Is Campus Carry dead? Or is there still hope?

[UpTheIrons]

I got the following play-by-play in my Facebook inbox today from UT Students for Concealed Carry on Campus. Is this accurate, to the recollection of those who watched/listened/were there for the discussion? Do we have a realistic hope of convincing Lucio and Gallegos to get back on board with considering SB 354?

I can understand Lucio's reluctance, after being almost 'forced' to consider the bill after he wanted to reevaluate the new provisions, but is it as simple as a guy taking his toys and going home after having his feelings hurt, or is there more going on here?

I know the Woods-ites (or whatever they're called) are out in force, but we've GOT to have the upper hand on this, numbers wise. How many people do we each need to twist the arms of to get this bill back on the floor? Reminds me of the time a guy told me "Pastor, the silent majority is standing behind you," to which I remarked "Being silent sure doesn't help much - majority or not."

Background:

SB 354 by 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.

*Senator Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury) (Co-author)
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

[RPB]

As Charles said in another thread "Not dead ... not even in trouble"

Woods is acting big on TV

Meeting tonight at UT Austin with some legislators and others

lots going on still. some (most) can't be posted on a public thread read by Johnny Woods and the Brady Bunch.

People need to write, call, fax and e-mail.

LOTS of bills were "withdrawn" today ... I think Ellis was pretty unhappy no one liked one of his ...
There's still plenty of "polly ticking" goin' on.

[UpTheIrons]

As Charles said in another thread "Not dead ... not even in trouble"

Woods is acting big on TV

Meeting tonight at UT Austin with some legislators and others

lots going on still. some (most) can't be posted on a public thread read by Johnny Woods and the Brady Bunch.

People need to write, call, fax and e-mail.

LOTS of bills were "withdrawn" today ... I think Ellis was pretty unhappy no one liked one of his ...
There's still plenty of "polly ticking" goin' on.

Good. I've been too busy to follow all the threads, and too busy, really, to make too many calls. I don't want our opponents to learn too much, either, which is why I even hesitated to post what I got earlier today.

I guess the big thing is getting people to call, write, etc. I'm taking the time right now to mail bomb my address book with the note above, too see if I can get a few more people to help drown out the anti-freedom people who oppose this bill.

Thanks for the update, RPB!

[UpTheIrons]

I just sent the following to 25+ people in my address book. Hopefully some of them will make some calls/send some emails/shoot of some faxes. I added what I posted above to the end of this note :

I'm sending you this note because I think you might think the same way I do. You may have a CHL, or be considering getting one. Either way, I see you as someone who will stand up for Second Amendment rights and issues.

Please consider contacting your state senator (and as many of the senators listed below as you can) about SB 354, Sen. Wentworth's bill allowing the carrying of a concealed handgun on college campuses.

Contrary to what you've heard on the radio, seen on TV, and read in the papers, this bill is NOT about handing out guns to incoming college freshmen and allowing them to run amok, getting drunk at frat parties and shooting people in their dorms, in class and intimidating their professors.

All that SB 354 would do is allow those who are already licensed by the state to carry a concealed handgun to enter the buildings on a college campus. Current Texas law allows CHL holders to carry a gun ON the campus, but they CANNOT enter any of the buildings, just like they cannot enter elementary schools, courthouses, post offices, and the like.

The arguments framed by the Brady Campaign, John Woods, and other anti-rights groups focus on what they call "the danger to our children", as if adults at college aren't smart enough to think for themselves. I'd like you to consider the possibility of someone who attends college at night, or the college senior who leaves the library after dark and has to cross, say, Guadalupe Street in Austin to get to her apartment (where there have been a number of assaults in the last several months).

Still not sure what you think about the bill? Read this story about Amanda Collins and consider how the lives of three women might have turned out differently if she had been allowed to cary her concealed handgun late one night after a night class: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/04/08/op ... ada-woman/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's quite ironic that the Texas State Senate is advancing a bill (SB 905) that would grant current and former state legislators the right to carry their concealed handguns anywhere they go (even places off-limits to ordinary CHL holders) while SB 354 languishes because two senators went back on their word.

Again, all SB 354 does is allow current CHL holders (all of whom have been trained, fingerprinted, and background checked) to carry their concealed handguns across the imaginary line that marks the doorways of college campus buildings. There is nothing special about that line that keeps lawbreakers out, why should the law abiding be punished?

