<P> In 2004, he voted against a measure that would have scaled "back benefits for future public school employees and discourag (ed) early retirement ." He was also critical of investment managers for the Teachers Retirement Fund for taking over $8.2 million in bonuses while the state was slashing funding for education and the system's investments continued to struggle . In 2011, Turner voted against a measure that would have implemented a 6 percent cut to education funding for all schools in Texas, a move that equated to a $4 billion education funding cut . As a member of the legislature, Turner voted against a measure that would allow school districts to lower their salaries, implement furlough days, and increase student - teacher classroom ratios . He also opposed a corporate tax break that many legislators, in the Texas House of Representatives, believed would hurt public school funding . </P> <P> A supporter of the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA), Turner voted against joining the Interstate Health Care Compact, an alternative to traditional ACA participation, and introduced legislation that would expand Medicaid in Texas pursuant to the ACA . Turner warned fellow legislators about the potential backlash from constituents if the state chose not to expand Medicaid, which promised a significant return on the state's investment . One of his major accomplishments in the House was legislation that expanded access to the children's health insurance program, which was passed in 2007 . Turner also passed legislation in 2015 that will free up funding for medical trauma care centers, which have not received the full amount of funds designated to be spent specifically on trauma centers . The legislation will bring $25 million to the Greater Houston area over the next two years, including $11 million to Ben Taub and $10 million to the Memorial Hermann . During the 84th Legislature, Turner introduced legislation that would provide care under Medicaid for people with severe and persistent mental illness and who are transitioning from an institution to the community, and who are at risk of institutionalization or re-institutionalization . </P> <P> Sylvester Turner has long been an advocate for a woman's right to choose . He voted against a measure requiring doctors to perform a sonogram on women seeking an abortion at least 24 hours before the procedures . He has also fought to protect funding for family planning programs and Planned Parenthood . Turner also voted against a Senate version of a measure that banned abortions after 20 weeks and tightened standards on abortion clinics, and also authored an amendment to the bill that would have required the state to pay the costs abortion clinics would incur on the measure to retrofit facilities so they could be certified as surgical centers . In 2013, the El Paso Times described Turner as a "lion of pro-abortion rights ." </P> <P> On gun control, Turner opposed measures to limit lawsuits against gun or ammunition manufacturers, allowing concealed handguns on higher education campuses, and rescinding the authority of local governments to ban concealed weapons on public property . He also opposed measures that would reduce the number of training hours required to receive a concealed handgun license . Turner supported a bill that prohibited the use of state funds for the enforcement of federal firearms regulations . He also advocated abandoning the "pick - a-pal system", where judges appoint commissioners who then can pick whoever they want to serve on grand juries . </P>

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