TWO URGENT ACTION ITEMS: Parking lots & Campus-Carry

[gemini]

Called McCalls office and the girl tried to shuffle me off to committee ph.numbers. I was nice but
insisted she pass my message to McCall. She was borderline rude.
Called Straus office in S.A. The girl was very nice. She said they were collecting this info
from calls and would pass it along to Speaker Straus. Surely the speaker has influence, use it now.

[pdubyoo]

I called Chairman McCall's Austin number and had no trouble getting through. The woman who answered was very pleasant but repeatedly downplayed McCall's role in the matter. She kept stating that "there are 12 other members on the committee." I told her that I'd heard that he had tagged SB730, and that he personally was seeking to delay it. She denied it, and I stressed that his actions speak louder than her words on the matter. I also let her know that I spoke directly with the chairman back in February - he was very supportive back then, and I expect him to make good on it now.

On SB1164, the aide said that bill was not yet in calendars because it has to pass the House committee first. (Can anyone confirm this?) I confessed I was unsure of whether the bill had made it calendars yet, but added that when it gets there, it needs to get put on the major calendar ASAP.

I have yet been unable to get through to Speaker Straus. All I get is a busy signal.
EDIT: I did manage to speak to one of the Speaker's aides. I let her know that I'm unhappy with how the Republican leadership (and the Calendars Committee in particular) has handled the Campus Carry and Parking Lot bills. I asked that the Speaker use his position of leadership to pressure Rep. McCall and the committee to schedule 730 and 1164 on the major calendar post haste. She didn't ask for my address but did promise to pass along my concerns.

According to the state legislature site (http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup ... ill=SB1164" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), SB1164 passed out of State Affairs Committee and the Senate voted and approved it yesterday. The House rec'd it yesterday (5/20/09) from the Senate.

[Douva]

I called Chairman McCall's Austin number and had no trouble getting through. The woman who answered was very pleasant but repeatedly downplayed McCall's role in the matter. She kept stating that "there are 12 other members on the committee." I told her that I'd heard that he had tagged SB730, and that he personally was seeking to delay it. She denied it, and I stressed that his actions speak louder than her words on the matter. I also let her know that I spoke directly with the chairman back in February - he was very supportive back then, and I expect him to make good on it now.

On SB1164, the aide said that bill was not yet in calendars because it has to pass the House committee first. (Can anyone confirm this?) I confessed I was unsure of whether the bill had made it calendars yet, but added that when it gets there, it needs to get put on the major calendar ASAP.

I have yet been unable to get through to Speaker Straus. All I get is a busy signal.
EDIT: I did manage to speak to one of the Speaker's aides. I let her know that I'm unhappy with how the Republican leadership (and the Calendars Committee in particular) has handled the Campus Carry and Parking Lot bills. I asked that the Speaker use his position of leadership to pressure Rep. McCall and the committee to schedule 730 and 1164 on the major calendar post haste. She didn't ask for my address but did promise to pass along my concerns.

According to the state legislature site (http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup ... ill=SB1164" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), SB1164 passed out of State Affairs Committee and the Senate voted and approved it yesterday. The House rec'd it yesterday (5/20/09) from the Senate.

My understandings of the situation is that the bill must be read before the House (a formality) and then assigned to a committee (presumably the Public Safety Committee, since that's where HB 1893 went) by the Speaker. Then, the committee votes on whether to report favorably or unfavorably on the bill. If the committee reports favorably, that report is passed along to Calendars. Then it's up to Calendars to schedule the bill for a floor vote in the House.

This all has to happen in approximately the next 50 hours.

[Greybeard]

I was able to get a fax to go through to McCall' offices at both the 512-463-5896 and 972-422-9061 numbers.

It took a while, but I did get to a fax to "take" at Straus' 512-463-0675 number. Never could get one through to the 512-463-1064 fax. Maybe out of paper ... Or off hiding under a desk.

[pdubyoo]

I was not able to get a call through to either men, as their voice mailboxes are full. So, I sent e-mail letters via their state legislature web site.

Rep Brian McCall: http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/em ... ian.mccall" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Speaker Joe Strauss: http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/em ... joe.straus" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We might as well inundate them from every angle possible.

[Coogan]

I know the NRA/TSRA has not asked us to, but I am halfway tempted to call Gov. Perry´s office tomorrow morning about this situation. I know he has no control over the legislature, but with his re-election campaign gearing up for the Republican ticket, he may be willing to make some public statements or exert some influence about this mess that could make him look really good with Texas gunowners. I know he wasn´t afraid to make some interesting comments during the Tea Parties.

I would start the call with something like this... ¨Hello, I´m calling Gov. Perry today because Texas gunowners are frustrated with some of the Republican leadership in the House. I know the Governor has no power over the legislature, and I´m not blaming him for anything, but I just want to let him know what´s going on and how I feel about it........¨

I know I´m grasping at straws, but do you guys see any harm in calling his office?

[mikeintexas]

I was not able to get a call through to either men, as their voice mailboxes are full. So, I sent e-mail letters via their state legislature web site.

Rep Brian McCall: http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/em ... ian.mccall" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Speaker Joe Strauss: http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/em ... joe.straus" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We might as well inundate them from every angle possible.

I sent specific e-mails to McCall and Strauss. Then a general one to each member of the Calendar's Committee.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

After receiving an NRA email asking me for my support, I called
Jane Nelson's (represents Lewisville area) Austin office this morning.

