Update 4/5/07
Dee, Bart and I attended the hearing for the Road Block Bill, HB 253 0n Monday evening. Jennifer,Cowboy,Dana and David came but had to leave before the hearing began. There were about 40 people there to testify in favor of the Bill. MAAD members were there along with several people saying they had lost loved ones to drunk drivers that might be alive today if the Road Block Bill had already passed. One of those was a woman of Mexican descent who had three pictures of little children that she was pushing around in a baby carriage. I witnessed two men outside the hearing room telling her what to say. When she finished they were back outside hugging her and telling her what a good job she did. She was told: they were listening to you and heard what you had to say. You did real good.
There were also several police officers and Prosecutors there to speak in support of the Bill.
On Tuesday I had to go back to my doctor to get the results of Thursday’s test. I was told that two of the arteries connecting to my heart had scars and indications of hardening. They doubled my heart pressure medication and gave me some antibiotics for my arteries. I returned to Austin Tuesday night as we were having a hearing on HB 706, the Equal Access Bill on Wednesday. Got a call that they had found something in my Lab Work and I needed to go back in Monday morning to do that over again.
Dee, Jennifer, Bart and I were in the capitol all day waiting to hear the Bill. It finally came up and was laid out very well by Rep Thompson.
Several persons signed papers in support and one signed the paper in opposition. As there was not a quorum in the committee except to call the meeting to order all Bills were left pending in committee. I am sure it will be sent to Calendars Committee within the week. Terri got there just as the Bill was left pending.
While sitting waiting for the meeting to start a member of the Law Enforcement Committee came in and sat down beside me. He said "Sputnik, I am with you on the Road Block Bill. He said he agreed with my reasoning completely. He named others of the committee who were also against it and said we will hold. We will kill the Bill." Good news. Three times in a row should tell those Mad Mothers we are just as mad as they are when it comes to road blocks.
Terri and I went back to the capitol today. While she was meeting with Senator Watson and his staff I was talking to Reps about the helmet Bill.
It is possible H 727 could come up for a hearing next week. I’ll get the word out as soon as we get anything definite.
We then attended a press conference on Paper Ballot Voting. There were some short videos shown that would make you tremble to know how easily an election could be stolen by using the voting machines. We will get a copy of that short video and get it up somewhere. I shall probably include that in my workshop at the NCOM Convention. That’s it for this round. Have a Happy Easter and remember what you are celebrating.
Sputnik
State Chair
