Two Women, Three Men Jailed On Controlled Substance Or Related Charge
Two women and three men were jailed Tuesday, March 9, on either a controlled substance or related charge. One was arrested as a result of a traffic stop, one a disturbance and three were from warrant arrests, according to jail reports.
Kyle Street Traffic Stop
Sulphur Springs Police Department Officer Sean Hoffman conducted a traffic stop on a Toyota Corolla at 1:51 p.m. March 9 on Kyle Street at Texas Street.
The 39-year-old Sulphur Springs driver reportedly showed nervous indicators while talking to Hoffman. When asked if she had anything illegal inside the car, Kristina L. Ullman allegedly admitted to having a scale used to weigh marijuana in her purse but said it was her cousin’s scale. Hoffman found two syringes loaded with liquid and blood mixed on them, making it hard for the officer to tell what type of substance the syringe was loaded with, the officer noted in arrest reports.
While she was being booked into Hopkins County jail, a jailer found two bags containing a crystal-like substance suspected to be methamphetamine and a bag containing miscellaneous dangerous drugs, Hoffman alleged in arrest reports.
Ullman was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone, Hoffman alleged in arrest reports. She remained in Hopkins County jail Wednesday morning, March 10, 2021, on both charges, according to jail reports.
Phyllis Court Disturbance
SSPD Officer Tyler Francis responded on Phyllis Court to a disturbance. Upon contact with a 39-year-old Sulphur Springs woman at the location he asked dispatchers to conduct a records check using her ID information.
Katrina Jane Crowson was taken into custody at 4:20 p.m. March 9, 2021, on warrants for bond forfeiture on forgery of a financial instrument and possession of less than 1 gram of a controlled substance charges.
Crowson, who jail reports show is also known by Katrina Jane Humphrey, Katrina L. Lile and Katrina Jane Lile, remained in Hopkins County jail Wednesday morning, March 10, 2021, on both felony charges. She was originally arrested on April 4, 2020, on the forgery and controlled substance charges after police found her with counterfeit currency and heroin at a local business, according to arrest and jail records.
Wanted At Adult Probation Office
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office was notified a wanted person was at the Adult Probation Office in Sulphur Springs.
Deputy Bobby Osornio took Clayton Ryan Hanson into custody at 4:39 p.m. at the Hinnant Street office and transported him to jail. The 23-year-old Sulphur Springs man was booked into Hopkins County jail at 5:15 p.m. March 9, 2021, on the warrant for violation of probation, which he was on for possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, according to arrest reports.
Hanson remained in Hopkins County jail Wednesday morning, March 10, 2021, on the warrant, according to jail reports.
Tuesday was the fourth time Hanson has been jailed related to the controlled substance charge. He was first arrested on Oct. 9, 2016 for possession of a controlled substance as well as a theft charge. He spent May 25-July 5, 2017 in the county jail, serving a commitment for the charge. Hanson then spent Feb. 4-July 31, 2020 in jail for violating probation on the charge, according to jail records.
FM 2560 Arrest
HCSO Deputy Chris Baumann was made aware March 9 of an outstanding warrant for Jimmy Wayne Gill’s arrest.
Baumann and Sgt. Scott Davis traveled to the 26-year-old Sulphur Springs man’s FM 2560 residence and took him into custody at 8:18 p.m. March 9. Gill was booked into Hopkins County jail at the warrant for violation of probation-possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, the deputies alleged in arrest reports. The offense occurred on March 5, 2021 according to arrest reports.
Gill remained in Hopkins County jail Wednesday morning, March 10, 2021 on the charge, according to jail reports.
Arrested In Emory on Hopkins County Warrant
HCSO Sgt. Scott Davis was made aware of a warrant for Devan Dale Munoz‘s arrest March 9. Davis, aware Munoz had been staying in the Emory area, contacted Emory Police Officer Keith Lewis.
Lewis was able to located and take Munoz into custody. The Emory officer transported him to the Rains-Hopkins County line, where he released custody of Munoz to Davis at 9:22 p.m. March 9, 2021.
Davis transported Munoz to Hopkins County jail, where he was booked for bond forfeiture on a possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge, according to arrest reports. He remained in Hopkins County jail Wednesday morning, March 10, according to jail reports.
