As you know, TexPIRG’s mission is to give the people of Texas a voice on a wide range of critically important issues. We’ve worked hard to counter powerful interests that threaten Texans’ health, environment and well-being. With your support, we’ve won many important victories for consumers and our environment over the years.

Yet, with polluters pushing to gut our environmental laws, and banks and HMOs placing increasing costs on consumers, Texans face more challenges than ever. That’s why, after a great deal of thought, we have concluded that the best way to advance all of our work—for both consumers and our environment—is to separate our organization into two distinct groups. TexPIRG’s environmental work is now being pursued by a new organization—Environment Texas. Meanwhile, TexPIRG’s new focus will raise the visibility of our work to protect consumers, rejuvenate our democracy, and watchdog special interests.

With your support, TexPIRG has had a very successful year with this mission. We won new tools for consumers to prevent identity theft by helping pass legislation requiring businesses to notify consumers when faced with Choicepoint-type security breaches. We led efforts to defeat legislation that would have authorized interest rates as high as 780 percent on payday loans.

We helped pass a measure giving Texas families access to cheaper prescription drugs from Canada. And bar and restaurant patrons—as well as the employees of these establishments—can now enjoy their meals or nights out without worrying about the dangers of second-hand smoke, thanks to a new ban on smoking passed by Austin voters in May.

Despite our successes, new consumer rip-offs appear every day and many of the old ones keep reappearing. With your help, we’re looking forward to another year of fighting the scam artists and working to hold government and corporations accountable.