SB17 OC Bill On Intent Calendar for 3-16-2015.

[v7a]

Is it fair to assume that he only has the political capital to sabotage one of bills (Open Carry or Campus Carry) and not both? If so, which bill is it more likely he'll sabotage?

[joelamosobadiah]

Is it fair to assume that he only has the political capital to sabotage one of bills (Open Carry or Campus Carry) and not both? If so, which bill is it more likely he'll sabotage?

Before this session got started I really thought campus carry would have a much easier road than open carry. Now with the amount of coverage open carry is getting, I'm not so sure anymore.

[Jasonw560]

Is it fair to assume that he only has the political capital to sabotage one of bills (Open Carry or Campus Carry) and not both? If so, which bill is it more likely he'll sabotage?

Good question. It really puts him (Hunter) in a catch 22. I think it's which ever one his buddy Strauss has been pressured more into sabotaging. As buddy-buddy Strauss apparently is with the university systems, I would guess campus carry. But that puts Strauss into a catch 22 himself.

[AJSully421]

I am sure that we can get a fire mission going if necessary to make Rep. Hunter's phone ring and email sing.

[Jasonw560]

I am sure that we can get a fire mission going if necessary to make Rep. Hunter's phone ring and email sing.

Didn't work last session. However, these bills are being brought up earlier than last session. And calling Rep. Hunter this early in the program never hurts.

[Jason K]

What is the break down of Republicans and Democrats on the calendar committee? It seemed like in the Senate that it was all republicans on board and all democrats against. Is it possible we will see the same thing with this committee?

All the committees of the House are right here: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Committe ... ?Chamber=H" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Click on a committee and it will show you the members, without affiliation. You will have to do your own homework to find out the breakdown. :)

More importantly than just the R/D breakdown is that that the committee chair and members are assigned by the Speaker, and because of the importance of this committee (it is the bottleneck through which all legislation must pass), you can be sure that the Speaker makes sure he appoints very loyal (to him) people. I.e. people that will vote how he wants when they are considering which bills will go to the floor.

Here, I did the work for you:

Position——————Member
Chair:———————Rep. Todd Hunter — Republican, District 32, Corpus Christi
Vice Chair:—————Rep. Eddie Lucio III — Democrat, District 38, Brownsville
Members:
Rep. Roberto R. Alonzo — Democrat, District 104, Dallas
Rep. Byron Cook — Republican, District 8, Corsicana
Rep. Sarah Davis — Republican, District 134, Houston
Rep. Charlie Geren — Republican, District 99, River Oaks
Rep. Helen Giddings — Democrat, District 109, Desoto
Rep. Patricia Harless — Republican, District 126, Spring
Rep. Dan Huberty — Republican, District 127, Kingwood
Rep. Eric Johnson — Democrat, District 100, Dallas
Rep. Ken King — Republican, District 88, Canadian
Rep. Lyle Larson — Republican, District 122, San Antonio
Rep. Four Price — Republican, District 87, Amarillo
Rep. Debbie Riddle — Republican, District 150, Spring
Rep. Eddie Rodriguez — Democrat, District 51, Austin

Totals:
Republicans: 10
Democrats: 5

So if we have problems in Calendars, it won't be with democrats, it will be with republicans.

Cook "represents" my district. I didn't vote for him last election; and, due to his support of Straus, I don't have a reason to vote for him in the next election. His support for this bill might change that. I intend to let him know that....often.

[Jasonw560]

FWIW, he has an A rating fom the NRA.

[mojo84]

FWIW, he has an A rating fom the NRA.

No disrespect to the NRA, I don't put much stock in there ratings. Check out Straus' and others. I think many of the legislators have figured out a way to make sure the dirty work gets done without much diet ending up on them.

I consider the NRA ratings a starting point and go from there. I also need to add, Straus has done some limited good for gun rights. He just had too many cronies to pander to.

[AlaskanInTexas]

I also need to add, Straus has done some limited good for fun rights.

I'm all about fun rights. It should have been included in the bill of rights.

[Charles L. Cotton]

I'm no fan of Straus, but he earned the A rating he received from the NRA and TSRA. We passed a lot of pro-gun bills the last two sessions and he was involved in getting them through the Calendars Committee. The NRA doesn't get hoodwinked; we know every move that is made, both good and bad. If Straus kills bills this session, then he and his supporters will have a problem in 2016. Voting against a proven pro-gun House Member solely because he voted for Straus, is short-sighted. Some did that and got Jonathan Stickland and Huffines. See how much those two get passed this session. Stickland sounded like Grisham and Holcomb shouting from the Capitol steps.

Chas.

[gljjt]

So what I am hearing is that we should be cautiously optimistic with Licensed OC and with Campus Carry making it through Calendars Committee????

[Ruark]

If it passes it will be in spite of his efforts, not because of them.

That's insane, that a major, widely supported, complex piece of legislation would go down the toilet because of the personal whims of a single person. Whatever happened to the concept of "balance of power"?

[mojo84]

Like I said, I do not intend any disrespect towards the NRA. Nor do I think they got hoodwinked. I do recognize Strauss has many masters he must serve and gun rights is not his number one issue. Nor is it the number one issue of some of his many masters. There just isn't enough money in gun rights to make him go to the mat for them. I also realize even the NRA is not infallible and perfect. Nor do I expect them to be.

[Srnewby]

I can't seem to find the link I found this morning on http://www.briebarttexas.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (or something like that). In the article I read, the reporter was assured by Rep. Hunter that if an OC bill got sent to the Calendar Committee, it would get to the House floor. Not sure how reliable the briebarttexas.com site is, but I am optimistic that given the speed with which OC passed the Senate and the momentum behind it at the moment, that OC will get a vote on the House floor.

[v7a]

Breitbart Texas article two days ago

Calendars Committee Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi) has told this writer repeatedly he will move any pro-gun bills through Calendars to the House Floor for a vote.