Texas Senators, Lucio & Gallegos Do Not Keep Their Word on Campus Carry
Houston, Tx –-(Ammoland.com)- Rumors include the Brady Campaign funneling money into Texas to kill CHL on Campus!
Background:
SB 354by Sen. Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio) would allow adult students, faculty, and staff with a concealed handgun license to carry in buildings located on college campuses currently prohibited by Texas law. SB 354 would also stop colleges and universities from creating administrative rules which serve to expel a student or terminate an employee for simply having their licensed handgun in their personal vehicle.
You might be interested in knowing that every college and university in the state of Texas has such administrative rules on the books. That’s what local control buys you: zip, nada, nothing!
Update and Status:
SB 354 became eligible to be debated on the Senate floor last week. TSRA worked to help Senator Wentworth count the required votes to reach the two-thirds rule. The Texas House uses a Calendars Committee which prioritizes and sets the House Calendar; the Senate requires 2/3s of the total senators present to agree to bring a bill up for discussion. There are 31 senators and the required number is 21. The final vote is an up or down simple majority.
It’s a gentlemen’s agreement. I’ll hear your bill even though I might ultimately vote against it, and you’ll hear mine. It also gives power to the minority party and in the case of SB 354, a great deal of power. Two Senators have taken SB 354 hostage, two with help from their “friends”.
Senator Wentworth had counted his votes and turned in his list to the Lt. Governor and we were good-to-go with 22 votes, counting Senator Wentworth.
Governor Dewhurst recognized Senator Wentworth who made the required motion to suspend the rules and consider SB 354.
A debate followed.
The list of senators agreeing to the two-thirds rule included Senator Lucio (D-Brownsville). Senator Lucio requested language that would address a primary, secondary, and child-care facility on one of his college campuses. Over night the language was hammered out and Senator Lucio’s staff believed the correction would address the school’s concerns, would be acceptable to Senator Lucio, and wasn’t harmful to Senator Wentworth’s bill. Good-to-go…
The next day, last Thursday, as Senator Wentworth laid out and began explaining his bill, Senator Lucio decided that he wanted his college to take the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) to review this language and insisted Senator Wentworth hold off.
Wentworth was ready and anxious to get on with it. He would keep the language but did not want to wait three more days. Lucio removed his name from the list and now we were down to 21 but still Good-to-go.
For quite a while the debate continued among those who opposed the bill. This included Senator Steve Ogden (R-Bryan). Ogden insisted that so few students would have a concealed handgun license, how could this number possibly make a college campus more safe. Senator, this is about personal safety! Not policing a college campus.
After a couple of hours a group of senators gathered around Senator Mario Gallegos’ desk. Gallegos was on the two-thirds list. Senator Gallegos supported a similar bill last session and told me he had no problem supporting it again. However, with some pressure from the opposition, he too took his name off and now we were at 20 and below the required number. The wheels came off!
Senators Lucio and Gallegos signed the sheet and pledged to vote for the two-third rule to bring up SB 354. The pledge sheet was submitted to the Lt. Governor’s desk. Nothing happened to cause these two senators to go back on their commitment, their word to Senator Wentworth and to Texans.
Below is the list of contact information for Texas state senators:
Please pay special attention and email and to call Senators Lucio (D-Brownsville), Gallegos (D-Houston), and Ogden (R-Bryan). It’s not a waste of time, it’s important that everyone hears from you but particularly the “opposition”. If you have children or grandchildren in a Texas college let the Senate know this information too.
Senate Contact Part 1
*Senator Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury) (Co-author) u
brian.birdwell@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0122
*Senator John Carona (R-Dallas)
(Co-author)
john.carona@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0116
Senator Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth)
wendy.davis@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0110
*Senator Robert Deuell (R-Greenville) (Co-author)
bob.deuell@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0102
Senator Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock)
robert.duncan@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0128
Senator Rodney Ellis (D-Houston)
rodney.ellis@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0113
*Senator Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls) (Co-author)
craig.estes@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0130
*Senator Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay) (Co-author)
troy.fraser@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0124
Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr. (D-Houston)
mario.gallegos@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0106
*Senator Chris Harris (R-Arlington) (Co-author)
chris.harris@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0109
*Senator Glenn Hegar, Jr. (R-Katy) (Co-author)
glenn.hegar@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0118
Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-McAllen)
juan.hinojosa@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0120
Senator Joan Huffman (R-Southside Place)
joan.huffman@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0117
*Senator Mike Jackson (R-La Porte) (Co-author)
mike.jackson@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0111
Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville)
eddie.lucio@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0127
*Senator Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) (Co-author)
jane.nelson@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0112
Senator Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville)
robert.nichols@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0103
Senate Contact Part 2
steve.ogden@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0105
*Senator Dan Patrick (R-Houston)(Co-author)
dan.patrick@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0107
Senator Jose Rodriguez (D-El Paso)
jose.rodriguez@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0129
*Senator Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo) (Co-author)
kel.seliger@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0129
Senator Florence Shapiro (R-Plano)
florence.shapiro@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0108
Senator Carlos Uresti (D-San Antonio)
carlos.uresti@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0119
Senator Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio)
Leticia.vandeputte@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0126
Senator Kirk Watson (D-Austin)
kirk.watson@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0114
**Senator Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio) (Bill Author)
jeff.wentworth@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0125
Senator Royce West (D-Dallas)
royce.west@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0123
Senator John Whitmire (D-Houston)
john.whitmire@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0115
*Senator Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands) (Co-author)
tommy.williams@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0104
Senator Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo)
judith.zaffirini@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0121
SB 354 is a personal safety bill for concealed handgun licensees. What good is protection with outrageous limitations.
Thanks for your help and join, renew, or upgrade your membership at www.tsra.com or call 512-615-4200.
Keep the Faith!
Sincerely, Alice TrippTexas State Rifle Association
About:
The Mission of the Texas State Rifle Association is to protect and defend the inalienable rights of the individual Texan to acquire, possess, transport, carry, transfer ownership and enjoy the right to lawful use of firearms for self preservation, for the defense of family and property and the common defense of the Republic and the individual liberties of the people. Visit: www.TSRA.com
Legislative Director