clemsonu0219
Member
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2008
- Messages
- 237
allows concealed handgun permit holders to carry on college campuses including classes and dorm rooms! Good job helping lead the way!!!
Edit: (and Utah)
Edit: (and Utah)
GOOD JOB TEXAS... new law...
- Thread starter clemsonu0219
- Start date
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CoRoMo
Member
I thought Utah beat you guys to the punch.clemsonu0219
Member
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2008
- Messages
- 237
Correct. Utah has had virtually the same law for I think over 2 years...btw I'm not from Texas
Guess I should have said it better, thanks for helping me... and thanks to Texas and Utah for helping lead the way!!
haha, fixed.
Guess I should have said it better, thanks for helping me... and thanks to Texas and Utah for helping lead the way!!
haha, fixed.
maroast
Member
Yes, but its another step in the right direction. Our movement is starting to gain some serious momentum at the state and federal level.... Lets keep pushing forward to regain our rights.
clemsonu0219
Member
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2008
- Messages
- 237
Agree. I was president of SCCC @ East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. I have recently moved back to my home state of South Carolina. I know it was in the state Senate over a year ago but I'm not familiar with whats been happening recently. Once the country FINALLY NOTICES that when these laws are implemented, (i.e.- Texas and Utah) school shootings DECREASE, maybe others will jump on board.
As it stands, Oregon has no laws that prohibit CCW on campuses, but as the Western Oregon University incident shows, administrations are likely to expel students for carrying on campus.
Basically, it boils down to "what they dont know wont hurt 'em, but pray you never have to use it"
Basically, it boils down to "what they dont know wont hurt 'em, but pray you never have to use it"
clemsonu0219
Member
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2008
- Messages
- 237
oh boy
This thread makes me think the bill hasn't passed the House yet, only the Senate. Doesn't sound like it is law yet.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=451179
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=451179
TexasRifleman
Moderator Emeritus
Nope, not law yet. House has not voted. Not even out of calendar committee yet.
rhenriksen
Member
- Joined
- May 14, 2009
- Messages
- 63
We're not quite there yet. The House initially killed the bill. The senate passed it, then kicked it back to the House. There is about a week left where HOPEFULLY it will get out of committee & back to the floor of the House for a vote. Right now the backers have exactly 50% of the house members signed up to vote for it.
So it's not signed into law by the governor yet. Too early to celebrate.
So it's not signed into law by the governor yet. Too early to celebrate.
It's actually been around for quite some time. It received national attention a couple of years ago when some of the illigitimati that had found their way into academia at the U of U tried to contest the law and ban handguns on their campus. It didn't work out as well as they had hoped (that is to say not at all). They've been trying since to kiss up the the state legislature and get them to re-write the laws so as to allow the ban, but it has (thankfully) not worked for them.
TehK1w1
Member
It has not passed yet, and if the House members don't start actually listening to their constituents, it's not likely to. They are trying to delay everything until it is too late.
Greybeard
Member
What was in my "Inbox" this morning:
--- On Fri, 5/22/09, W. Scott Lewis <[email protected]> wrote:
From: W. Scott Lewis <[email protected]>
Subject: Texas Senate Bill 1164 (Clarifications and a Final Update)
Date: Friday, May 22, 2009, 1:09 AM
Attention Texas Supporters of Concealed Carry on Campus:
Thank you for bearing with us yesterday as we sent out more SB 1164 updates than most people could keep up with. As you probably noticed, the updates were put out in such rapid succession and passed through so many hands (NRA to TSRA to SCCC to me to you) that some of the notices picked up errors along the way (i.e., incorrect bill numbers), and some of the notices contained information that quickly became useless (i.e., some phone lines became so jammed that it soon became pointless to try to call those numbers). We were all doing our best to keep you updated on the latest twists and turns in this rapidly developing situation, and that, unfortunately, came at the cost of a little confusion and a lot of full inboxes. Now that the confusion has cleared, I want to update you on exactly where we stand.
As you probably know by now, Texas Senate Bill 1164, better known as the “guns on campus,” “campus carry,” or “concealed carry on campus” bill, was passed by the Texas Senate Wednesday afternoon. The bill now has until 11:59 PM Saturday to be scheduled for a floor vote in the Texas House and until 11:59 PM Tuesday to receive a preliminary vote in the Texas House.