The original offense, Davis noted in arrest reports, was alleged to have occurred on July 10, 2020. Hopkins County jail reports show Munoz was arrested July 10, 2020 on a possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, after claiming the contraband found in the pants he had on wasn’t his as the pants weren’t his either. He was released later that day on a $10,000 bond on the felony charge, and indicted on it in December 2020. Munoz is also known by Deven Dale Munoz and Devin Dale Munoz, according to jail reports.
CMF Sulphur Springs Hospital News for Week of March 9, 2021
Sulphur Springs, Texas, March 9, 2021 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur
Springs has ONE mission: To Extend the Health Ministry of Jesus Christ.
Events
Hopkins County Health Care Foundation Hospital Gala 2021
The Gala is one of the most beloved and anticipated events of the year. This year, the 15 th
Annual Lights of Life Gala, will be that again – the theme this year is ‘Gala Unmasked’.
The Silent Auction will be open for bidding from February 15 through March 20.
It will be live on the GiveSmart Platform as in year’s past: https://galaunmasked.givesmart.com
All items will be displayed at the Civic Center and available for viewing:
Monday, 3/1 – Facebook live at Civic Center
Wednesday, 3/3 – 11 am – 1 pm
Friday, 3/5 – 9 am – 11 am
Tuesday, 3/16 – 5 pm – 7 pm
Thursday, 3/18 – 11 am – 1 pm
Friday, 3/19 – 9 am – 11 am
The Virtual Gala | Live Auction will take place on March 20 at 6:00pm.
View Gala Unmasked and the Live Auction Telethon:Hopkins County Health Care Foundation Facebook Page. If you wish to bid on a Live Auction Item, please call 903.243.9098. Volunteers will be operating the phone bank to take bids. (This will happen in real time.)
Coloring Contest/Naming Contest for Kindergarten through 5 th Grades
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs has a new family member… the Mako
robotic surgical assistant. We are asking for all local students from Kindergarten through 5 th
grades to enter a coloring sheet and come up with a name for our new robot. Students should
work with their teachers to enter their submissions. The top 5 finalists will be shared on
Facebook, and the community will vote on the winning name. The winner will get to meet the
robot, have a pizza party, and we will post their photo in the newspaper with the robot and our
Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Chris Meltsakos, who will be using the robotic assistant to work on
patients’ knees. We look forward to all of the great ideas. Please note March 15 deadline.
COVID-19
Experiencing Symptoms?
If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath, cough, sore
throat, loss of taste or smell, chills, muscle pain or headache, or diarrhea, please call your
provider for either a face-to-face appointment or a telemedicine consultation. If your provider
determines you need to have a COVID-19 test, they will send you to the appropriate outpatient
location for testing. If you are experiencing an emergency, please present to the Emergency
Room. At this time, we are preserving our Emergency Room COVID-19 tests for those who are experiencing an emergency. Otherwise, we would ask that you follow the steps above. If you do not have a healthcare provider, CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic welcomes new patients. Please call 903.885.3181 to talk to one of our associates about setting up an appointment.
Don’t Delay Care:
We want to be perfectly clear – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances remains a safe place for all
to receive quality care. Go to the Emergency Department or call 9-1-1 if you are urgently ill.
While COVID-19 is new, our processes and procedures in place for infection prevention and
preventing the spread of illness are not. To learn more about COVID-19, go to ChristusTMF.org or www.cdc.gov
Hospital Visitation
For the safety and health of the community and our ministry, CHRISTUS Health is screening all associates and visitors to our hospitals to help lessen the risk of infectious disease transmission among our patients, associates, and guests.
(1) Entrance to hospital through Emergency Department 24/7
(1) Visitor per patient
Visitors must be between the ages of 16-years old and 65-years old
All visitors are screened at the door, including a temperature taken
All associates are screened at each shift, including a temperature taken
Visiting hours are 7am to 7pm (subject to change)
ALL hospital visitors are required to wear a mask. Visitors should bring their own
mask; homemade cloth masks are acceptable.
CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System includes CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospitals – Tyler, South Tyler, Jacksonville, Winnsboro
and Sulphur Springs, the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital – Tyler, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother
Frances Rehabilitation Hospital a partner of Encompass Health, Tyler Continue CARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital, a long-
term acute care facility, and CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic. CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic is the area’s preferred multi-specialty medical group, with
more than 400 Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers representing 36 specialties in 34 locations serving Northeast Texas across 41 counties. For more information on services available through CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System, visit christustmf.org.
