The Texas Attorney General has fired off a brief in the litigation over the right to bear arms in the Waller County Courthouse complex. AG Ken Paxton urges that “Both the law and sound public policy against the chilling of protected speech demand dismissal of Waller County’s claim. He also urges that the Waller County court is without jurisdiction to determine the issue.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has begun the major restructuring dictated by the 2015 Texas Legislature.
HEMPSTEAD, Texas — Second Amendment advocates descended on the Waller County Courthouse to support a fellow Texan who was sued by the County after he served notice on them alleging a violation of Texas gun rights.
HOUSTON, Texas — Texas gun rights activists are converging on the Waller County, Texas, courthouse to protest what they are calling the “tyrannical” actions of the district attorney there. The D.A. sued the founder of Texas Carry, a gun rights organization that sent notices to 76 government entities complaining that officials are violating the law by excluding licensed to carry (LTC) holders. The Second Amendment activists will be engaging in an “open carry protest.”
The presence of a gun rights group at the Texas State Capitol during President Obama’s visit to the SxSW festival elicited members of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense to call for gun violence against the group. Among other incitements to violence, “Just shoot them all,” and “Shoot the a**bags,” they said.
Four people have been arrested in San Antonio for the alleged human trafficking of a sixteen-year-old teenage girl. Three of them have been charged with sexual assaulting her.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott will make his ninth and last stop in Houston, Texas, on Tuesday as part of his statewide Grassroots Tour. The Governor will discuss the successes of the 2015 legislative session. The event is free.
A McLennan County judge named a Waco police detective to serve as foreman over a newly-selected grand jury in Waco. The detective and this grand jury could end up presiding over the Twin Peaks biker cases.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott held a ceremony to sign the toughest and most comprehensive border security plan of any state in the United States of America. The legislative package provides historic levels of funding to secure the border, establishes a Child Sex Trafficking Prevention Unit, strengthens penalties for human traffickers, increases funding for the border protection unit, and seeks reimbursement from the federal government for Texas funds spent on border issues.
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick told the press corps that he would never run for Governor. He said “I will be lieutenant governor and this will be my last position.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill on Tuesday designating a segment of U.S. Hwy 287 in Midlothian as the “Chris Kyle Memorial Highway.” Chris Kyle was a Navy SEAL and author of the New York Times bestseller American Sniper.
Pro-life legislation making it more difficult for Texas judges to bypass parental notification when their children are seeking an abortion is gaining speed in the Lone Star State. The bill is sponsored by Senator Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) and strengthens judicial bypass laws. After four hours of debate on the Texas Senate floor on Memorial Day, it received preliminary approval by a 20-11 vote margin. The bill now goes to a third reading as amended on Tuesday, May 26th.
A long time statutory probate judge in Harris County, Texas, is raising an issue which begs the question of where the legislature’s power over the judiciary begins and ends. It is his opinion, that Senate Bill 1876, relating to appointing attorneys, mediators, or guardians, via a rotating list, is unconstitutional as violative of the separation of powers.
A woman testifying for Moms Demand Action has been called on the carpet for misleading the Texas Senate in that the tragic killing of her husband by her son resulted from the use of a firearm. In reality, her son killed his father with a pipe wrench and a knife.
The “Pastor Protection” bill, designed to protect pastors and their churches when refusing to perform a same-sex marriage, passed the Texas House with bipartisan support. The bill will go immediately to Texas Governor Abbott, who has vowed to sign it.
The Texas Senate passed House Bill 1187 designating a segment of U.S. Hwy 287 in Midlothian, as the Chris Kyle Memorial Highway. The Texas House passed the bill earlier this month. The bill will now go to Governor Greg Abbott for signing and making the bill law.
Women from Moms Demand Action, an anti-gun organization funded by Michael Bloomberg, lined up at the Texas Capitol this week to hypnotize legislators by reading from a prepared script.
A consumer protection bill authored by Senator Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) is designed to eliminate catastrophic weather lawsuit abuse, while ensuring homeowners receive claims payments from insurers that are both fair and timely.
If passed by the Texas Legislature, the bill would have increased pay to either $10.10 an hour, or the federal minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act (currently $7.25 per hour for non-exempt employees), whichever was higher.
A Texas State House Joint Resolution passed Thursday would, if passed by the Texas State Senate, ask the U.S. Congress to call an Article 5 convention, which would propose Constitutional amendments to impose fiscal restraint on the federal government, reduce its powers and jurisdiction, and limit the terms of office for federal officials and members of Congress.
The Texas Senate passed a bill on Tuesday which would protect the rights of certain religious organizations and pastors to refuse participation in marriage ceremonies which violate their sincerely-held religious beliefs. The Governor said he will sign a bill that offers such protection to pastors and ministers.
The Texas State Senate has voted in favor a bill that would ban insurance coverage for abortion. The ban applies to private health insurance plans, including qualified plans offered through health benefit exchanges established by the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”).