Just prior to adjournment yesterday (Thursday, May 21, 2009), the bill received its first reading (a formality) in the Texas House of Representatives and was assigned to the House Committee on Public Safety. According to Rule 4, Section 11(a) of the “Rules and Precedents of the Texas House,” the Public Safety Committee is not required to hold a public hearing on SB 1164 because they already held a public hearing on House Bill 1893, which was “substantially the same” as SB 1164. That means that the Public Safety Committee could vote on SB 1164 in an informal meeting as early as this morning (Friday, May 22). The Public Safety Committee can report favorably or unfavorably on the bill, but because they previously voted favorably on HB 1893, they’re expected to vote favorably on SB 1164 (more on this below).
If the Public Safety Committee reports favorably on the bill, that report will go to the House Committee on Calendars. It’s then up to the Calendars Committee to schedule the bill for a vote by the full House of Representatives. This is the most crucial step of the process. As previously stated, the deadline to schedule bills for a floor vote by the full Houses is 11:59 PM this coming Saturday. If the Calendars Committee doesn’t schedule SB 1164 for a vote before that deadline, the bill dies. And that’s not the only way the Calendars Committee could kill the bill. They could also place SB 1164 so far down the House calendar that there is no possible way the House will reach it by 11:59 PM this coming Tuesday, which is the deadline for bills to receive the first of two required votes in the House.
The only way to be certain that the House will reach SB 1164 before the Tuesday deadline is for the Calendars Committee to place SB 1164 on the House MAJOR calendar, rather than the House general calendar. Bills on the major calendar are always voted on first. This means that we need to vigorously and persistently push the members of the Texas House Committee on Calendars to place Senate Bill 1164 on the House MAJOR calendar AS SOON AS IT GETS TO THEM.
For the reasons mentioned above, the members of the Calendars Committee should be the first legislators you contact (starting with Committee Chair Brian McCall of Plano).
THE TEXAS HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CALENDARS (firmly but politely push these members to place Senate Bill 1164 on the House MAJOR calendar AS SOON AS IT GETS TO THEM):
http://www.house.state.tx.us/committees/list81/050.htm (click on a Representative’s name or photo to view his or her contact info).
After contacting the members of the Calendars Committee, you should call the three members of the Public Safety Committee who have indicated that they’re not entirely sure how they’ll vote on SB 1164. The fact that the Public Safety Committee passed HB 1893 is no guarantee that it will pass SB 1164. The vote on HB 1893 was close, and our opponents are focusing on these members of the Public Safety Committee, in an effort to kill the bill before it ever reaches the Calendars Committee.
MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY WHOM YOU SHOULD CONTACT:
Rep. Tryon D. Lewis - http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist81/lewis.php
Rep. Phil King - http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist61/king.php
Rep. Hubert Vo - http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist149/vo.php
Finally, if none of the Representatives mentioned above represent your district, you should also contact YOUR State Representative:
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/officials/congress/
When you contact your State Representative, be sure to mention that you live in his or her district. When it comes to controversial bills like this, legislators hear from voters from all over the state, so you want to make sure and let your Representative know that you’re actually one of his or her constituents. The opinions of constituents always carry a lot more weight with legislators.
Also, when talking to any legislator about this issue, be sure and mention if you happen to be a college student, a college professor, a college employee, or a parent of a college student (or soon-to-be college student). The opinions of people personally affected by bills typically carry a little more weight with legislators.
The links above contain the phone and fax numbers for both the Representative’s Capitol offices and their district offices. Unless you live in a Representative’s district, you should try contacting his or her Capitol office first. The links also contain forms for emailing the legislators. Emails to legislators are often dismissed as less significant than phone calls and faxes or not read at all, so email should only be used if you can’t reach a Representative’s office by phone or fax or if you want to supplement your call or fax to the Representative.
Thanks again for all you’re support and hard work. We’re almost to the finish line, so don’t let up now!