Bed count – 402 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler
Bed count – 8 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – South Tyler
Bed count – 25 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Jacksonville
Bed Count – 96 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs
Bed count – 25 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Winnsboro
Bed count – 94 – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital
Bed count – 96 – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart – Tyler
Bed count – 51 – Tyler Continue CARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital
What To Expect In Local City and County Facilities Following GA-34
Governor Greg Abbott’s announcement last week of GA-34, which retracts most of the other Governor’s Order enacted related to COVID-19 over the last several months, goes into effect today (Wednesday, March 10). Businesses that choose to do so will be allowed to reopen with no capacity limits, and most public face mask requirements are also lifted — although business owners are allowed to request people wear masks if they choose. No one can be punished with jail time for not wearing a mask, however, according to the Governor’s Order. Local city and county COVID-19 protocols vary.
GA-34 refers school districts to Texas Education Agency, which along with UIL is recommending that schools continue to follow the recommended protocols in place through the end of the semester. Sulphur Springs ISD will continue to follow masking and other COVID-19 protocols as recommended and other school districts are evaluating options to determine what’s best for their schools.
Local city and county governments also have to determine what if any COVID-19 protocols will be enacted for their agency or offices.
Sulphur Springs city offices masking requirements are lifted today for visitors and employees. City meetings have been conducted more often than not via Zoom over the last year due to COVID-19 with City Council meetings streamed on the city’s YouTube channel. The City is expected in the foreseeable future to return to in-person meetings, but could have less available seating in order to provide social distancing, according to the city manager. Currently, the next Planning and Zoning Commission and Zoning Board of Adjustments on March 15 and 16, respectively, are still currently scheduled to take place via Zoom.
At the March City Council meeting, he said he expect to in April if conditions continue to improve to present a plan to require those who are delinquent on city utility bills to begin paying them, plus 1/12th of the owed amount. The City, during the pandemic, adopted a policy of not turning off city residents’ water if they fall behind on their bills; Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell said he anticipates lifting that as early as April.
For months Sulphur Springs Police Department’s lobby has been closed, with visitors required to speak to a dispatcher by pushing a button outside the front door to arrange for the appropriate person to come out to speak to them or escort them to the appropriate location. As has been the case for all city offices, masks have been required for all visitors and employees who are not working alone in their offices. The lobby will now be open during regular business hours and the masking requirement is lifted at the police department, as normal pre-COVID-19 operations resume.
Sulphur Springs Fire Department, however, will continue to have limited access for visitors this month, but is expected to return to normal procedures in April if the COVID-19 situation continues to improve overall, according to Maxwell.
Members of the Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs Emergency Management will continue working together, monitoring the COVID-19 situation and following safety protocols as appropriate, according to Hopkins County Emergency Management Coordinator Andy Endsley.
In county offices and facilities, each employee will determine whether or not he or she wears a mask. Safeguards, the protective glass partitions, will remain in place separating the general public in the County Clerk, Tax and Justice of the Peace offices. Social distancing of six feet will still be encouraged.
Hopkins County Fire Department and Sheriff’s Office staff will continue disinfectant programs for county facilities. Temperatures will be taken as appropriate. If an employee is not feeling well, the county will still utilize health protocol to sends them home as appropriate, according to Endsley.
There will continue to be limited visitation at Hopkins County Fire Department. Firefighters and first responders will continue to wear the personal protective gear appropriate for the situation they respond to.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office will continue to follow certain protocols already in place for a while as a protective measure for all who work and are housed in the jail. That includes masks for jail employees and video visitation, according to the sheriff.
Eighth Judicial District Judge Eddie Northcutt plans to continue to operate under the local court plan and will comply with the most recent Texas Supreme Court order issued on March 5, 2021, until such time as he receives additional guidance from the Office of Court Administration. The Order continues to provide flexibility to courts to conduct proceedings remotely and provides revised criteria in order for courts to conduct in-person proceedings, including jury trials, according to the update posted by Texas Judicial Branch on March 5.
The City of Cumby will hold a special meeting Thursday, and anticipate discussing the COVID-19 situation, including what, if any COVID protocols, will be followed. That meeting will take place in person but, due to limitation of only 10 to attend, the meeting will be available on Zoom for the community as well.
