Frank-enstein and the Homeland Security State
May 27th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
San Antonio Republican Rep. Frank Corte seems to have made his first hurdle. He got enough conferees to sign the new version of SB 11, which includes some of the worst parts of both that bill and the governor’s homeland security bill, HB 13. Special thanks to Kingsville Democratic Rep. Juan Escobar, who could have stopped this atrocity, but chose instead to sign the report.
This bill will officially reverse more than a century of Texas tradition, dating back to the constitution of 1876. Fort Worth Democratic Rep. Lon Burnam, who was promised a role in negotiations on the bill, but was then shut out, warns that it “statutorily legitimizes the politicized law enforcement operations in the governor’s office.”
Gone is the language that would take TDEx, a database on millions of Texans away from the governor and give it instead to a genuine law enforcement agency, DPS. The bill also legitimizes “the fusion center” concept. This massive data center will also be controlled by the governor. In the fusion center, the governor will have at his disposal both public and private databases on Texans. This could potentially include everything from what magazines you read to traffic tickets and arrests.
There are several points of order lined up on this bill. But with Terry “Over Keel” Keel and Ron Wilson as parliamentarians, it’s anyone’s guess what a sustainable point of order is these days. It is eligible at 11:58 p.m. In order to take it up, Corte will need 2/3rds of House members to say yes.
Here are a few of the other low-lights in the bill:
The bill would allow photos taken of cars as they pass through toll booths to be used for any criminal investigation.
The wiretapping provisions in the bill are removed from the bill — sort of. They are literally crossed out in pen on the conference committee report. Senate sponsor Sen. John Carona insists this is a mistake and wiretapping is truly no longer in the bill.
In section 503.0631, there is a new $20 tax that dealers can charge for temporary license tags.
The same section creates yet another database. This one will manage vehicle titles and registrations.
The bill also allows the governing boards of private institutions of higher education to create their own police forces. We guess the dental and podiatrists police forces needed company. It is assumed this new police force is being created to handle potential protesters at George W. Bush’s presidential library at SMU.
May 28th, 2007 at 7:25 am
Jake, what effect did the Sunday night walk-out have on SB11 and HB 13, if any? Had they already been reconciled and passed?
May 28th, 2007 at 9:37 am
They were not approved, but they can still suspend the rules today (Monday) - we still need 50 members to oppose it, or else some serious luck, for SB 11 to die.
May 28th, 2007 at 9:54 am
Thanks for the response. I’ve lived in Texas all my life and have watched the Lege in wonderment most of that time. But I do not understand the parliamentary details. Do the House and Senate Bills have to be morphed together somehow, and sent back to the House? If so, what are the chances there of defeat, given the shambles the House seems to be in? (I am appalled at having to admit I don’t understand how bills get enacted or the intricacies of the process. So many of those guys in the Lege seem so stupid, yet they seem to get it…..)