The legislators are all in Austin, mostly we meet with their staff, especially chief of staff or their 2A staffer if they have one. I have been able to get a few minutes with a legislator when I am at the Capitol in between committee meetings or going to the floor.

Sometimes you can get a Zoom meeting with the legislators chief of staff.

https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2021/04/20/gov-abbott-wont-say-if-he-backs-permitless-carry-bill/7307463002/

Thanks, I just sent Kevin an email.


Yeah man I'll send you a PM.

I would suggest both the DMN and Statesman are hoping to undermine Gov. Abbott so he gets primaried and has to spend some of his considerable resources prior to the General election.  There’s zero chance he won’t sign this bill.

I don’t believe 99% of what the media says anymore, especially about Republicans or covering for the DUMBocrats. The Statesman is one of the worst newspapers I have even seen, I used to be a regular reader of newspapers, but after reading the Statesman for a few years I quit subscribing. A Jr. high could put together a better newspaper.

The Houston Comic gives the Stupidman a run for its money.

Most articles are just copied from the AP (All Propaganda).  It has the look and layoff of a web page for a county flea market, and seizes up if you look at it the wrong way.

Look, Constitutional Carry was never going to be a top down process, where Abbott or Patrick said the Legislature should pass it, and twisted arms for it.  It was always going to be a bottom up process, where individuals contacted their elected reps and asked and asked for it, showed up at hearings, made calls, etc.

And so far it's been very successful.  Had a hearing in the House, a first for CC, and then passed the House by a wide margin with Democrat support.  Now onto the Senate, where Patrick, as with open carry and campus carry, will have to be dragged kicking and screaming like a little girl who wants to eat just ice cream for dinner (vote to keep the power on all the time), and not have to eat vegetables (in this case, bills supported by some of the most dedicated voters in the Republican party).

Abbott will sign it, or he's finished for any other office.  If the Senators tell Patrick they need to vote for it to get the heat off their backs, he'll not obstruct it, same as for open and campus carry.

Keep the Heat on the Seat of Lt. Governor Patrick.  

He's trying to Claim he's a "Tough Texas Conservative" but he needs to show he is not "All Hat & No Horse" on this one.

As was pointed out - blocking Texans from "Will Issue CHL" cost Ann Richards her office ...

BIGGER_HAMMER

Houston Chronicle tells Austin American Statesman "Here! Hold My Beer & Watch THIS!!!"  ...

My friend is a pastor in Leander and he's putting in work with his congregation and community to get them contacting reps.

I contacted mine, but I knew she was on board, already.


Attached File

Our new Lt. Governor!!!!

Today Senator Schwertner filed another Constitutional Carry bill SB 2244. This is after the filing deadline. He could have signed onto SB 540, interesting. Off to research the bill..

No bill number listed yet, interesting I wonder if Schwertner is feeling the heat.

Seems a lot of work instead of just supporting the bill that passed the House.  

When you contact your Senators, ask them for a decision about CC by next week, as they or their staff have had plenty of time to read HB1927 and make their decision on if they support it or not.  Too many are trying to treat the bill as Schrodinger's Cat, with them neither supporting or rejecting the bill.

I think he is just stalling, trying to run out the clock and accomplish nothing. He could just support HB1927 which only needs to pass the Senate, but instead he is pushing his own thing which will need to pass both the Senate and then the House.

I don't know the fine print on how he Senate works, but lets say all these marginal republicans push this Senate bill instead of HB1927, could this get to the floor of the Senate and then there some some procedural objection by a Democrat to get the bill thrown out since it was filed after the deadline. Those republicans could then go on to say how they support the 2nd amendment but the Democrats just got their way because of "dirty tricks."

Dan Patrick and the Senators need to be blasted, tell them we won't accept any of their games, support HB1927 or be held responsible for Constitutional Carry failing.

I agree.  The time to file CC bills was two months ago.  