The City of Como isn’t requiring the mayor and council members to wear a mask during City Council meetings so that they can properly be heard by those attending. Those who attend the meeting are suggested to wear a mask, but it will not be mandatory. Visitor chairs likely will be arranged in a manner to observe social distancing for the safety of those attending meetings. At the city office, customers will continue to be admitted one at a time until the protective shield ordered comes in and can be installed as a precautionary measure for city employees and visitors.
March 10 Chamber Connection: There’s Still Time to Register For Golf Tournament
Upcoming Events
Great news! It’s time to register to play golf in the 32nd Annual Hopkins County Golf Tournament! We are mailing registration forms to our members this week. If you are interested in playing, call the Chamber at (903) 885-6515 to reserve your spot. We will have morning and afternoon tee times available, but they go fast! The tourney is set for Friday, April 9. It’s going to be a great day!
SAFE-T Crisis Center to celebrate their 14th Anniversary
SAFE-T Crisis Center is celebrating their 14th Anniversary on Wednesday, March 24 in their new facility located at 1716 Posey Lane in Sulphur Springs. Mark your calendars!
Pacheco Spine & Sport has scheduled a ribbon cutting
Pacheco Spine & Sport has scheduled a ribbon cutting celebration on Tuesday, March 30, at noon. The celebration will be held at their chiropractic office located at 1067 Gilmer Street, Suite C, in Sulphur Springs. Please make plans to attend!
Ribbon Cutting
Babe hosted a ribbon cutting celebration on Thursday, February 25, at noon. They are located at 215 B Main Street in Sulphur Springs and specialize in women’s and men’s clothing and (soon to be) shoes.https://www.loc8nearme.com/texas/sulphur-springs/215b-main-st/6126160/
Business Highlight
The Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce is highlighting a member of the Chamber each week. Please join me in congratulating our Business of the Week for March 10, Texas Farm Credit. You can read biographical stories at the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page and Instagram page.
Wildcats Baseball Team Uses Giant Bottom of the Seventh to Win District Opener at Home
The Wildcats Baseball Team won their district opener, 8-1 against Longview at Wildcat Park Tuesday night (March 9).
The Wildcats broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth when they scored 7 runs. The Wildcats got key RBI’s in the inning from Kaden Wallace, who had two, and one each from Dawson Carpenter, Colby Albritton, Boo Wilkerson, and Hayden Hurst. Jake Armstrong also had an RBI for the Wildcats in the game.
The Wildcats outhit the Lobos, 10-3. Hurst and Carpenter had two hits each. Hurst had the only extra base hit, a double. The Wildcats only committed one error. The Wildcats got a strong pitching outing from Hurst who threw 104 pitches and went 7 innings allowing only 3 hits and 1 run while striking out 13 and walking none.
The Wildcats are 1-0 in district play and they improved their season record to 2-8. Next the Wildcats play in their final tournament of the season starting Thursday at a three day Hallsville tournament.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
North Hopkins Baseball Team Has Trouble With Edgewood JV as They Take a 16-2 Loss
The North Hopkins Panthers ended up on the wrong end of a 16-2 score as they played the Edgewood JV Tuesday (March 9).
The Bulldogs JV scored 5 runs in the first inning and added 6 more in the second and 5 more in the fifth. The Panthers scored their 2 runs in the bottom of the first.
Edgewood JV outhit North Hopkins, 12-6. The Panthers had 2 errors.
Dakota Smith took the pitching loss going an inning and 2/3’s giving up 6 hits, 4 walks and 10 earned runs with 3 strikeouts. Landry Breckeen went the last 3 1/3 innings.
Smith and Aaron Nguyen drove home runs. Nguyen hit a triple. Smith and Karson Jenkins had 2 hits. Frank Valdez had a hit and Jack Jackson scored a run.
Wildcats Soccer Team is Handed One Goal Overtime Loss For Second Time This Season by Pine Tree
The Wildcats Soccer Team suffered a tough district loss Tuesday night (March 9) losing to Pine Tree 2-1 in overtime on Senior Night.
The Pirates scored the go ahead goal with just 1:12 left in second half of OT. The game was a very physical defensive struggle all night long. The two teams battled to a 0-0 tie after the first half. Both teams goals were very similar in the second half. Both began as corner kicks where the ball was headed into the net.