Sincerely,
W. Scott Lewis
Former National Media Coordinator for Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC)
PS. As always, anyone who is unfamiliar with or unsure about this issue can review the "Students for Concealed Carry on Campus Handbook: Texas Edition" here:
http://www.StudentsForConcealedCarryOnCampus.com (PDF version)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/11922308/S...-Texas-Edition (Flash version)
--- On Fri, 5/22/09, W. Scott Lewis <[email protected]> wrote:
From: W. Scott Lewis <[email protected]>
Subject: Texas Senate Bill 1164 (Clarifications and a Final Update)
Date: Friday, May 22, 2009, 1:09 AM
Attention Texas Supporters of Concealed Carry on Campus:
Thank you for bearing with us yesterday as we sent out more SB 1164 updates than most people could keep up with. As you probably noticed, the updates were put out in such rapid succession and passed through so many hands (NRA to TSRA to SCCC to me to you) that some of the notices picked up errors along the way (i.e., incorrect bill numbers), and some of the notices contained information that quickly became useless (i.e., some phone lines became so jammed that it soon became pointless to try to call those numbers). We were all doing our best to keep you updated on the latest twists and turns in this rapidly developing situation, and that, unfortunately, came at the cost of a little confusion and a lot of full inboxes. Now that the confusion has cleared, I want to update you on exactly where we stand.
As you probably know by now, Texas Senate Bill 1164, better known as the “guns on campus,” “campus carry,” or “concealed carry on campus” bill, was passed by the Texas Senate Wednesday afternoon. The bill now has until 11:59 PM Saturday to be scheduled for a floor vote in the Texas House and until 11:59 PM Tuesday to receive a preliminary vote in the Texas House.
Just prior to adjournment yesterday (Thursday, May 21, 2009), the bill received its first reading (a formality) in the Texas House of Representatives and was assigned to the House Committee on Public Safety. According to Rule 4, Section 11(a) of the “Rules and Precedents of the Texas House,” the Public Safety Committee is not required to hold a public hearing on SB 1164 because they already held a public hearing on House Bill 1893, which was “substantially the same” as SB 1164. That means that the Public Safety Committee could vote on SB 1164 in an informal meeting as early as this morning (Friday, May 22). The Public Safety Committee can report favorably or unfavorably on the bill, but because they previously voted favorably on HB 1893, they’re expected to vote favorably on SB 1164 (more on this below).
If the Public Safety Committee reports favorably on the bill, that report will go to the House Committee on Calendars. It’s then up to the Calendars Committee to schedule the bill for a vote by the full House of Representatives. This is the most crucial step of the process. As previously stated, the deadline to schedule bills for a floor vote by the full Houses is 11:59 PM this coming Saturday. If the Calendars Committee doesn’t schedule SB 1164 for a vote before that deadline, the bill dies. And that’s not the only way the Calendars Committee could kill the bill. They could also place SB 1164 so far down the House calendar that there is no possible way the House will reach it by 11:59 PM this coming Tuesday, which is the deadline for bills to receive the first of two required votes in the House.
The only way to be certain that the House will reach SB 1164 before the Tuesday deadline is for the Calendars Committee to place SB 1164 on the House MAJOR calendar, rather than the House general calendar. Bills on the major calendar are always voted on first. This means that we need to vigorously and persistently push the members of the Texas House Committee on Calendars to place Senate Bill 1164 on the House MAJOR calendar AS SOON AS IT GETS TO THEM.
For the reasons mentioned above, the members of the Calendars Committee should be the first legislators you contact (starting with Committee Chair Brian McCall of Plano).
THE TEXAS HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CALENDARS (firmly but politely push these members to place Senate Bill 1164 on the House MAJOR calendar AS SOON AS IT GETS TO THEM):
http://www.house.state.tx.us/committees/list81/050.htm (click on a Representative’s name or photo to view his or her contact info).
After contacting the members of the Calendars Committee, you should call the three members of the Public Safety Committee who have indicated that they’re not entirely sure how they’ll vote on SB 1164. The fact that the Public Safety Committee passed HB 1893 is no guarantee that it will pass SB 1164. The vote on HB 1893 was close, and our opponents are focusing on these members of the Public Safety Committee, in an effort to kill the bill before it ever reaches the Calendars Committee.
MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY WHOM YOU SHOULD CONTACT:
Rep. Tryon D. Lewis - http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist81/lewis.php
Rep. Phil King - http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist61/king.php
Rep. Hubert Vo - http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist149/vo.php
Finally, if none of the Representatives mentioned above represent your district, you should also contact YOUR State Representative:
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/officials/congress/
When you contact your State Representative, be sure to mention that you live in his or her district. When it comes to controversial bills like this, legislators hear from voters from all over the state, so you want to make sure and let your Representative know that you’re actually one of his or her constituents. The opinions of constituents always carry a lot more weight with legislators.
Also, when talking to any legislator about this issue, be sure and mention if you happen to be a college student, a college professor, a college employee, or a parent of a college student (or soon-to-be college student). The opinions of people personally affected by bills typically carry a little more weight with legislators.
The links above contain the phone and fax numbers for both the Representative’s Capitol offices and their district offices. Unless you live in a Representative’s district, you should try contacting his or her Capitol office first. The links also contain forms for emailing the legislators. Emails to legislators are often dismissed as less significant than phone calls and faxes or not read at all, so email should only be used if you can’t reach a Representative’s office by phone or fax or if you want to supplement your call or fax to the Representative.
Thanks again for all you’re support and hard work. We’re almost to the finish line, so don’t let up now!
Sincerely,
W. Scott Lewis
Former National Media Coordinator for Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC)
PS. As always, anyone who is unfamiliar with or unsure about this issue can review the "Students for Concealed Carry on Campus Handbook: Texas Edition" here:
http://www.StudentsForConcealedCarryOnCampus.com (PDF version)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/11922308/S...-Texas-Edition (Flash version)
Greybeard
Member
Some more specific info. as just posted by another member at www.texaschlforum.com
Re: TWO URGENT ACTION ITEMS: Parking lots & Campus-Carry
by CWOOD » Fri May 22, 2009
In calling/faxing/visiting members of Calendars Committee regarding SB730 (parking lot storage) and SB1164 (campus carry) please keep in mind some of the members of this committee authored/coauthored the house companion bills .
SB730
Companion HB1301 was authored/coauthored by the following members of Calendars Committee:
Vice-Chair: Lucio III
Members:Cook
Kuempel (still in hospital from heart attack)
McReynolds
SB1164
THIS BILL IS STILL IN HOUSE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. FOR A LIST OF MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE CLICK HERE:
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/Committees ... eCode=C420
Chair Merritt (supported HB1893)
Vice-chair: Frost (supported HB1893)
Members: Burnham
Driver (wrote HB1893)
King,Phil (supported HB1893)
Lewis
Caraway
Rodriguez,Eddie (my rep and very anti)
Vo
If it gets out of Public Safety Committee, then it will go to Calendars Committee.
Companion HB1893 was authored/coauthored by the following members of Calendars Committee:
Vice-Chair: Lucio III
Members: Cook
Geren
Keffer
Kolkhorst
Kuempel (in hospital)
McReynolds
Please acknowledge their support when asking for action on getting these two bills to MAJOR calendar.
CWOOD
Senior Member
Re: TWO URGENT ACTION ITEMS: Parking lots & Campus-Carry
by CWOOD » Fri May 22, 2009
In calling/faxing/visiting members of Calendars Committee regarding SB730 (parking lot storage) and SB1164 (campus carry) please keep in mind some of the members of this committee authored/coauthored the house companion bills .
SB730
Companion HB1301 was authored/coauthored by the following members of Calendars Committee:
Vice-Chair: Lucio III
Members:Cook
Kuempel (still in hospital from heart attack)
McReynolds
SB1164
THIS BILL IS STILL IN HOUSE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. FOR A LIST OF MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE CLICK HERE:
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/Committees ... eCode=C420
Chair Merritt (supported HB1893)
Vice-chair: Frost (supported HB1893)
Members: Burnham
Driver (wrote HB1893)
King,Phil (supported HB1893)
Lewis
Caraway
Rodriguez,Eddie (my rep and very anti)
Vo
If it gets out of Public Safety Committee, then it will go to Calendars Committee.
Companion HB1893 was authored/coauthored by the following members of Calendars Committee:
Vice-Chair: Lucio III
Members: Cook
Geren
Keffer
Kolkhorst
Kuempel (in hospital)
McReynolds
Please acknowledge their support when asking for action on getting these two bills to MAJOR calendar.
CWOOD
Senior Member
shotmyfoot
Member
Hope it passes! As each day goes by it seems that owning/carrying a weapon in this country makes us more of a third class citizen than the constitution ever intended.
TexasRifleman
Moderator Emeritus
I thought it was already in Calendar.. Bahhhh..
This is not looking good. We're short on time.
This is not looking good. We're short on time.
Greybeard
Member
Another update from my "Inbox":
Dear Supporters:
I'm aware that the subject of my last email said, “Final Update,” so I hope you’ll excuse this brief postscript to that final update.
The Texas House of Representatives typically works through about four or five pages of their overall calendar each day. There are currently three and a half legislative days left until the deadline for Senate bills to receive their first vote in the House. The House currently has 30 pages of unresolved calendar to get through.
Do the math—there is no way that SB 1164 will receive a House vote prior to the deadline (11:59 PM Tuesday, May 26) UNLESS the Calendars Committee places it on the House MAJOR calendar, which would put it on approximately page three of the overall House calendar.
When you call and fax the members of the House Calendars Committee, politely but adamantly push them to place Senate Bill 1164 on the House MAJOR calendar. Also, as soon as you get a chance, please contact the office of House Speaker Joe Straus (V: 512-463-0686 / F: 512-463-0675), and ask him to ask the Calendars Committee to place SB 1164 on the House MAJOR calendar.
Sincerely,
W. Scott Lewis
Former National Media Coordinator for Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC)
Dear Supporters:
I'm aware that the subject of my last email said, “Final Update,” so I hope you’ll excuse this brief postscript to that final update.
The Texas House of Representatives typically works through about four or five pages of their overall calendar each day. There are currently three and a half legislative days left until the deadline for Senate bills to receive their first vote in the House. The House currently has 30 pages of unresolved calendar to get through.
Do the math—there is no way that SB 1164 will receive a House vote prior to the deadline (11:59 PM Tuesday, May 26) UNLESS the Calendars Committee places it on the House MAJOR calendar, which would put it on approximately page three of the overall House calendar.
When you call and fax the members of the House Calendars Committee, politely but adamantly push them to place Senate Bill 1164 on the House MAJOR calendar. Also, as soon as you get a chance, please contact the office of House Speaker Joe Straus (V: 512-463-0686 / F: 512-463-0675), and ask him to ask the Calendars Committee to place SB 1164 on the House MAJOR calendar.
Sincerely,
W. Scott Lewis
Former National Media Coordinator for Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC)
joe817
Member
SB1164, has passed 5-2 in favor of the bill, in the House Public Safety Committee:
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/BillStages.aspx?LegSess=81R&Bill=SB1164
Time is running out fast. Do they work over the weekend, as the legislative session is ending on Tuesday???
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/BillStages.aspx?LegSess=81R&Bill=SB1164
Time is running out fast. Do they work over the weekend, as the legislative session is ending on Tuesday???
Double Naught Spy
Sus Venator
From my Inbox...
Dear *****:
Thank you for contacting me regarding HB 1893 and SB 1164, relating to the carrying of concealed handguns on college campuses.
Like you, I want to ensure the protection of our college students and employees and support our rights under the 2nd Amendment. SB 1164 would allow concealed handgun license holders to carry a licensed handgun on campuses of Texas colleges. I support this bill and would encourage you to track its progress via the Texas Legislature Online at www.capitol.state.tx.us
Please know that I will continue to fight for our 2nd Amendment rights this session. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me again regarding issues of importance to you!
Very truly yours,
Senator Jane Nelson
Dear *****:
Thank you for contacting me regarding HB 1893 and SB 1164, relating to the carrying of concealed handguns on college campuses.
