for Trump

  4. It is our Texas taxpayers paying those teams our tax money!! Don’t we have a right to tell them how it is spent under our Constitution??? Why can’t we defund these sports teams like they support defunding our police department???? Equal justice under our laws?????…..

  5. I don’t think sports teams should receive any government money to begin with. This is the epitome of subsidizing billionaires. Sports teams should have to pay just like any other business , no special deals. How many small business owners get these sweetheart deals, other than those owned by politicians? If sports teams don’t play national anthem, then public should refuse to attend or watch games. It’s all about the pocketbook. If they threaten to leave, give them 24 hours to get out of the city, after they pay all the money owed to the city per a contract Stop coddling the owners and especially the players.

  6. So happy to see there’s actually people fighting to restore pride in AMERICA. The National Anthem isn’t something to be played with. You want to play games in America and earn the LUDICROUS SALARIES paid to you big ass BABIES, then you MUST STAND FOR NATIONAL ANTHEM, you disrespect our flag, then you SHOULD BE THROWN OUT OF PRO SPORTS, & their endorsements taken away!!!

  7. Hard to imagine it being contriversial! It has been performed beautifully so many times by such great and renowned artists! From Frank Sinatra to Jimmi Hendricks to Whitney Houston (most beautiful of all!) to Louis Armstrong to Lady Gaga to Beyonce and armed forces choirs. How not to be proud of the anthem and the performances!

  8. Withholding state taxpayers money from being used to support teams that will not play the anthem before games is not unconstitutional. The state is not mandating that the anthem be played or mandating that the anthem not be played – both actions would be unconstitutional in and of themselves. The state is telling these teams, that if you choose not to play the anthem, a long time respected American tradition, the state will choose to spend the money they might have spent to support the teams in other ways. The teams are free to choose whatever action they take. Taxpayers who indivdually feel that thye would not agree to this state policy are also free to throw whatever amounts they want at the teams at anytime for any reason.

    Personally, I support efforts to display patriotism, remembrance of the fallen who gave their lives for the flag and country, and love for one of the greatest nations in the history of the world.

  9. If Governor Abbott refuses to sign the bill should Republican voters hold him accountable? Let us know what you think in the comments below. Of course, we will hold him accountable!!!!

  10. Why are professional teams getting any taxpayer money at all?
    I think only school sports teams should be receiving taxpayer funding.

  11. Abbott should sign the bill even if he thinks it’s un Constitutional. Why? To continue to fight the radical anti American left infecting the country.

  12. My red state has been compromised to purple, based on the Metro counties which have turned into mega-rat-colonies like Dr. John Calhoun’s rodent paradise, wherein over-concentrations of rats with all earthly needs met (entitlements), turned to deviance, apathy and violence. He viewed the outcome of his experiment as a warning to humanity very like that prophesied in Revelation. Maybe I should relocate to Texas, where they remember the Alamo and patriots’ sacrifice for freedom?

  13. I wish these sports organizations were judged more by the people, but we are so wrapped up in our sports we allow them to set “our” rules of ethics and judgement. This is why we are in the state we are in now. We sat by and apathetically allowed all the agendas we now hate to come into existence. So we have ourselves to blame. Now we get to choose right, but aren’t…for the most part. I refuse to watch or attend any pro sport event now..after they caved to Kapernick’s insanity. I’ve found I can live with out it – it’s a matter of deciding what kind of character I want to have. This is my country and though others may not feel the same, don’t try to shove your beliefs down my throat or deny me my right to observe, participate in and show my patriotism by hearing/singing the National Anthem.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *