Update From This Week In The Texas Legislature
May 5, 2017
Removing Impediments To Your Right To Bear Arms
This week, the Texas House of Representatives passed very important legislation removing impediments to your right to bear arms. SB 16, a bill I carried in the House, drastically reduced the state fee for a License to Carry (LTC). I had discovered that Texas had the 3rd highest fee in the nation with a $140 application fee and $70 renewal fee. As passed, the application and renewal fee would be set at $40, or $8 per year, the approximate cost to the state for managing the criminal history check and licensing process.
To read more about this legislation, CLICK HERE.
HB 3784 will allow the classroom portion of the LTC instruction and the written test to be taken online. In addition to passing the written portion, HB 3784 requires at least 1 hour of live range training with a certified instructor. This bill will give citizens another option and eases access to the written portion of the exam while providing beneficial handgun training on the firing range.
Governor Abbott Signs HB 89, Anti-BDS Legislation Into Law
I have been working on this legislation for over a year and am delighted that it is the first bill signed into law this session of the Texas Legislature. Governor Greg Abbott signed into law House Bill 89, known as Anti-BDS (Boycott, Divestments, and Sanctions) bill, which prohibits all government agencies from contracting with, and certain public fund from investing in, companies that discriminate against Israel. The signing was hosted at the Shalom Austin Jewish Community Center on May 2, which also marks Israel’s Independence Day.
Texas now has the strongest Anti-BDS law in the nation. As our 4th largest trading partner, friend and ally, this bill’s passage reaffirms that Texas stands with Israel.
The official signed bill and pen used by Governor Abbott which I will be delivering to Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Convention Of States Legislation
Today, SB 21 was passed out of the Texas House. This important legislation was added as an emergency item by Governor Abbott.As many of us would agree, the federal system of government that must respect and defer to the inherent rights of the states is broken. Washington is spending beyond the means of its citizens, seizing power from the states, and taking liberty from the very people to whom it is accountable.
Also passed today on the emergency calendar was SJR 2 – which is the resolution that actually calls for the Article V convention of states.
Alongside SJR 2, which is the formal application to Congress for a convention of states, SB 21 provides structural guidelines and procedures by which Texas delegates would be chosen and how those delegates would operate if a convention of states were called.
This bill is particularly critical for Texas as we have no current standards under which to act in the event of a convention of states actually being convened.