Hb1927 is a solid bill that’s been vetted in committee and via 7 hours of comments and amendments on the House floor.

No need to ponder this or wring their hands.   Have the bill heard in the State Affairs Committee (Sen Hughes), we’ll pack the house again with 90 speakers, then onto the floor for a record vote.  Too many Republican, Patrick most especially, trying to extoll their 2nd Amendment virtues, without having to cast a vote that would make the media write bad things about them.


Keep the heat on.  Make Patty decide who’s most likely to vote for him next year - gun owners or gun grabbers.

There was already a Senate CC bill SB 540. It is pretty close to HB1927. We have been trying to get the State Affairs committee to have a hearing on it. Then when HB 1927 passed the house we ‘hot potatoed’ it to the Senate.

More voicemails left.

Good man, thanks.

I called Patrick again today. When I call again I'll ask the nice lady what the yay/nay ratio is.

Excellent, keep the heat on.

Remember, only .01 percent or such of the voter base ever actually calls or emails their reps - even a few calls carries an oversized weight.

Just got off the phone with Dan Patrick's staff. It's been moved into committee. And shocker- he doesn't have a stance on it.

keep calling

Interesting.  What committee is it going to, State Affairs?  Did they say when (if) they are going to have a hearing on it?

Crap I didn't ask.  Will call again soon.

Looks like it got referred to Senate Committee on Constitutional Issues.

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=87R&Bill=HB1927

Not sure what this means.  Almost all the other gun bills, and the Senate's own CC bill, SB 540, were sent to State Affairs.  Maybe be a dodge, may be a way to move it forward.  I need to look at who's on that committee.  The Chair is Sen. Charles Schwertner, who Don said was fiddling around with a CC bill on his own.  

Doings a transpiring.

Huh. Interesting.

Hard to guess without inside knowledge of who's a strong pro gun person on that committee, etc.

CC isn't really a state constitutional issue.  I wonder if Patty is trying to steer CC toward being on the ballot instead of having to like, vote for a strong pro-gun bill.

One of the members of the Constitutional Issues committee, Bob Hall (District 2, Edgewood), had filed Senate Joint Resolution 24, which would amend the Texas Constitution to prohibit the legislature from requiring a license or permit for the wearing of arms.

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=87R&Bill=SJR24

Wonder if plan is to say "There aren't the votes for CC (cuz Patty and 3 or more R's don't want it).  But we'll propose a Constitutional Amendment, pass that out of the Senate, and either hope the House doesn't get around to passing it, or if they do and it's voted for by the voters, then our hands are clean".

Buckingham and Hall are both super pro-gun. Schwertner is pretty strong but not like Buckingham and Hall

Seems a dodge.  The most logical place for 1927 would have been State Affairs, which has heard most if not all of the gun bills, plus the Senate's CC bill was placed there.

Also, it's been 8 days since CC passed the House, and only just now being referred to a Committee?  Only 5 weeks left in the session so 17% of the time was spent just doing that.

I just sent another round of emails to Patrick and Nelson. This is the 3rd time I've written Jane Nelson and don't have a reply.

UPDATE!!!

Just got off my Daily Phone Call with "Miss Helen" (VERY Nice older lady who answers the Lt. Governors Phones) and she said that Lt. Governor Dan Patrick HAD REFERRED CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY To the Committee TODAY!!  

Not sure when we will get the HEARING or the VOTE on it from the Committee, but putting the Heat to the Seat got some PROGRESS for US!!

Time to WORK THE PHONES for the COMMITTEE to VOTE it FORWARD OUT of Committee and onto the Senate Floor for a VOTE!!!

Great Work for Everyone of Us who Called, E-mailed and Wrote!  

Keep it Up and let's get this PASSED in 2021!!  

BIGGER_HAMMER

EDITED to Add

BREAKING NEWS!!!!  

I think it's less exciting that you think - see my above posts.  It's been referred to a State Constitution committee - may be trying to ice CC this session by putting it on the ballot for the voters.  Avoids having to actually pass it, while claiming to be pro-gun.  We shall see.

I read SB 2224 by Schwertner, they are calling it a Constitutional Carry bill. I don’t think it is anywhere near as good as HB 1927. HB 1927 you read for 5 minutes and tell what it does. Reading SB 2224 is like Chinese arithmetic, you read it and your eyes glaze over.

Also this committee is not a regular committee, but at least their are some real solid pro-gun people on it. The real problem is I do not trust Dan Patrick at all.

What’s the lates that the Senate could vote on it?

Full Senate?  Maybe middle of May or end.  Session ends end of May is my understanding, and there will be a crush of more important (to everyone else) bills to pass at the end.

I'm disappointed in her as well. I don't like to make threats of primaries and the like but maybe it's time to up it. And if I say it I will do it (not me running of course).

I would figure it needs to be passed no later than 3 days before the end of the session.

Email and / or call their 2nd Amendment staffer.  The official first last @ senate email must be read by a staffer, as it has to get 1000 emails a day.  

Ask them if your Senator has decided on supporting HB 1927.  And if no answer, ask when they will decide, and that after a certain amount of time you're going to consider that a no.

I am wondering how an attack on Dan Patrick would be going on YouTube. While most state senators are not well known out of their district, Abbott, Patrick and   Paxton make the national tv rounds a lot. Might be worth attacking Patrick as the fake conservative that he is.

Yeah, it's too cute and clever.  If Patty wanted the bill to pass, he'd just go with HB 1927, voted on in the House, vetted with 7 hours of talk on the floor, and ready to go.

Now, yesterday, another bill gets filed, and it will have to be heard in the Senate, passed (if it can, then why not pass HB1927), then reconciled with the House bill.  All in 5 weeks.

Doable if leadership wants it - or lots of ways to claim they are for it and "well, we just ran out of time".

I'll wait to see what GOA and Rep Schaefer have to say about this bill and how it's different.

I don't know about doing that.  

First Rule of Politics is never F' with somebody who can F' Up the project you are working on...

I'm with you 100% that I don't trust Dan Patrick (A "Conservative Texas Republican" © ) one bit more than I could shotput his broad ass across the Colorado River, but sometimes you have to use the tools you have and "abusing" them before you are finished with them...  Not really a Very Good Idea ... (IMHO.)

I'd really say to keep up what we have been doing which is a Torrent of Concerned Registered Republican Voters Calling, E-mailing, Appearing in Committees & Generally staying ACTIVE in support of Constitutional Carry and letting our Political Creatures KNOW that WE CARE, WE VOTE & that THIS is THE Issue we are WATCHING this legislative session.  Politely & Professionally informing said Politicians that if Flub this - they no longer have the Support, Contributions and especially the VOTES of ourselves or our our Family & Friends.

Remind them that Constitutional Carry is HUGELY Popular with REAL Texas Conservatives (cementing their Reputation as Authenic Texas Conservatives Vs. being another lying liberal RINO) and will be a huge boost to them (if they can get it passed) when their re-election comes back around in gaining support of the actual VOTERS (Conservative Republicans) who will actually VOTE for them.

As for myself, I'm going to try to get the "System" to work (as it should), before throwing a bomb that could bounce back in our faces ...    

BIGGER_HAMMER

Read SB 2224, it is a train wreck. I would call it Constitutional Carry in name only, just like Patrick is a RINO. GOA does not like it because it does nothing.

These attacks would be going into the primary, not now. You can’t vote Patrick out now.

What's a quick difference between them?  Seem like CC means you can carry without a permit.  Lots of weasle wording to make it not really viable to do so?

SB 2224 had way too much weasel wording in it.

Go to the GOA website and read the 4/24 action alert, there are links there to contact your Senator and Patrick the weasel.

https://texas.gunowners.org

Done.  Plus had 4 other people send in emails of support.  Thx for all the hard work and updates.

