Open, Campus Carry Bills Pass Senate Panel
by Morgan Smith, The Texas Tribune – February 12, 2015
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect committee passage of the bills.
A crowd of Second Amendment rights activists, survivors of gun violence, students, concerned parents, and law enforcement officers showed up at the Texas Capitol on Thursday to give lawmakers their views on two high-profile gun bills.
After a hearing that lasted almost eight hours, the Senate State Affairs Committee passed bills that would lift a ban on concealed handguns at university campuses (Senate Bill 11) and allow license holders to carry holstered handguns openly (Senate Bill 17). Both measures passed 7-2, with the committee’s two Democrats voting against, and now proceed to the full Senate.
Colin Goddard, who was shot four times during the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting in which 32 students and faculty members died, was among those who spoke. He asked lawmakers not to use the Virginia Tech tragedy to justify campus carry bills.
“We survivors do not think that it is a good idea to have guns on campus,” he said. “There is no evidence that a bill like SB 11 would do anything to stop a mass shooting, but SB 11 would make the average day on campus more dangerous in an environment where students are dealing with failing grades, alcohol abuse, relationship problems.”
Several police chiefs also testified against the measures, saying they would strain law enforcement and make it difficult to identify perpetrators at the scene of a crime.
Open carry would create a “huge fiscal burden” on police departments, said Chief Art Acevedo of Austin, both in the additional training needed to educate officers and resources needed to respond to increased calls involving firearms.
Will Johnson of Arlington gave senators DVDs with a video clip of open-carry activists interfering with police duties. His city is the home of Open Carry Tarrant County, one of the most vocal gun rights groups.
Though gun rights supporters from a variety of groups across the state voiced their support for the bills, some made clear they would like even fewer restrictions than the legislation proposed.
“I believe that the right to bear arms is a right. I don’t think we should have to ask for permission,” said TJ Fabby, a former Texas House candidate from Waxahachie. “Your job is not to keep us safe, it’s to keep us free. Please, stop making us come to you for permission to exercise our rights.”
Also among them was Kory Watkins, an activist with Open Carry Tarrant County who has earned notoriety around the Capitol for being kicked out of a lawmaker’s office on the first day of the legislative session.
“I will walk around until my feet bleed to make sure you are never an elected official again,” Watkins said to lawmakers who opposed allowing open carry without a license.
His two minutes of testimony concluded without a single question from senators.
On the issue of campus carry, senators got dueling views from the chancellors of the state’s two flagship university systems on whether allowing concealed handguns would affect student safety.
Neither Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp, nor University of Texas System Chancellor William McRaven appeared in person before the Senate State Affairs Committee, but senators read aloud letters from both on “campus carry” legislation.
Sharp said campus carry did not raise safety concerns for him, a view that contrasts with that of McRaven, who sent his own letter to legislators in late January, cautioning that such a law would create “less-safe” environments.
But Sharp made clear he was only speaking for his own university system — and that his primary interest was in properly funding higher education.
“The real question is this: “Do I trust my students, faculty and staff to work and live responsibly under the same laws at the university as they do at home?” Sharp wrote. “Of course I do! However, properly funding the higher education of these students is the only issue that counts!”
Ryan McCrimmon and Eva Hershaw contributed to this story.
Disclosure: The Texas A&M University System and the University of Texas at Austin are corporate sponsors of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at http://www.texastribune.org/2015/02/12/gun-hearing/.
Tom Sellers Named Texas Tech Alumni Association President
Tom Sellers was recently named President of the National Board of the Texas Tech Alumni Association. Sellers said he was honored and humbled. Sellers was elected to the 30-member board six years ago. He’ll serve a one-year term and then an additional year as Past President. Sellers said the Tech Alumni Association has a membership of about 30,000. Sellers said Lubbock is much bigger than his hometown Sulphur Springs but he said the cities were similar in that they both have lots of friendly people.
