Samantha Smoot
Samantha Smoot temporarily takes the reins at Equality Texas, the state’s LGBT lobby organization
DAVID TAFFET | Senior Staff Writer
taffet@dallasvoice.com
Samantha Smoot, newly-named interim executive director of Equality Texas, got her start in activism and volunteering the way many people in Dallas did — stocking shelves at the Resource Center food pantry.
Smoot brings quite a bit of experience to Equality Texas, the state’s LGBT lobby organization. She’s worked as political director of Planned Parenthood Federation for America and as executive director of the Texas
Freedom Network. She’s fought to support citizen groups and political leaders build more inclusive democracies through her work in the Middle East and North and West Africa with the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.
And when former Equality Texas CEO Chuck Smith stepped down before the 86th Legislature convened,
Smoot stepped in and expects to head the lobby organization through the current session.
Smoot said she’s expecting a better session than the last one — which was about little more than bathroom bills. She said getting rid of four of the worst members of the Legislature — state Reps. Matt Rinaldi and
Ron Simmons, state Sens. Konni Burton and Don Huffines — will make a difference.
In the Senate, there’s a different dynamic than last session.
It takes 19 votes to get a bill to the Senate floor. Last session, Republicans had 21 votes. But now there are only 19 Republicans, and one of those, Smoot said, is willing to vote his district rather than his party. So bathroom bills are less likely to make it to the floor for a vote.
In the House, new Speaker Dennis Bonnen has laid out his priorities, and he has said bathroom bills aren’t among them and won’t come to the floor.
But that’s not what Smoot worries about.
“We’re seeing Jonathan Saenz and his Texas Values still talking about bathrooms,” she said. “Our concern is less about free-standing bathroom bills. We’re worried about an amendment.”
By that she meant in this year’s Legislature, she’s watching for stealth moves from the far-right wing, such as at the last minute, adding an amendment to a large education bill that must pass without giving the opposition time to mobilize.
“That type of mobilization takes time,” Smoot said.
Last session in opposition to the bathroom bill, hundreds of transgender Texans and their families and allies packed hearing rooms to speak against the bills.
This session, Smoot is optimistic about getting positive legislation passed. But she doesn’t have a particular bill she’s watching.
“We’re updating the bill book as we speak,” she said, referring to the list of bills Equality Texas is following.
Those interested will be able to track their progress on the organization’s website, EqualityTexas.org.
Bills are still being filed, but even after the March 8 cut-off date for unrestricted filing of bills, proposed legislation may be amended and changed as it makes its way through the committee process.
“I’m enthusiastic about making gains,” Smoot said. “I’m excited about prospects this session for comprehensive nondiscrimination legislation at home, in the workplace and in public accommodations.”
Polls show Texans are behind fair protections for all people, she said.
She said she’d also like to see LGBT Caucus member Celia Israel’s bill banning conversion therapy in Texas get a fair hearing and pass.
Although anti-LGBT legislation was carried through the Senate last session by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, she said even he’s been talking about concentrating on public education financing and lowering property taxes rather than divisive legislation. She believes he got the message with loss of four of the most radical anti-LGBT legislators.
“There’s no way to read that other than voters have had it with hateful rhetoric,” Smoot said.
But rather than bathroom bills, Smoot said she’s watching for laws that will pre-empt municipalities from passing nondiscrimination ordinances.
One so-called “religious freedom” bill has already been filed and she’s expecting to see others. The bill filed would allow counselors to refuse to provide service based on their religious beliefs.
“The bill lays a precedent for a provider to discriminate,” she said.
Smoot said the way things are today, any counselor can choose whether or not to treat a client and can always refer a patient to someone better versed in that client’s issue.
“It’s not about ‘I don’t want to do it,’” she said about the purpose of the so-called religious freedom bill allowing counselors to refuse treatment. “It’s ‘You don’t deserve to have it.’”
So-called religious freedom laws are “politically insidious,” she said, because they promote religious beliefs as grounds for discrimination and hate.
Without a Democratic majority in either house, will Equality Texas and the new LGBT Caucus, made up of the five LGBT members of the House of Representative and their allies, be able to stave off this bad legislation and even pass some positive bills?
“We hope so,” Smoot said. “Republicans in moderate districts have a real opportunity to send a message to their voters that they’re not extremists.”
In Dallas, Morgan Meyer, a Republican who represents Highland Park as well as parts of Oak Lawn, won his election by just about 100 votes and certainly falls into that category.
Smoot said it’s about forming alliances and making the tent bigger.
One way to help Equality Texas do its work, is to come to Austin on Monday, March 18 for Equality Day.
After a training session, people will stop in legislators’ offices to tell their representatives they support nondiscrimination and an end to reparative therapy in Texas.
“I’m fired up to be in this fight,” Smoot said. “I believe in my core that Texas can be a better place. Everyone can live with equality, dignity and safety.”