My mother and friendlies at work have the numbers now.

Good job, pass this out on all your gun lists. If I get an email from someone’s list I know I did a good job.

Also if you have few bucks donate to the GOA on the link. Remember Wayne doesn’t need anymore suits.

$10, $20 to the GOA does a lot.

USED GOA link to send following


Dear Lt. Governor Patrick & Senator Taylor,

I was very disappointed to learn that Lt. Governor Dan Patrick has just submitted a "Poison Pill" bill (SB2224) version of Constitutional Carry instead of proceeding with the House's Bill HB 1927 which passed easily and could be on it's way to the Govenors desk if it just gets a vote in the Senate.

Come On Lt. Governor Patrick - Don't knee cap your own supporters - Gun Owners in Texas are THE most law abiding & Conservative Voters to be found.  If anyone is going to vote straight ticket Republican up and down the ticket, it is Texas Gun Owners.  I have voted for Senator Taylor repeatedly and for Lt. Governor Patrick several times.

However, that voting & support can stop with this legislative session if my "Conservative Republican Lt. Governor" can't do something so very simple as move HB 1927 forward to the Floor for a Vote.  

Substituting SB 2224 as a Poison Pill is just NOT going to cut it.  Texans expect better and 19 OTHER states have already passed Constitutional carry without issues.  While leftist cry about "blood in the streets" & "Shootouts at the Supermarket" those claims are just as false was when Texas passed Concealed Carry, and then later passed Open Carry.  All the Leftist claims that there would be violence proved to be completely overblown & false.

Lt. Governor Patrick - Let's get this turned around and do the Right Thing - bring HB 1927 to the Senate Floor for a Vote!  Dump that Poison Pill of SB 2224 and show us Voters that you really ARE a Texan we should vote for.

Senator Taylor - I have full & complete faith that you will Represent me as a lawful Texas Gun Owner and vote FOR HB 1927 True "Constitutional Carry" in this legislative session.  I believe you will advocate for this bill & the freedom & safety it brings to your constituents such as myself & my family.

Gentleman, I'm a 60 year old professional who sees absolutely No Reason that Texans can't enjoy the same freedom & safety that 19 other states provide their citizens.  If Oklahoma & Kansas can do it, there is no reason Texas can't!

Let's MAKE IT HAPPEN THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION!  I, & many other Texas Gun Owners, WILL BE WATCHING & VOTING ACCORDINGLY if the Texas Senate can move it's version of HB 1927 to the Governors Desk.  

If something that simple is beyond the power of the Lt. Governor, then I'll keep that in mind when I vote in the next Primaries.

Sincerely,


BIGGER_HAMMER

I'm beyond Pissed at our "Republican" Lt. Governor...

Good note thanks.  

I'm in District 11 as well, and working on a Tuesday PM Zoom call with Taylor's staff about CC.  Holler at me via PM if you want an invite once I set it up.

And here are the Yes votes, so far, for CC via HB 1927:

Senator Bob Hall (R – SD 1)
Senator Bryan Hughes (R – SD 2)
Senator Brandon Creighton (R – SD 4)
Senator Angela Paxton (R – SD 8)
Senator Kelly Hancock (R – SD 9)
Senator Lois Kolkhorst (R – SD 18)
Senator Brian Birdwell (R – SD 22)
Senator Dawn Buckingham (R – SD 24)
Senator Charles Perry (R – SD 28 )
Senator Drew Springer (R – SD 30)

10 of 18 R's

If your Senator is not on the list, holler at them.  Post here if you need contact info for them.

The other 8 are:
Robert Nichols - SD 3
Paul Bettencourt - SD 7
Larry Taylor - SD 11
Jane Nelson - SD 12
Joan Huffman - SD 17
Lois Kolkhorst - SD 18
Donna Campbell - SD 25
Kel Seliger - SD 31