That Texas TSA Anti-Groping Bill

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After making national headlines last month the Texas anti-TSA legislation that aimed to prevent intrusive touching by agents of the Federal government through criminal prosecution under Texas State law went down in flames once the Department of Justice stepped in and threatened a no-fly zone over the state.

The outcry from Texans, as well as the rest of the nation, was apparently heard by legislators, and Texas may get another shot:

It’s now up to Texas Gov. Rick Perry to rescue the nation’s travelers from the indignity of x-rated airport screening at the hands of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). On Tuesday, a state House of Representatives committee is scheduled to consider revised legislation holding blue-gloved bureaucrats criminally liable for grabbing the private parts of passengers without probable cause or consent. For the measure to proceed further, however, Mr. Perry would have to formally add it to the list of bills considered during the special session now under way.

State Rep. David P. Simpson, the bill’s author, believes that ought to be the natural thing to do for Mr. Perry, author of the book, “Fed Up! Our Fight to Save America from Washington.” Mr. Simpson’s legislation merely clarifies that federal agents do not have a blank check to violate the Lone Star State’s criminal statutes while acting without explicit orders from Congress – no such orders exist. “This is not nullification,” Mr. Simpson explained to The Washington Times. “There is no federal law we’re contravening. We’re seeking to protect the citizens of Texas from an overreach – literally – of a federal bureaucracy that’s gone wild.”

TSA is so brazen that the most perverted aspect of the job has become a selling point used in advertisements: “A career where x-ray vision and federal benefits come standard – become a Transportation Security Officer.”

Source: Washington Times

The Campaign for Liberty urged residents of Texas to take immediate action on the issue via an email alert:

Rep. David Simpson, author of the original TSA Anti-Groping bill, has 102 co-sponsors for the Special Session bill HB 41. 18 Texas Senators support Sen. Dan Patrick’s Senate version of the bill, SB 29.

Now more than a simple majority of our Texas Representatives and Senators support the Anti-TSA Groping legislation, which means that HB 41 and SB 29 will pass if these bills are brought before the Special Session by Governor Rick Perry. But we must act quickly to tell the Governor the support he has been waiting for is now there – before the Special Session ends. Perry has said that he won’t add the bill unless the support is clear. Now we can see there is no excuse, no reason to delay any longer!

Let’s keep the pressure on Governor Perry!

Call Governor Rick Perry’s office – (512) 463-2000 or (512) 463-1782 – and let him know we have confirmation that 18 Senators now support the Anti-TSA Groping Bill, SB 29. Tell him we have the simple majority that is required to pass the legislation during the Special Session. Ask what we can do to help ensure that HB 41 (formerly HB 1937) and SB 29 make it to the Special Session.

Source: Market Ticker

The State of Texas has 31 Senators and 150 House Representatives. According to the support above, that means a majority exists in both Houses to get this legislation passed.

Governor Perry says that he’ll put the bill on the floor if he sees clear support for it.

Is Governor Perry blind, or does he have no intention of getting this bill in front of the legislature? We ask because the Senate and the House ARE the people, and they clearly support this legislation by a majority.

It’s time to stop talking like a Conservative Constitutionalist, and start taking action.

We can’t help but feel that Mr. Perry is just playing games here, but we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.

So, just in case Mr. Perry doesn’t feel that the People’s intentions on this matter are overwhelmingly represented, we urge Texans (and even out of staters) to contact Governor Perry’s office about what you think.

Call, email, spread the word to friends. If Texas fails on this issue, so too does the nation. If Texas can stop the TSA, other states will fall in line, and the proposed “no fly zone” threatened by the Federal government can then be bypassed, as states that do not submit to TSA procedures may respond by creating “free fly zones” accessible from select non-grope airports (this is just one solution that might work).

This isn’t just about groping at airports. This is about preserving the 4th amendment of the United States Constitution:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Passage of this legislation can set a precedent that leads to further nullification of unjust, unconstitutional and flat-out illegal federal laws.