AUSTIN— The Texas Public Policy Foundation submitted its response to the State Bar of Texas’ request for opinion on the effect of the United States Supreme Court’s recent decision in Janus v. Am. Fed’n of State, Cty., & Mun. Employees, Council 31, regarding the constitutionality of the state bar’s assessment of attorney dues used for political advocacy.
“The United States Supreme Court’s recent Janus decision makes clear that the State Bar’s political advocacy funded by mandatory bar dues is unconstitutional,” said Robert Henneke, general counsel and director of the Center for the American Future with the Texas Public Policy Foundation. “Either the State Bar must cease collecting dues from attorneys or stop acting as a political advocacy organization. Otherwise, the State Bar will continue to violate the First Amendment rights of every active attorney in Texas that is compelled to fund these activities.”
To view the letter in full, please visit: https://www.texaspolicy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Janus_Opinion_letter.pdf