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To Texas gun owners, the most important committee in the Texas House of Representatives is the Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee. This is where all gun-related bills are assigned, as well as those bills impacting our ability to defend ourselves, our families and our property. So it is with great interest that I watch committee announcements every session.

In a surprising move, Republican Joe Straus, Speaker of the House, appointed El Paso Democrat Joe Pickett (A-Rated) as chairman. Vice-Chairman is Republican Allen Fletcher (A-Rated) who everyone expected to be Chairman. The remainder of the Committee members are:

Tony Dale (R-Cedar Park; AQ-Rated) (Freshman)
George Lavender (R-Texarkana; A-Rated)
Dan Flynn (R-Van; A+ Rated)
Tim Kleinschmidt (R-Lexington; A-Rated)
Kenneth Sheets (R-Dallas; A-Rated)
Ron Simmons (R-Carrollton - AQ-Rated) (Freshman)
Philip Cortez (D - CQ-Rated) (Freshman)

At first blush, all of the A's and A+'s appear encouraging for Texas gun owers, but only time will tell. When a committee chair assignment surprises everyone, including the person made chairman, it does give one pause. Let's see if Chairman Pickett is a better friend to Texas gun owners than last session's chairman.

Chas.

Copied from Texas Firearms Coalition

Well, although Lavender is on the committee, Pickett himself has problems with open carry (in the past at least).

I'm worried about the Calendars committee.

Eddie Lucio III is vice chair. There's the whole nut falling from the tree thing.

I would say what I call Little Eddie, but I don't think it's appropriate.

"Pickett himself has problems with open carry".

Lots of us have "problems" with open carry, at least the way the bill was written and filed AGAIN this year. For that reason, and the fact there are far greater priorities impacting far greater numbers of Texans than Texans who would actually commonly OC in public, it's disgusting to think these committees might need to waste precious time on another very poorly written OC bill.

croc870 wrote:Pickett himself has problems with open carry (in the past at least).

Like the way D. Feinstein has problems with AR15s or like the way R. Kelly has problems with the law?

Charles, do you have a good feeling about the way things are going so far on the Gun Bills?

AEA wrote:Charles, do you have a good feeling about the way things are going so far on the Gun Bills?

No, not at all.

Chas.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:

AEA wrote:Charles, do you have a good feeling about the way things are going so far on the Gun Bills?

No, not at all.

Chas.

Is it looking bad across the board, or just on specific stuff? Do you think its some sort of "fallout" from that tragic mess up in Connecticut?

K.Mooneyham wrote:

Charles L. Cotton wrote:

AEA wrote:Charles, do you have a good feeling about the way things are going so far on the Gun Bills?

No, not at all.

Chas.

Is it looking bad across the board, or just on specific stuff? Do you think its some sort of "fallout" from that tragic mess up in Connecticut?

My primary concerns are related to House committees, especially the makeup of the Calendars Committee.

Chas.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:

K.Mooneyham wrote:

Charles L. Cotton wrote:

AEA wrote:Charles, do you have a good feeling about the way things are going so far on the Gun Bills?

No, not at all.

Chas.

Is it looking bad across the board, or just on specific stuff? Do you think its some sort of "fallout" from that tragic mess up in Connecticut?

My primary concerns are related to House committees, especially the makeup of the Calendars Committee.

Chas.

Thank you for the reply. Not too heartening. I sense some back-burnering of certain legislation...that really stinks.

Another 2+2 years wasted?

AEA wrote:Another 2+2 years wasted?

Sure looks that way.

jmra wrote:

AEA wrote:Another 2+2 years wasted?

Sure looks that way.

Although I'm not pleased at this point, don't write off the entire session. My plan is to try to get you folks to turn up the heat at the appropriate time so everyone, our own Reps, the House leadership, everyone, knows we are aware of what happened, why it happened, and how to prevent it from happening in 2015.

Join the Texas Firearms Coalition folks!!

Chas.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:

jmra wrote:

AEA wrote:Another 2+2 years wasted?

Sure looks that way.

Although I'm not pleased at this point, don't write off the entire session. My plan is to try to get you folks to turn up the heat at the appropriate time so everyone, our own Reps, the House leadership, everyone, knows we are aware of what happened, why it happened, and how to prevent it from happening in 2015.

Join the Texas Firearms Coalition folks!!

Chas.

Join TFC: Already done
Just waiting on your say-so, Charles, to contact the powers-that-be.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:

jmra wrote:

AEA wrote:Another 2+2 years wasted?

Sure looks that way.

Although I'm not pleased at this point, don't write off the entire session. My plan is to try to get you folks to turn up the heat at the appropriate time so everyone, our own Reps, the House leadership, everyone, knows we are aware of what happened, why it happened, and how to prevent it from happening in 2015.

Not rewarding Straus again with an "A" would be a start.