Changes

During the 83rd Legislative Session, Texas lawmakers were faced with the challenge of passing a balanced budget while coping with a shortfall estimated by some to be as high as $27 billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://money.cnn.com/2011/01/19/news/economy/texas_budget_deficit/|author=Tami Luhby|title=Even budget deficits are bigger in Texas|date=January 19, 2011|publisher=CNN Money|accessdate=June 23, 2020}}</ref> Sheets voted for the biennial Texas budget which lawmakers balanced without having to raise taxes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=HB1|​title=Legislative Session: 82 General Appropriations Bill|publisher=Texas Legislature Online|accessdate=March 21, 2014}}</ref>​

During the 83rd Legislative Session, Texas lawmakers were faced with the challenge of passing a balanced budget while coping with a shortfall estimated by some to be as high as $27 billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://money.cnn.com/2011/01/19/news/economy/texas_budget_deficit/|author=Tami Luhby|title=Even budget deficits are bigger in Texas|date=January 19, 2011|publisher=CNN Money|accessdate=June 23, 2020}}</ref> Sheets voted for the biennial Texas budget which lawmakers balanced without having to raise taxes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=HB1|​title=Legislative Session: 82 General Appropriations Bill|publisher=Texas Legislature Online|accessdate=March 21, 2014}}</ref>​

Sheets in 2013 again supported passage of the biennial Texas budget.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=83R&Bill=SB1|title=Legislative Session: 83 (R) General Appropriations Bill|publisher=Texas Legislature Online|accessdate=March 21, 2014}}</ref> Having recovered from the downturn in the economy, Texas lawmakers were not faced with the same budget austerity issues in 2013 and were able to restore some of the funding cuts made in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/27/us-usa-texas-budget-idUSBRE94Q01Q20130527|title=Texas budget|publisher=Reuters|accessdate=March 21, 2014}}</ref> In 2013, Sheets also supported passage of an amendment to the Texas Constitution to provide funding to develop water resources.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=83R&Bill=SJR1|title=Legislative Session: 83 (R) Proposing a constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas and the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas to assist in the financing of priority projects in the state water plan|publisher=Texas Legislature Online|accessdate=March 21, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://stateimpact.npr.org/texas/2013/05/22/lawmakers-approve-funding-for-texas-water-plan-setting-up-statewide-vote-in-november/|title=Lawmakers Approve Funding For Texas Water Plan, Setting Up Statewide Vote, May 22, 2013|publisher=National Public Radio|accessdate=March 21, 2014}}</ref>​

Sheets in 2013 again supported passage of the biennial Texas budget.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=83R&Bill=SB1|title=Legislative Session: 83 (R) General Appropriations Bill|publisher=Texas Legislature Online|accessdate=March 21, 2014}}</ref> Having recovered from the downturn in the economy, Texas lawmakers were not faced with the same budget austerity issues in 2013 and were able to restore some of the funding cuts made in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/27/us-usa-texas-budget-idUSBRE94Q01Q20130527|title=Texas budget|publisher=Reuters|accessdate=March 21, 2014}}</ref> In 2013, Sheets also supported passage of an amendment to the Texas Constitution to provide funding to develop water resources.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=83R&Bill=SJR1|title=Legislative Session: 83 (R) Proposing a constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas and the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas to assist in the financing of priority projects in the state water plan|publisher=Texas Legislature Online|accessdate=March 21, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://stateimpact.npr.org/texas/2013/05/22/lawmakers-approve-funding-for-texas-water-plan-setting-up-statewide-vote-in-november/|title=Lawmakers Approve Funding For Texas Water Plan, Setting Up Statewide Vote|date=May 22, 2013|publisher=[[NPR]]|accessdate=March 21, 2014}}</ref>​

Sheets in 2013 supported the ban on [[abortions]] after five months of [[gestation]]; the measure passed the House, 96-49. He also supported companion legislation to increase medical and licensing requirements of abortion providers.<ref name=votingrecords>{{cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/117472/kenneth-sheets#.UyuVL8tOUfg|title=Kenneth Sheets' Voting Records|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=March 21, 2014}}</ref> These issues brought forth an unsuccessful [[filibuster]] in the Texas State Senate by Wendy Russell Davis of Fort Worth, known by her conservative critics as "Abortion Barbi" who in 2014 was the Democratic nominee for [[governor]] against the successful Republican candidate, [[Greg Abbott], a former state attorney general.<ref>{{cite news|title=Filibuster in Texas Senate Tries to Halt Abortion Bill|author=M. Fernandez|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/26/us/politics/senate-democrats-in-texas-try-blocking-abortion-bill-with-filibuster.html|newspaper=''[[The New York Times]]''|date=June 25, 2013|accessdate=March 9, 2014}}</ref> In 2011, Sheets supported two other anti-abortion measures. One forbids state funding of agencies which perform abortions. The other requires that a woman undergo a  sonogram before procuring an abortion. This legislation is based on the view that a woman could change her mind about an abortion once she witnesses the development of the unborn child through the latest technology.<ref name=votingrecords/>​

Sheets in 2013 supported the ban on [[abortions]] after five months of [[gestation]]; the measure passed the House, 96-49. He also supported companion legislation to increase medical and licensing requirements of abortion providers.<ref name=votingrecords>{{cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/117472/kenneth-sheets#.UyuVL8tOUfg|title=Kenneth Sheets' Voting Records|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=March 21, 2014}}</ref> These issues brought forth an unsuccessful [[filibuster]] in the Texas State Senate by Wendy Russell Davis of Fort Worth, known by her conservative critics as "Abortion Barbi" who in 2014 was the Democratic nominee for [[governor]] against the successful Republican candidate, [[Greg Abbott], a former state attorney general.<ref>{{cite news|title=Filibuster in Texas Senate Tries to Halt Abortion Bill|author=M. Fernandez|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/26/us/politics/senate-democrats-in-texas-try-blocking-abortion-bill-with-filibuster.html|newspaper=''[[The New York Times]]''|date=June 25, 2013|accessdate=March 9, 2014}}</ref> In 2011, Sheets supported two other anti-abortion measures. One forbids state funding of agencies which perform abortions. The other requires that a woman undergo a  sonogram before procuring an abortion. This legislation is based on the view that a woman could change her mind about an abortion once she witnesses the development of the unborn child through the latest technology.<ref name=votingrecords/>​