The Wildcats narrowly avoided a regulation defeat when senior David Moreno got the scoring header with just 2:51 left. Edgar Salazar took the corner kick and got an assist on the goal. A short time later, Moreno just missed a goal that would have put the Wildcats ahead.
Pine Tree improves to 6-3-1 in district play. The Wildcats slip to 5-6. The Wildcats season record is now 14-10-1. After a bye Friday, the Wildcats complete district play in Hallsville next Tuesday.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
The Lady Cats Soccer Team Comes Up Just Short at Pine Tree Losing 3-2 Tuesday Night
The Lady Cats Soccer Team lost a district heart breaker Tuesday night (March 9) at Pine Tree, losing to the Lady Pirates, 3-2. The momentum of the game shifted back and forth. In an offensive first half, the Lady Pirates scored the games first two goals. The Lady Cats battled back getting two goals from Rebekah Stanley. The match was tied 2-2 at the half. Pine Tree had the only goal of the second half and that turned out to be the difference maker.
The Lady Cats are now 6-5 in district play with one of their wins in a shootout. The Lady Cats season record is now 11-9-4. After a bye Friday, the Lady Cats wrap up district play against Hallsville on Senior Night next Tuesday at Gerald Prim Stadium.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
Lady Cats Softball Lose District Opener at Hallsville, 4-0
The Lady Cats softball team lost their district opener at Hallsville Tuesday, Mar. 9, 4-0. Sulphur Springs could not overcome the dynamite pitching of Hallsville’s Maddie Melton and a handful of errors committed in the bottom of the sixth which gave way to a 4-0 win for Hallsville.
It was a hard fought battle throughout the entire game for both teams.
Lady Cats softball coach David Carrillo said after the game that “Hallsville is Hallsville and they’re always good traditionally,” but Coach Carrillo said “[he] was hoping we would come out and be a little more offensive-minded and be more aggressive at the plate.”
The Lady Cats softball coach said that he believes that this is something they’ve been lacking all season.
Coach Carrillo said ideally you would like to win the district opener, but he also said that seasons are a marathon, not a race. He said that it’s a long season and feels like his team will rebound from this and learn from their mistakes.
“I don’t ever thing you lose, I think you learn” Coach Carrillo said, and added that he thinks his kids will learn from this and “will come out better and stronger from this loss.”
Hallsville was able to score in the third to take a 1-0 advantage. Neither team would score again until the 6th inning.
Coach Carrillo said he felt like the team that made the fewest errors was going to win, which is what came back to haunt his team towards the end of the district match-up.
The Lady Cats had a chance to put points on the board in the top of fifth, trailing 1-0, and had the bases loaded with one out. The next two Sulphur Springs batters struck out and flew-out to thwart any chance of the visiting Lady Cats putting points on the board.
Hallsville responded in kind in the sixth, scoring not one but three assurance runs to make it a 4-0 game in favor of the home Lady Cats. One play for Hallsville, was a bunt, but then not one but two wild throws by Lady Cats infielders both went awry, with Hallsville’s Lily Soto able to get all the way home thanks to the two errors committed by Sulphur Springs.
“We just didn’t make the simple plays, and they did.”
Sulphur Springs could not put up any points up in the top of the seventh and Coach Carrillo’s Lady Cats softball team lost their district opener at Hallsville, 4-0.
Crimson Bryant was the starting pitcher for Sulphur Springs, and pitched the entire game, allowing only 4 H and 1 ER through 6 innings. She also walked one Hallsville Lady Cat.
Both teams finished the game with three hits and one batter walked.
“The pitching duel was even, we just didn’t make the plays we had to both offensively and defensively,” Coach David Carrillo said.
The Lady Cats softball season record is now 9-3 overall (0-1 district). Next up they return home to take on Longview at Lady Cat Park with J.V. playing at 5 P.M. and the varsity teams following at 6:30 P.M.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
District 2 Rept. Slaton Proposes Legislation That Addresses Abortion, End Of Life Rights, Chief Appraisers, Border Wall
AUSTIN, TEXAS – Representative Bryan Slaton of House District 2, over the last week has filed legislation that would, if passed, would abolish abortions in Texas, establish the chief appraiser as an elected position, finish building the wall on the Texas-Mexico border, ensure the right of individuals in hospitals and other facilities to be visited by their immediate family and religious clergy during their end of life care, and prohibit the Texas National Guard from being deployed into active duty combat or used as support for active duty combat without a declaration of war from Congress, according to releases from his office. Below are the basics of those proposed bills:
HB 2701 – National Guard
Slaton cited Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution for House Bill 2701, filed March 3, to prevent the Texas National Guard from being “deployed into harms way in unconstitutional ways.”