I told the female staffer who answered that I was in favor of the
Campus Carry bill, was grateful for Jane Nelson's support so far, and would
like her to continue doing all that she could do to get Campus Carry
passed.

I told her that I was an NRA member, a CHL holder, and I believed that CHL's
should be able to protect themselves while on a college campus.

The gal took my name, full address, and phone number, in case they
wanted to get ahold of me.

The staffer didn't make any particular comments about the process, but
I did get through on the first or second ring, and she seemed gracious.

[Douva]

I called Chairman McCall's Austin number and had no trouble getting through. The woman who answered was very pleasant but repeatedly downplayed McCall's role in the matter. She kept stating that "there are 12 other members on the committee." I told her that I'd heard that he had tagged SB730, and that he personally was seeking to delay it. She denied it, and I stressed that his actions speak louder than her words on the matter. I also let her know that I spoke directly with the chairman back in February - he was very supportive back then, and I expect him to make good on it now.

On SB1164, the aide said that bill was not yet in calendars because it has to pass the House committee first. (Can anyone confirm this?) I confessed I was unsure of whether the bill had made it calendars yet, but added that when it gets there, it needs to get put on the major calendar ASAP.

I have yet been unable to get through to Speaker Straus. All I get is a busy signal.
EDIT: I did manage to speak to one of the Speaker's aides. I let her know that I'm unhappy with how the Republican leadership (and the Calendars Committee in particular) has handled the Campus Carry and Parking Lot bills. I asked that the Speaker use his position of leadership to pressure Rep. McCall and the committee to schedule 730 and 1164 on the major calendar post haste. She didn't ask for my address but did promise to pass along my concerns.

According to the state legislature site (http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup ... ill=SB1164" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), SB1164 passed out of State Affairs Committee and the Senate voted and approved it yesterday. The House rec'd it yesterday (5/20/09) from the Senate.

My understandings of the situation is that the bill must be read before the House (a formality) and then assigned to a committee (presumably the Public Safety Committee, since that's where HB 1893 went) by the Speaker. Then, the committee votes on whether to report favorably or unfavorably on the bill. If the committee reports favorably, that report is passed along to Calendars. Then it's up to Calendars to schedule the bill for a floor vote in the House.

This all has to happen in approximately the next 50 hours.

SB 1164 was just read and referred to the Committee on Public Safety.

[jlangton]

SB 1164 was just read and referred to the Committee on Public Safety.

Good...the entire PS committee gets faxes in the morning.
JL

[Rudy Kohn]

SB 1164 was just read and referred to the Committee on Public Safety.

Alright, good news! For the sake of simplicity, I'll relink the House webpage for the Committee for Public Safety, so nobody has to go looking for it.

http://www.house.state.tx.us/committees/list81/420.htm

[Douva]

For those of you who are interested, here are the House rules governing the Public Safety Committee's vote on this issue:

Rule 4, Section 11. Posting Notice — (a) No committee or subcommittee,
including a calendars committee, shall assemble for the purpose of a public
hearing during a regular session unless notice of the hearing has been posted
in accordance with the rules at least five calendar days in advance of the
hearing. No committee or subcommittee, including a calendars committee, shall
assemble for the purpose of a public hearing during a special session unless
notice of the hearing has been posted in accordance with the rules at least 24
hours in advance of the hearing. The committee minutes shall reflect the date
of each posting of notice. Notice shall not be required for a public hearing on
a senate bill which is substantially the same as a house bill that has previously
been the subject of a duly posted public hearing by the committee.
(b) No committee or subcommittee, including a calendars committee,
shall assemble for the purpose of a formal meeting or work session during a
regular or special session unless written notice has been posted and transmitted
to each member of the committee two hours in advance of the meeting or an
announcement has been filed with the journal clerk and read by the reading clerk
while the house is in session.

[stevie_d_64]

My wife came in a little while ago, and after checking "her" email, she got one that was talking about the Campus Carry bill...

She just told me that the Senate version has "died"...[edit] see the latest post...I believe she mispoke...

Regardless of the validity, the source of that information being a college email notification to those who subscribe to that service, is rather...well...disturbing...Knowing what we are doing to get this process (bills) moving from our standpoint...

I'm going to go look at what she got on this and post it here in a bit...If I can...

[stevie_d_64]

This is what was sent to her thru the UHCL police email system...

DATE: May 20, 2009 20:25:31 CST

Gun Carry On Campus Bill
Status Update
Texas House Bill 1893 allowing Concealed Hand Gun Licensees to carry handguns in campus buildings "died" on the House floor last week. However, the bill had a Senate twin, Senate Bill 1164. Today it squeaked through the Senate 20-11 and it will be sent to the House for debate and perhaps vote (if it makes the voting schedule). The deadline to get it on the house agenda for vote is midnight Tuesday.

I will update you as this bill progresses.

Paul Willingham
Chief of Police

I posted a while back concerning a display in the atrium area of the UHCL campus about the discussion and debate that was studied at this campus, and that the conclusioon was to support these campus carry bills from those participating in this research project...

It appears the overall UHCL campus supports this effort by our legislature, and that obviously those who attend this campus are those in their 3-4 year of studies...So they are a little older and wiser to the issue as a whole...No offense intend to the younger college age folks participating here...This was also the assessment of those in that discussion a while back as well...