Members and Future Members:
Its time to meet-up again! Get together and talk and plan for our future!
1. We had a steering committee member resign because they are moving, so we will have to have an election for a new member. (only paid members will be allowed to Vote, but all are welcome to come to meeting!)
2. We need to figure out what needs to be done to finally get a "pro" website up and running.
3. We want to assign specific roles to certain people, so we can utilize peoples already fantastic talents and help us with the local activism.
4. Talk about what we have been doing, (kicking butt!) and what we will be doing in the future.
Where:
Bagpipes Pub & Eatery
9070 Burnet Rd
Ste. 101
Austin, TX 78758
467-8600
When: June 29th - Monday 7:00pm
Please email if you have a suggestion to put on the Agenda! If you have any questions about anything please call me.
Katie Brewer
318-617-8292
Steering Committee Member
This is the most egregious trampling of our fundamental rights to come out of the lege session!
Call the governors office:
# Citizen's Opinion Hotline [for Texas callers] : (800) 252-9600
# Office of the Governor Main Switchboard [office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST] : (512) 463-2000
Find your state rep and senator and call them:
http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/
And please call ONE OTHER FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER and urge them to make these
same phone calls!!!
You can view details about SB1440 here:
http://www.parentguidancecenter.org/web/Default.aspx
It looks as if SB 298, the sobriety checkpoints bill, will remain pending in the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee! For those of you who called in or showed up at the hearing, give your self a pat on the back, you did it!
YOU stopped sobriety checkpoints from coming to Texas. Yet another victory for liberty!
But don’t rest yet, the 2009 Legislative session is still underway and there is still work to be done.
Please help us with one last push to kill SB1426 (a bill which would allow the federal government to operate license plate scanning cameras on our highways) and SB261 (a bill which would increase the instances in which a blood can be drawn from a DWI suspect without a warrant) and help us to pass HCR50, the Texas Sovereignty Bill!
All three bills have passed favorably out of committee. SB1426 and SB 261 will soon join HCR50 in the Calendars Committee. If passed through the Calendars Committee these bills will soon be on the house floor for a vote.
We need your help in holding our elected representatives accountable to the people.
These calls have a significant impact on the outcome of these bills as our victory with SB298 illustrates.
Please call not only your own representative but call the entire Calendars Committee as well.
Your Rep can be found here;
http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/
Below you will find the bill info and the phone numbers for the Calendars Committee.
Please call your Representative and the House Calendars Committee and tell them know you don’t want to see SB1426 and SB 261 make it to the house floor. Call your Representative, remind them of the 10th Amendment, and ask them to vote FOR HCR50.
Thank You!
SB 1426 Relating to the installation, operation, and maintenance of automatic license plate identification cameras on a highway.
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=81R&Bill=SB1426
Author- Williams
Status: reported favorably out of House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence Committee
Committee: will soon be in the House Calendars Committee
SB 261 Relating to the taking of a specimen of the breath or blood of a person arrested for an intoxication offense under certain circumstances. http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=81R&Bill=SB261
Author- Deuell
Status: Reported Favorably out of House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
Committee: will soon be in the House Calendars Committee
HCR 50 Affirming that the State of Texas claims sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the U.S. Constitution, serving notice to the federal government to cease and desist certain mandates, and providing that certain federal legislation be prohibited or repealed.
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=81R&Bill=HCR50
Author: Creighton | Hughes | Berman | Gattis | Guillen
Status: Reported favorably our of House Committee on State Affairs
Committee: In House Calendars Committee
Calendars Committee
Rep. Brian McCall District: 66
(512) 463-0594
Rep. Eddie Lucio III District: 38
(512) 463-0606
Rep. Norma Chavez District: 76
(915) 778-9960
Rep. Garnet Coleman District: 147
(512) 463-0524
Rep. Byron Cook District: 8
(512) 463-0730
Rep. Brandon Creighton District: 16
(512) 463-0726
Rep. Charlie Geren District: 99
(512) 463-0610
Rep. Jim Keffer District: 60
(512) 463-0656
Rep. Lois W. Kolkhorst District: 13
(512) 463-0600
Rep. Edmund Kuempel District: 44
(512) 463-0602
Rep. Jim McReynolds District: 12
(512) 463-0490
Rep. Allan Ritter District: 21
(512) 463-0706
Rep. Burt R. Solomons District: 65
(512) 463-0478
Below are four bills that Texans for Accountable Government has been focusing on this legislative session. We hope that you will join with us in calling and writing these Representatives and letting them know how you feel.