[pb_vidembed title=”” caption=”” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZL_8SMSOuo” type=”yt” w=”640″ h=”480″]
Josh Davis Returns to Sulphur Springs Antiques Auction for a Special Valentine’s Day Show Saturday at 7 p.m
Local Elvis Tribute Artist Josh Davis returns to Sulphur Springs Antiques Auction for a special Valentine’s Day show Saturday at 7 p.m. Davis recently competed in The Ultimate, one of the biggest contests for Elvis Tribute Artists, finishing third in Kansas City and second in Wichita, Kansas. Davis just recently finished recording five new CD’s featuring Josh doing gospel and country versions of Elvis’ songs.
Como Mayor Gary Anderson Encourages Community Involvement
City of Como Mayor Gary Anderson, who is not seeking another term, is encouraging city residents to file for city office. With about two weeks left to file, no one has filed to run for mayor or for two council seats up this time. Applications are available in the City Secretary’s Office. There is no filing fee. Anderson says although the city has struggled in the past, it is now in good shape. Deadline to file is February 27.
[pb_vidembed title=”” caption=”” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMqLi5Y6hlE” type=”yt” w=”640″ h=”480″]
Jail Project Under Budget, Sales Tax Bill Moves Forward
Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom says a bill is ready to be filed in Austin to allow the county to fund its’ $16-million jail project with an increase in local sales tax. State Senator Bob Hall will present the bill in the Senate and then State Representative Dan Flynn will do so in the House. Judge Newsom says the project is now only 11 days behind schedule despite 21 bad weather days and should still be finished in October. He says the project is under budget and the judge guesses it may end up several hundred thousand dollars under budget in the end.
Aggravated Assault Trial of Jarrod Smith Ends in a Mistrial, DA Will Try Again
February 13, 2015 – A jury in Hopkins County’s 8th District Court deliberated for six hours Wednesday before saying they were at a stalemate in an aggravated assault trial. District Judge Eddie Northcutt declared a mistrial. 41-year old Jarrod Arnold Smith of Pine Forest was on trial for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Smith is accused of shooting a woman who was then his wife in 2012. District Attorney Will Ramsey said there were three aggravated assault charges pending against Smith. Ramsey said he would be bringing at least one of them back to court in the future.
Jarrod Arnold Smith AKA Jarred Arnold Smith
Hopkins County Environmental Issues
The Hopkins County Environmental Committee works closely with schools throughout the county. I talked about that with two members of the Environmental Committee, AgriLife Extension Agent Dr. Mario Villarino and also Yvonne McDaniel.
[pb_vidembed title=”” caption=”” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJYxLF3zuf8″ type=”yt” w=”640″ h=”480″]
Como Mayoral Race Wide Open
Gary Anderson is the current mayor of the city of Como. He is not seeking another term and he is concerned that not a single person has filed for either mayor or for two council positions. Filing with the City Secretary will continue until February 27. I talked with Anderson Thursday morning.
SS Dodge Donates $5000.00 to MADD
Jeff Shelton, the General Manager of Sulphur Springs Dodge presents a check for $5000.00 to the local chapter of MADD.
Top row in pickup: Left to Right: Sgt. Eddie Moon, SSPD, Deputy Kelly Wiser, Daryl McAllister, S. S. Dodge, Chris Ford, S S Dodge
Standing Left to Right: James Hulen, April Landers, Linda Galligher, Kimberly Gerald, Lisa Sawyer, Becky Hicks, Jeff Shelton, S. S. Dodge, Autumn Henson, S.S. Dodge, Leslie Watson, Exec. Director Madd, Kelli Martinez, Madd East Texas Walk Manager, Carla Holmes, Robert Pigge, S.S. Dodge
Downtown Business News, Vol. 1
Sherry Cotton, continuing a family tradition, has opened the Potato House at 204 Connally.
Steve and Carrie Nuckolls have purchased Everything Unique and are in process of rebuilding the store fronts. The entrance on Gilmer is open while the front is being renovated.
John Heilman reports that work will begin soon on the two store fronts on the east side of Davis St, across from Muddy Jakes. When complete, it will be the new home of Mama Faye’s BBQ. it will feature outdoor dining on a rooftop patio.
Jim McElroy tells us that work will commence soon on his new building on the east side of the Knights Head Inn. It currently is just an empty hole.
And one more. We know that this iconic building has changed hands, but we have no idea what the new owner has planned for it.