Like you, I want to ensure the protection of our college students and employees and support our rights under the 2nd Amendment. SB 1164 would allow concealed handgun license holders to carry a licensed handgun on campuses of Texas colleges. I support this bill and would encourage you to track its progress via the Texas Legislature Online at www.capitol.state.tx.us
Please know that I will continue to fight for our 2nd Amendment rights this session. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me again regarding issues of importance to you!
Very truly yours,
Senator Jane Nelson
Greybeard
Member
On a 5-2 vote, the House Public Safety Committee approved the Campus Protection Act from the Senate, but the following does not help us at all on the Campus Carry or Parking Lot legislation deadlines.
Democrats use 'chubbing' stalling strategy
By KELLEY SHANNON Associated Press Writer © 2009 The Associated Press
May 22, 2009, 1:11PM
AUSTIN, Texas — Talkative House Democrats used stalling tactics Friday to prevent passage of a voter identification bill they oppose that's scheduled for debate this weekend.
Democrats — who'd warned they would put up a fight to stop the voter ID measure — began talking at length on non-controversial legislation to use up the clock. The Legislature adjourns June 1, and a number of bill passage deadlines are arriving in the next few days.
The Senate already passed a Republican-pushed bill requiring voters to show a photo ID or two non-photo ID alternatives when they cast a ballot. Democrats say that would prevent people without those forms of identification from voting and suppress turnout. If Democrats are going to stop the legislation, it will have to be in the House, where the chamber is almost evenly divided by party.
Veteran Rep. Delwin Jones, R-Lubbock, said Democratic opponents of the voter ID bill were trying to pressure fellow lawmakers to negotiate the legislation, in turn threatening scores of unrelated bills. The delay tactic, using the rules to eat up time, is known as "chubbing."
"In lieu of the filibuster, the House chubs," Jones said. "It keeps a lot of bills from being considered, which puts a lot of pressure on the members who have bills they want to pass."
The House gaveled into session 30 minutes late Friday. Then, after the usual prayer, pledge and welcoming remarks, legislators started in on a long "local and consent" agenda. It's supposed to be a non-controversial agenda of bills that usually breezes along.
But Democrats made it clear they planned to ask lots of questions on those bills and use up all the time permitted — 10 minutes per bill — to slow down the House's work pace.
One Democratic lawmaker during his questioning about a proposed municipal utility district in Waller County brought up a House leadership scandal from the 1970s. Another, questioning a Republican doctor representatives on his legislation, asked about the best remedies for nasal congestion.
Rep. Sid Miller, R-Stephenville, raised a technical point to try to prevent the whole local and consent agenda from being considered so that the House could return to major pending bills, like changes to the top 10 percent college admissions law and, potentially, voter ID, slated for Saturday. He later temporarily withdrew that technical challenge.
"Hopefully we can get back to the people's business and see less chubbing," Miller pleaded, to no avail.
Republicans huddled to talk strategy at the back of the House chamber and in an adjoining conference room, where former Speaker Tom Craddick joined them. The Republicans told news reporters to leave the room.
Rep. Mike "Tuffy" Hamilton, R-Mauriceville, said Republicans were taking a wait-and-see approach, for now.
Speaker Pro Tempore Craig Eiland, a Galveston Democrat, presided over the House early Friday instead of Republican Speaker Joe Straus, as is usually done for a local bill agenda. Eiland reminded lawmakers they had a full three minutes to explain their bills if they wanted to take all the available time.
At one point during the morning stalling, Democratic Rep. Mike Villarreal of San Antonio asked Eiland with a smile: "Mr. Speaker, are we going to break for lunch?"
Lawmakers were told there would be no formal lunch break; there was complimentary shrimp waiting for them in the recently remodeled legislators' lounge.
___
Associated Press writers Jay Root and Jackie Stone contributed to this report.
Democrats use 'chubbing' stalling strategy
By KELLEY SHANNON Associated Press Writer © 2009 The Associated Press
May 22, 2009, 1:11PM
AUSTIN, Texas — Talkative House Democrats used stalling tactics Friday to prevent passage of a voter identification bill they oppose that's scheduled for debate this weekend.
Democrats — who'd warned they would put up a fight to stop the voter ID measure — began talking at length on non-controversial legislation to use up the clock. The Legislature adjourns June 1, and a number of bill passage deadlines are arriving in the next few days.
