SB 905 passed in Senate

[warhorse10_9]

Just in case readers here weren't up to date.

SB 354 passed the senate today as an amendment to SB 1581

See topic:viewtopic.php?f=90&t=44918

[gemini]

hmmmmm.... I guess I can take fewer Tums this evening......

[DaveT]

Birdwell: No for lawmakers’ special gun privilege

By Mike Ward | Monday, May 9, 2011, 01:55 PM

Updated at 1:55 p.m.: Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, just released the following statement on why he voted against allowing lawmakers to carry their concealed weapons in additional places:

“Today, I voted against the Committee Substitute to Senate Bill 905. As a strong proponent of Second Amendment rights, I could not in good conscience grant myself a privilege that I had failed to first grant law-abiding citizens. Concealed handgun license holders are allowed to carry almost everywhere they go. In my judgment, if we are going to expand when and where Texans can legally carry a concealed firearm, we should start with our citizens — not our lawmakers.”

Earlier: Without debate, the Texas Senate today approved a bill to allow lawmakers to carry concealed handguns anywhere, even in places where average Texans cannot.

At a time when legislation allowing concealed-handgun license holders to carry their pistols inside buildings on university and college campuses is stalled, and may not pass, Senate Bill 905 was approved 25-6 in just a matter of minutes.

Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, said the measure that would allow legislators, statewide elected officials, some former legislators and some state employees to carry their concealed weapons in bars, churches and hospitals and at sporting events and other places they are currently prohibited — including businesses that post signs outside saying concealed handguns are prohibited.

“This bill is really about logistics,” Patrick said earlier, when the bill was approved by a Senate committee. “We go from one place to another — maybe five or six places in one evening for functions and events — and we may be faced with either leaving (guns) in the car or taking them inside and violating the law.

“This bill is just to solve that problem.”

Under current law, the more than 461,000 Texans with concealed handgun licenses can carry their weapons in most places, but not at sporting events, in church, at hospitals or in “drinking establishments,” among other locations, including private property where signs prohibit handguns.

Federal and state judges, district attorneys and assistant district attorneys, and county attorneys and assistant county attorneys are exempted from that rule. And Patrick said statewide elected officials and legislators should be exempted, too.

The bill would include former legislators, from the time they leave office until they renew their concealed handgun license, perhaps for nearly four years, and select Department of Public Safety officials who have a handgun license but are not certified peace officers who can carry a pistol everywhere.

The six who voted against the bill were an eclectic mix: Sens. Brian BIrdwell, R-Granbury; Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth; Rodney Ellis, D-Houston; Steve Ogden, R-Bryan; Jose Rodriuguez, D-El Paso, and Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio.

Wentworth, by the way, is the author of the campus-carry bill.

“I guess we were the only ones paying attention,” Ellis said.

[RPB]

The six who voted against the bill were an eclectic mix: Sens. Brian BIrdwell, R-Granbury; Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth; Rodney Ellis, D-Houston; Steve Ogden, R-Bryan; Jose Rodriuguez, D-El Paso, and Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio.

Wentworth, by the way, is the author of the campus-carry bill.

“I guess we were the only ones paying attention,” Ellis said.

Well, maybe Zaffrini wants to carry her pink gun so she can feel safer... so she didn't vote against it

[mgood]

“Today, I voted against the Committee Substitute to Senate Bill 905. As a strong proponent of Second Amendment rights, I could not in good conscience grant myself a privilege that I had failed to first grant law-abiding citizens. Concealed handgun license holders are allowed to carry almost everywhere they go. In my judgment, if we are going to expand when and where Texans can legally carry a concealed firearm, we should start with our citizens — not our lawmakers.”

I like that attitude.

[74novaman]

“Today, I voted against the Committee Substitute to Senate Bill 905. As a strong proponent of Second Amendment rights, I could not in good conscience grant myself a privilege that I had failed to first grant law-abiding citizens. Concealed handgun license holders are allowed to carry almost everywhere they go. In my judgment, if we are going to expand when and where Texans can legally carry a concealed firearm, we should start with our citizens — not our lawmakers.”

I like that attitude.

x2! I'm going to write him a note saying so.