This legislative session is nearly over, so we need to keep the pressure up! Any bill that does not make it out of committee by May 26th is dead!
Bills to kill:
SB 298 (HB 169 house companion bill) Relating to the authority of the Texas Department of Public Safety and certain local law enforcement agencies to establish a checkpoint on a highway or street to determine whether persons are driving while intoxicated.http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/pdf/SB00298E.pdf
Author- Corona: District 16
Coauthors - Patrick: District 7, Ellis: District 13, West: District 23
Status: passed senate and in committee
Committee: House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
SB 1175 Relating to the prosecution of the offense of failure to identify.
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/pdf/SB01175E.pdf
Author- Patrick Status: passed senate and in committee
Committee: House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
SB 1426 Relating to the installation, operation, and maintenance of automatic license plate identification cameras on a highway.
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/html/SB01426E.htm
Author- Williams
Status: Passed Senate and in committee
Committee: House Committee on Transportation
SB 261 Relating to the taking of a specimen of the breath or blood of a person arrested for an intoxication offense under certain circumstances. http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/html/SB00261E.htm Author- Deuell Status: Passed Senate and in committee
Committee: House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
Below are the committee members numbers.
Call them, please!
House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence:
Chair: Rep. Pete Gallego - District: 74
(512) 463-0566
Vice Chair: Rep. Wayne Christian - District: 9
(512) 463-0556
Rep. Allen Fletcher - District: 130
(512) 463-0661
Rep. Terri Hodge - District: 100
(512) 463-0586
Rep. Carol Kent - District: 102
(512) 463-0454
Rep. Robert Miklos - District: 101
(512) 463-0464
Rep. Joseph E. Moody - District: 78
(512) 463-0728
Rep. Paula Pierson - District: 93
(512) 463-0562
Rep. Debbie Riddle - District: 150
(512) 463-0572
Rep. Allen Vaught - District: 107
(co-author of House companion bill HB 169)
(512) 463-0244
Rep. Hubert Vo - District: 149
(512) 463-0568
House Committee on Public Safety:
Rep Tommy Merritt - District: 7
(512) 463-0750
Rep. Stephen Frost - District: 1
(512) 463-0692
Rep Lon Burnam - District: 90
(512) 463-0740
Rep. Joe Driver - District: 113
(512) 463-0574
Rep. Phil King - District: 61
(512) 463-0738
Rep. Tyron Lewis - District: 81
(512) 463-0546
Rep. Barbara Mallory Caraway - District: 110
(512) 463-0664
Rep. Eddie Rodriguez - District: 51
(512) 463-0674
Rep. Hubert Vo - District: 149
(512) 463-0568
House Committee on Transportation:
Chair: Rep. Joseph Pickett - District: 79
(512) 463-0596
Vice Chair: Rep. Larry Phillips - District: 63
(512) 463-0297
Rep. Bill Callegari - District: 132
(512) 463-0528
Rep. Yvonne Davis - District: 111
(512) 463-0598
Rep. Jim Dunnam - District: 57
(512) 463-0508
Rep. Ryan Guillen - District: 31
(512) 463-0416
Rep. Linda Harper-Brown - District: 105
(512) 463-0641
Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon - District: 120
(512) 463-0708
Rep. Tommy Merritt - District: 7
(512) 463-0750
Rep. Todd Smith - District: 92
(512) 463-0522
Rep. Wayne Smith - District: 128
(512) 463-0733
Your help is needed to put an accountable Mayor and some hardcore liberty lovers in office!
Elect the Accountable Slate -
For Mayor of Austin:
Carole Keeton Strayhorn
Austin City Council:
Place 1 - No Endorsement
Place 2 - Mike Martinez
Place 5 – No Endorsement
Place 6 – Sam Osemene
Pflugerville City Council:
Place 5 – Erica Grignon
Leander ISD Trustee:
Place 1 – Lisa Mallory
Round Rock ISD Trustee: Place 7 - Gunnar Ristroph
Here are the latest poll numbers from KXAN on the mayor's race.
Wouldn't you know it, Carole Strayhorn has gained some ground!
Leffingwell: 27%
Strayhorn: 26%
McCracken: 25%
(error margin 3%)
This is a statistical dead heat! This means that YOU can be the difference in this election! Voting is one thing. We're all voters I presume. What wins elections is activism! Raw, cold blooded grassroots activism! And I tell ya, if anybody's got that, its US! So if you have the time to do a little more than vote, there's a few ways YOU can be the difference in this election.