Please feel free to pass this on to whomever you think might be interested in supporting the rights of ALL Texans to decide for themselves how they want to protect themselves, rather than relying on campus security or police who can't be everywhere at once.

By the way, the House companion bill, HB 750, is languishing in the Calendars Committee again where it died last session, so calls to the appropriate people on that committee wouldn't hurt either. I'll send another note with that contact info later.

Thank you for your consideration, and below is the state of affairs as they stand now (Wednesday, April 13).

[RPB]

Very good E-mail.

[UpTheIrons]

Very good E-mail.

Thanks! I almost can't believe I wrote it myself. Probably got lots of good ideas from the threads here.

[Oldgringo]

Very good E-mail.

Thanks! I almost can't believe I wrote it myself. Probably got lots of good ideas from the threads here.

Well thought out and well spoken. PROST!

[RPB]

Dr. Suzanna Hupp on the Fox news tonight supporting the bills
Luby's survivor
Former Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives.
She represented District 54 (Bell, Burnet, and Lampasas counties) for ten years; until 2007 (Used to be a Democrat District)
She had a "Book signing" today...
"From Luby's to the Legislature: One Woman's Fight Against Gun Control"

[baldeagle]

Here's an idea. There are 14 Senators who were co-authors of SB 354. How about if they just tell the other Senators, if you want any other bill to come to the floor, you will not oppose SB 354 or we will stop all of your bills from coming up for a vote. 14 against means that they don't have the 21 votes necessary to get a bill to the floor. Two can play this game.

[aggiedev]

Here's an idea. There are 14 Senators who were co-authors of SB 354. How about if they just tell the other Senators, if you want any other bill to come to the floor, you will not oppose SB 354 or we will stop all of your bills from coming up for a vote. 14 against means that they don't have the 21 votes necessary to get a bill to the floor. Two can play this game.

As much as I want SB 354 to become law, I cannot support ideas such as this as they represent exactly what is wrong with our system. I would prefer that each bill become law on its own merits, but realize that there will always be "politics as usual." However, I don't think that we should wish bills to be "held hostage" if they are good bills. Just my $0.02 and barely even worth that.

[baldeagle]

Here's an idea. There are 14 Senators who were co-authors of SB 354. How about if they just tell the other Senators, if you want any other bill to come to the floor, you will not oppose SB 354 or we will stop all of your bills from coming up for a vote. 14 against means that they don't have the 21 votes necessary to get a bill to the floor. Two can play this game.

As much as I want SB 354 to become law, I cannot support ideas such as this as they represent exactly what is wrong with our system. I would prefer that each bill become law on its own merits, but realize that there will always be "politics as usual." However, I don't think that we should wish bills to be "held hostage" if they are good bills. Just my $0.02 and barely even worth that.

I agree with you 100%. The problem is that the Senate has a rule that is completely unfair. Eleven Senators can prevent any bill they want from coming to the floor. That is wrong. The rule needs to be abolished. But so long as that is the rule, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. I have no problem with Senators voting against the bill. If it doesn't pass, it doesn't pass. But it should not be held hostage to politics and never allowed to be debated or voted upon. THAT is wrong, and THAT is what is wrong with politics today.

I have the same problem with the House Calendars Committee. They meet in private and vote in secret and completely control what gets voted on and what doesn't. NO ONE should have that kind of power over our lives.

[aggiedev]

I agree with you 100%. The problem is that the Senate has a rule that is completely unfair. Eleven Senators can prevent any bill they want from coming to the floor. That is wrong. The rule needs to be abolished. But so long as that is the rule, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. I have no problem with Senators voting against the bill. If it doesn't pass, it doesn't pass. But it should not be held hostage to politics and never allowed to be debated or voted upon. THAT is wrong, and THAT is what is wrong with politics today.

I have the same problem with the House Calendars Committee. They meet in private and vote in secret and completely control what gets voted on and what doesn't. NO ONE should have that kind of power over our lives.

[Ameer]

Here's an idea. There are 14 Senators who were co-authors of SB 354. How about if they just tell the other Senators, if you want any other bill to come to the floor, you will not oppose SB 354 or we will stop all of your bills from coming up for a vote. 14 against means that they don't have the 21 votes necessary to get a bill to the floor. Two can play this game.

As much as I want SB 354 to become law, I cannot support ideas such as this as they represent exactly what is wrong with our system.

You can also argue it is wrong not to do that. According to many ethical standards, them blocking your bill from being debated means they want you to do the same for their bills.