[smtimelevi]

Updated at 1:55 p.m.: Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, just released the following statement on why he voted against allowing lawmakers to carry their concealed weapons in additional places:

“Today, I voted against the Committee Substitute to Senate Bill 905. As a strong proponent of Second Amendment rights, I could not in good conscience grant myself a privilege that I had failed to first grant law-abiding citizens. Concealed handgun license holders are allowed to carry almost everywhere they go. In my judgment, if we are going to expand when and where Texans can legally carry a concealed firearm, we should start with our citizens — not our lawmakers.”

This man is a representative of the people. The others maybe not so much. Any politician who thinks they should be able to carry everywhere because its inconvenient to place their gun in their car shouldnt just change the law for themselves.

[hangfour]

I guess their reasoning is that their safety is important. Gee, as strange as it may seem, that's kind of how I feel about myself and my family also........

ditto ditto ditto.

[hangfour]

I guess their reasoning is that their safety is important. Gee, as strange as it may seem, that's kind of how I feel about myself and my family also........

ditto ditto ditto.

[G26ster]

Once again the so-called representatives of the people disgust me.

[Charles L. Cotton]

You know folks, there is one other alternative to get this to apply to you; run for office in the House or Senate and get elected.

Good idea. Vote against them. Extra points if you vote for yourself!




It would be a little different if they passed campus carry and parking lots in March or April and were now getting around to this. However, the calendar committee is blocking HB750 for almost two months now and the senate has been ignoring SB354 for a long time too. After blocking our civil rights for so long, they turncoat and vote this elitist perk for themselves? It's morally repugnant. I know there are some ethical senators but I live in SD6.

You're wrong; the Senate hasn't ignored SB354 "for a long time." Unlike most bills, it has been repeatedly put on the Intent Calendar so Sen. Wentworth could bring it up if one of the two Senators who agreed to vote to suspend the rules decided to keep their word. SB354 has consistently had 20 votes for passage. There's reason HB750 hasn't come out of Calendars and it's not an anti-gun reason.

Chas.

[Jasonw560]

There's reason HB750 hasn't come out of Calendars and it's not an anti-gun reason.

Chas.

I can't wait to hear the reason once the session is over. If you're willing (or able) to explain it to us.

[Charles L. Cotton]

...goose...gander...

---so amend 750 to add the 905 places for us peon's !!!--- AND Amend to EVERY bill here on out!!

gotta be ok if they got it.



(GRRRRRRRRR !!!!!)

If they vote for themselves and against me now, it's my duty as an American to return the favor in November.

Are you seriously calling for defeat of the Senators who passed campus-carry, employer parking lots and range protection!?

Chas.

[mgood]

There's reason HB750 hasn't come out of Calendars and it's not an anti-gun reason.

I can't wait to hear the reason once the session is over. If you're willing (or able) to explain it to us.

There's been speculation here that it was so it could be attached to something more likely to pass both houses. I bet that's not far from the truth, at least part of it.
Maybe they were keeping HB 750 in their pocket to try only if they were not able to pass it as an amendment to something else.

[Keith B]

...goose...gander...

---so amend 750 to add the 905 places for us peon's !!!--- AND Amend to EVERY bill here on out!!

gotta be ok if they got it.



(GRRRRRRRRR !!!!!)

If they vote for themselves and against me now, it's my duty as an American to return the favor in November.

The problem with the 'If your not with me, you're against me' and then 'vote 'em all out' stance is you end up cutting your nose off in spite of your face. You end up with an unknown in office that is naive who will usually end up floundering or being swayed by those more senior legislators and you find you are in worse shape than you were before. At least with the ones in office now, you can tell where they stand on the issues. Kind of like getting divorced, then re-marrying and realizing the one you had wasn't so bad and the new one is worse.

In Texas, we have a lot of our Senators and Representatives that are pro-gun. Are they the 'I'm voting yes on everything gun related' types? Some are, and some aren't. And, for those that are not 100%, unless you have personal interaction with them and know their every reason for not voting positive on a pro-firearms bill, you can't understand what their reasoning is.

So, IMO anyone who calls for the removal of those that legislators that vote with us on the majority of bills to help regain our rights should be thanked for their support. And, it is our jobs as Pro 2A constituents to help them see our side and convince them to see the err in their ways and vote with us on those bills where they are on the fence or barely on the other side.

Now, for those legislators that are against every firearms bill that comes out?