Responsible CHL holders in Texas have found themselves in airport security lines and forgot they were carrying a handgun. A bill that passed the Texas State House late last week would forgive concealed handgun license (CHL) holders for airport security slips.
The Berry children from Houston testified before the Senate State Affairs committee on Thursday, telling lawmakers how they were orphaned by a driver who was sending text messages on his smart phone. A bill in the Texas State House would make texting while driving a Class C misdemeanor.
The Texas Senate voted 26 to 5 on Thursday to allow the use of cannabis oil treatment for epilepsy patients. Senator Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler) is the author of the Senate Bill 339. According to the Quorum Report, the Senator said “he is very appreciative of my senate colleagues for passing this bill that gives hope of help for those with intractable epilepsy.”
The Texas State Senate passed a bill on Wednesday that would give Texas law enforcement officers jurisdiction to enforce federal laws intended to – in the words of the bill’s author – “stop illegal alien criminals at the border.”
The Texas State Senate has passed a bill that would establish a sales tax holiday for firearms and ammunition. Senate Bill 228, authored by Senator Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), would create the sales tax holiday on the last weekend in August before hunting season, beginning at 12:01 a.m. on that Friday, and lasting until midnight on the following Sunday.
A bill passed by the Texas Senate on Thursday would take redistricting and school finance lawsuits out of the sole hands of judges in Travis County. The bill, S.B. 455, provides that the Texas Attorney General may petition for the formation of a three-judge panel to hear school finance and redistricting cases.
Under a bill by Texas State Representative Geanie W. Morrison (R- Victoria), co-authored by Rep. Ron Simmons (R-Carrollton), rulings by judges in judicial bypass cases will no longer be kept from the public. Such rulings would be included in a report by the Texas Office of Court Administration which is made public annually. The name of the minor involved would be kept anonymous.
Pastors and their sermons have moved one step closer to protection under Texas law. State Senator Joan Huffman (R-Houston) received unanimous approval for Senate Bill 2048, a bill necessitated by the actions of Mayor Annise Parker when she issued subpoenas to
The Texas State Senate on Tuesday passed an omnibus bill including many of the initiatives from Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s emergency item on ethics reform. In his State of the State Address in February, the Governor repeated a campaign promise to address transparency and ethics in Texas government. Tuesday marked delivery on that promise.
Dan Golvach, told a Texas Senate Border Security subcommittee last week that what he has learned from his son’s murder by an illegal alien is it is “glaringly evident, that the federal government does not seem to be very invested in securing the border.” His testimony came during National Crime Victim’s Rights Week which was observed April 19th – 25th. Other witnesses urged Texas legislators to pass an interstate compact bill because the federal government has failed to do their job “to protect our families.” They testified about the “catastrophic loss” they have faced because of a porous border.
A bill is set to go before the Texas State House of Representatives Monday that would protect individuals from body cavity searches by peace officers unless a search warrant has been issued by a magistrate. The bill, authored by Rep. Harold Dutton (D-Houston), is designed to address incidents in Texas where law enforcement officers conducted body cavity searches during a traffic stop. The bill, H.B. 324, defines “body cavity search” as an inspection that is conducted of a person’s anal or vaginal cavity in any manner.
A bill in the Texas legislature that would mandate government employers provide accommodations for working mothers who pump breast milk, is one step closer to final passage in the State House of Representatives. A voice vote on the measure sailed through the House on Thursday on a second reading and appears on its way to passing.
Four Texas State House Republicans sided with Democrats yesterday and voted against a pro-life amendment to H.B. 2510 which would have banned abortions after 20 weeks where there is an alleged genetic disability of the fetus. The amendment, offered by Rep. Matt Schaefer (R-Tyler), passed by a vote of 83-46.
A police body camera bill passed in the Texas Senate on Thursday by a split vote of 22-8, but faces the Texas State House which has two of its own bills. The bill does not mandate that Texas peace officers use body cams, but mandates uniformity of policies by those using the cameras provided by a grant. The eight Senators that voted against the bill were all Republicans.
Pastors from all over Texas are descending upon the Texas Capitol today to support a Texas House Bill that protects the rights of certain religious organizations and individuals when refusing to perform or to recognize a gay marriage. The Texas Pastor Council has issued a Call to Action for “Pastors At The Capitol” for Wednesday, April 22nd. They will be attending the House State Affairs Committee hearing on H.B. 3567 to “begin challenging the false narrative of the Texas Association of Business that Texas can’t be both business friendly and protect the religious freedom of the people.” The Texas Pastor Council is a part of the United States Pastor Council (USPC).
Texas State Representative Cecil Bell (R-Magnolia) filed a bill in the State Capitol this week to protect the sovereignty of Texas and to defend traditional marriage in this state. The effect of the bill would be to prohibit the use of state or local funds to be used to license or support same-sex marriage. This would include blocking the salaries of any government employee engaged in subverting Texas law regarding marriage.
Lower gas pump prices could mean a loss of jobs and lower tax revenue for the State of Texas. The rapidly dropping gasoline prices are a result of the price of oil dropping into the $55 per barrel range. The