The Senate already passed a Republican-pushed bill requiring voters to show a photo ID or two non-photo ID alternatives when they cast a ballot. Democrats say that would prevent people without those forms of identification from voting and suppress turnout. If Democrats are going to stop the legislation, it will have to be in the House, where the chamber is almost evenly divided by party.
Veteran Rep. Delwin Jones, R-Lubbock, said Democratic opponents of the voter ID bill were trying to pressure fellow lawmakers to negotiate the legislation, in turn threatening scores of unrelated bills. The delay tactic, using the rules to eat up time, is known as "chubbing."
"In lieu of the filibuster, the House chubs," Jones said. "It keeps a lot of bills from being considered, which puts a lot of pressure on the members who have bills they want to pass."
The House gaveled into session 30 minutes late Friday. Then, after the usual prayer, pledge and welcoming remarks, legislators started in on a long "local and consent" agenda. It's supposed to be a non-controversial agenda of bills that usually breezes along.
But Democrats made it clear they planned to ask lots of questions on those bills and use up all the time permitted — 10 minutes per bill — to slow down the House's work pace.
One Democratic lawmaker during his questioning about a proposed municipal utility district in Waller County brought up a House leadership scandal from the 1970s. Another, questioning a Republican doctor representatives on his legislation, asked about the best remedies for nasal congestion.
Rep. Sid Miller, R-Stephenville, raised a technical point to try to prevent the whole local and consent agenda from being considered so that the House could return to major pending bills, like changes to the top 10 percent college admissions law and, potentially, voter ID, slated for Saturday. He later temporarily withdrew that technical challenge.
"Hopefully we can get back to the people's business and see less chubbing," Miller pleaded, to no avail.
Republicans huddled to talk strategy at the back of the House chamber and in an adjoining conference room, where former Speaker Tom Craddick joined them. The Republicans told news reporters to leave the room.
Rep. Mike "Tuffy" Hamilton, R-Mauriceville, said Republicans were taking a wait-and-see approach, for now.
Speaker Pro Tempore Craig Eiland, a Galveston Democrat, presided over the House early Friday instead of Republican Speaker Joe Straus, as is usually done for a local bill agenda. Eiland reminded lawmakers they had a full three minutes to explain their bills if they wanted to take all the available time.
At one point during the morning stalling, Democratic Rep. Mike Villarreal of San Antonio asked Eiland with a smile: "Mr. Speaker, are we going to break for lunch?"
Lawmakers were told there would be no formal lunch break; there was complimentary shrimp waiting for them in the recently remodeled legislators' lounge.
___
Associated Press writers Jay Root and Jackie Stone contributed to this report.
mljdeckard
Member
Carry on campuses has been legal for permit holders since we went-shall-issue in 1995. What happened a couple of years ago, was some members of the administration of the University of Utah tried to assert that they had the authority to ignore state law and the guidance of the attorney general and ban carry on campus administratively. They got it past one court, (we just blocked the nomination of that judge to the SC of Utah) and were ultimately rebuffed by the state Supreme Court, and forced to (duh) conform to state law like everyone else.
The reason this move in Texas is so good, is that we are screaming loudly enough for everyone else to hear, that the emperor is walking around naked. There's simply no reason that college campuses are less vulnerable to danger nor more holy than any other piece of ground. That a state will be so bold as to reverse such an asinine policy will make others look over and think to themselves: "I thought the emperor was naked too. Since someone else was so brave to say it out loud, it will be much easier for me to join in with them."
The reason this move in Texas is so good, is that we are screaming loudly enough for everyone else to hear, that the emperor is walking around naked. There's simply no reason that college campuses are less vulnerable to danger nor more holy than any other piece of ground. That a state will be so bold as to reverse such an asinine policy will make others look over and think to themselves: "I thought the emperor was naked too. Since someone else was so brave to say it out loud, it will be much easier for me to join in with them."
RockyMtnTactical
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Very good!!
mg.mikael
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Geez! We'll never get a law like that here in the lousy liberal state of Illinois(home of the inept and retarded politicans)
Officers'Wife
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Don't ask, don't tell?
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