“The constitution is clear about when and how the United States can go to war. Sending troops into combat requires a declaration of war from Congress. Unfortunately, Congress has been shirking its duties for decades. It is time that Texas takes a stand against these unconstitutional wars, and keep our sons and daughters in the Texas National Guard from being sent into harms way, regardless of which political party controls the White House. Plus, if the last twelve months have taught us anything, it is that we need to keep the Texas National Guard here in Texas to help with things like COVID-19, vaccine distribution, and disaster recovery,” Representative Slaton commented.
Similar legislation has been filed in other states, including Florida, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, West Virginia and
Wyoming, Slaton’s office noted in a press release.
“Texas is the only State where this is a Republican Party platform item, but even so, this is not a partisan issue. This is not a red versus blue issue. This is about safeguarding the men and women of the Texas National Guard and returning the burden of declaring war to Congress, where the Constitution requires it to be,” Slaton added.
HB 2729 – End of Life Visitation
HB 2729 is designed to ensure individuals in hospitals and other facilities have the right to be visited by their immediate family and religious clergy during their end of life care.
“Over the last year with COVID-19, we have seen many examples around the world of people at the end of their life who, because of government lockdowns or restrictive hospital or nursing home rules, have ben prohibited from seeing their close family and their religious and spiritual leaders. This is not just wrong, it is absolutely inhumane and a gross injustice to the dignity of the human person. This bill will ensure that no one will have to face their last weeks, days, or hours without the comfort of their immediate family, clergy or pastors,” Slaton said.
HB 2729 would prohibit immediate family and religious counsel from being barred access to individuals who are seriously ill or dying, while allowing necessary health screening protocols to be kept in place for the safety of all. Slaton’s office describes the bill as a “common sense piece of legislation that defends the value, respect, and religious liberty that is due to each person.”
HB 2862 – Border Wall
House Bill 2862, filed March 4, calls for completion of the Texas-Mexico border wall. Slaton contends that finishing the wall “would significantly curb the surging illegal immigration crisis” on Texas’ southern border.
“President Trump fought to bring real border security and was opposed by Republicans and Democrats in congress. While hundreds of miles of new wall were built under his leadership, the Biden administration has already ceased border wall construction. It is time for Texas to stand up and finish the work that President Trump started. Let’s finish building the border wall now,” Slaton said.
The bill also calls for the Governor to seek reimbursement from the federal government for construction costs and be named the “President Donald J. Trump Wall.”
HB 3171 – Chief Appraisers
House Bill 3171 would require chief appraisers to be an elected position chosen by the voters of the county in which the appraisal district is established, instead of being appointed by the appraisal district board of directors. As proposed, chief appraisers would be elected to serve four year terms, with the election held during the State’s General Election.
“With this bill, the people will be able to hold their chief appraiser accountable at the ballot box,” Slaton said. “For far too long, property owners across the State have seen rising property taxes with no end in sight. This bill will give voters a tool to help reign in runaway property taxes.”
HB 3326 – Abortion
On Tuesday, March 9, Slaton reported filing legislation that would, if passed, abolish abortions in the State of Texas. HB 3326 is designed to “end discriminatory practice of terminating the life of innocent children, and will guarantee the equal protection of the laws to all Texans.”
Slaton, citing the Declaration of Independence, noted in a news release that the primary job f governments is to “secure God-given rights, the principle among them being the right to life.”
“For decades, the State of Texas has allowed the discriminatory, barbaric and murderous practice of aborting
babies in the womb, and it must come to an end. It is time for Texas to protect the natural right to life for the
tiniest and most innocent Texans, and this bill does just that,” Representative Slaton said.
“It’s time Republicans make it clear that we actually think Abortion is murder. We have to lead, and the time is now. Unborn children are dying at a faster rate in Texas than COVID patients, but Texas isn’t taking the abortion crisis seriously,” Slaton concluded.
Similar legislation was filed in the 86th legislature. The bill was referred to the Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Committee, where it died, Slaton’s office noted in the release.
