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SB1164 just passed the Senate on a 19 to 12 vote with one amendment exempting "teaching" hospitals.

Chas.

SB1164 only passed to the third reading in the Senate. It's on the Intent Calendar today, but we don't know if we will have 21 votes again. The Senate is in session now.

Chas.

Here is an update on campus-carry. Significantly, the Monday, May 11th deadline isn't for passing the House, it is for bills to be reported out of committee and "received" in the House Calendars Committee. The Calendars Committee then has only three days (May 14th) to set a bill on the House calendar, or it's dead. There are other deadlines that follow closely behind these.

Your calls and faxes, along with some very hard work by Alice Tripp, is paying off. When dealing with the legislature, I don't count anything as certain until it actually happens. However, the House campus-carry bill (HB1893) should be on the House calendar for Monday or Tuesday! Thanks for answering the call to action. It gave our friends in Austin the support they need to get this bill moving. Work is still on-going in the Senate to get SB1164 moving as well.

Getting legislation passed or killed truly is a team effort and you folks are a very big part of that team. I cannot overstate the absolute critical importance of the work that Alice Tripp has done and is still doing. I can't go into detail, but I can say that without her, both campus-carry and employer parking lots bills would have died in committee. Perhaps sometime after the session is over, I will be able to give at least some of the details of what she has done for all gun owners.

Chas.

BigBlueDodge wrote:Campus concealed carry is still very much alive. However, without support from us it could die a quiet death and never make it to the floor. I strongly urge everyone on this forum to read this thread

http://www.texasshooting.com/TexasCHL_F ... 92&t=24501" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and call the senators and house members to ask for their support. I called everyone and it literally took between 2-3 minutes each. Unless you call, a Senator has to make assumptions on what their constituents think about the bill which may be completely different than the true feelings of the constituents. Let these individuals know what you feel. Even if you are not part of their constituency, they need to know what the people of Texas are feeling in general.

This is absolutely correct. If there isn't significant pressure on Chairman Duncan, SB1164 will not get a vote in committee. HB1893 (House version) will if/when it passes the House, but there is no reason not to push both bills. Especially since the House Calendars Committee hasn't set HB1893 for floor debate yet and May 11th is rapidly approaching.

Please act now! Call the House Calendars Committee members and respectfully ask that HB1893 be scheduled for floor debate before it's too late; call the members of the Senate State Affairs Committee(especially Chairman Duncan) and request a vote on SB1164 so it can be voted by the full Senate before time runs out.

This is crunch time folks; please don't assume everyone else will call and that your voice won't make a difference. As NRA/TSRA representatives, we have been and still are doing everything we can on our end, but we need a groundswell of support from everyone, or this bill will die without anyone having to register a vote against it.

Those of you who have been here a while know I don't cry wolf and I don't call for action unnecessarily. When I put out an action item, you can bet 1) it's necessary; and 2) the timing is right, often critical. If you want campus-carry to have a chance of passage, then please get involved.

Thanks,
Chas.

BrianSW99 wrote:Definitely too early to tell for sure, but my initial impression of this mornings session based on the questions asked is that Sen. Duncan could possibly support it if the language in the bill could be satisfactorily amended to remove any ambiguities, particularly relating to the prohibition of carrying at collegiate sporting events.

There is no ambiguity and that is what worries me about Senator Duncan's questions. SB1164 is very clear:

• 1. You can carry on a college campus;
  2. The institution can regulate the storage of firearms in on-campus dorms and and residential housing;
  3. The prohibition on carrying at a collegiate sporting event found in TPC §46.035(b)(2) is still applicable, but only if a 30.06 sign is present.

DPS attorney Steve Moninger's testimony about a potential conflict between the definition of "premises" and "activity grounds" is utterly bogus and he knows it. He and I have talked about that very issue.

This alleged ambiguity is a red herring folks.

Chas.

Pinkycatcher wrote:Did anybody record it? How did it go? I was in class this morning and missed the whole debate.

It will be available on the legislative website, but I don't know if it will be today or tomorrow.

Chas.

Keith B wrote:Marsha 'Brady' McCartney is getting hammered by the questions from Sen. Deuell!!

Senator Deuell is doing a great job for us! There's a reason he has an A+ rating.

Chas.