1. Do the E-day Power Play - Join us on Saturday at the polls. Wave a sign and do a little Voter ID. If we get Carole into the run-off there will be much work to do. Having known Carole supporters contact information will pay great dividends.
Here are some power precincts for your consideration: -345 136 256 259 251 145 349 239 238 210 366 242 241 342 133 249 332 454 304 422 135 262 334 248 252 367 246-
* People can go to CKS HQ Friday between 6pm and 10pm to get t-shirts, schwag, etc
instructions:
2110 S. Lamar Ste H
Contact John Bush @ 512-773-6102 or libertylover512@yahoo.com
Also, the Erica Grignon Campaign could use a couple more bodies to fill the 4 pcts in Pflugerville for you northerners.
Contact Katie Brewer - 318-617-8292
2. Do the Cruise to Bruise City Hall Shuffle - Help cruise the town and put up signs at the polls Friday night for Carole and Sam in Austin. Wes will have routes drawn out for you and try to make it in your neck of the woods. Contact Wes Benedict - 512.442.4910h, 512.659.8896c
3. Do the Call to Change City Hall - Call at least five friends, family, or co-workers and remind them to vote. Encourage them to vote for the TAG slate or whoever. Just get em out to the polls!
Also, call the campaigns directly. Please help if you can! We WILL have an impact on this election. This is only the beginning! Imagine 6 years from now how many liberty lovers we will have in office. This is our only hope in America. We need a restoration! Restore our great republic from the ground up. One City, one State at a time. It starts with you! It starts right here! Right Now!
<HUMANIZE HARMONIZE LOCALIZE>
John Bush
Executive Director
TAG
This Wednesday the House is set to hear Senator Corona's bill, SB 298 which would "legalize" the use of DWI check points in the state of Texas. We need YOU to show up to the Public hearing. This bill has already passed in the Senate! We need to rally strong opposition if we're going to kill this bill and prevent unconstitutional check points from being allowed in the state of Texas!
When: May 6, 2009 2:00 PM
Where: Texas Capitol Building - ROOM E2.028
Congress Ave & E 11th St
Austin, TX 78701
The bill is currently in the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
PUT THE PRESSURE ON THESE FOLKS TO NEVER GET IT OUT OF COMMITTEE!
Chair: Rep. Pete Gallego District: 74
(512) 463-0566
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Vice Chair: Rep. Wayne Christian District: 9
(512) 463-0556
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Rep. Allen Fletcher District: 130
(512) 463-0661
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Rep. Terri Hodge District: 100
(512) 463-0586
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Rep. Carol Kent District: 102
(512) 463-0454
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Rep. Robert Miklos District: 101
(512) 463-0464
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Rep. Joseph E. Moody District: 78
(512) 463-0728
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Rep. Paula Pierson District: 93
(512) 463-0562
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Rep. Debbie Riddle District: 150
(512) 463-0572
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Rep. Allen Vaught District: 107 (co-author of House companion bill HB 169)
(512) 463-0244
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Rep. Hubert Vo District: 149
(512) 463-0568
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
When: Saturday, April 25th @ 4-7:30 pm
Where: Victory Grill – 1104 E. 11th St.
$2 beer! $5 suggested donation to get in
Featuring:
Hip Hop Master, MC Overlord & Local Rock Up and Comers, Kittinger
Elect the Change & Accountable Slate!
Carole for Mayor
Perla – Place 1
Mike – Place 2
Bill – Place 5
Sam – Place 6
Early voting starts Monday, April 27, Election Day – Saturday, May 9
Sponsored by: ChangeAustin.org, Texans for Accountable Government, NOKOA newspaper, Brave New Books, Bob Dacy and the Hardware Store
For more information visit: www.ChangeAustin.org or call 512-383-8484
The strong attendance at City Hall for the blood draw forum sent a strong message to the City Council that police administered blood withdrawals are a major concern among Austin residents. Let's make sure that the candidates for city council are continually reminded of the importance of this issue.
Here are the dates and times for the upcoming City Council forums:
4/4/2009----Urban and Sustainable Forum.
Place: St David's EpPISCOPAL CHURCH IN DOWNTOWN.
Time: 6PM
4/7/09----LULAC And Mexican Neighborhood Association.
Place: Metz Elementary School, 84 Robert Martinez.
Time: 6:30PM
4/8/2009-- Austin Women's Political Caucus.
Place: Travis County Commissioners Court, 314 w 11th st
Time: 5:30PM
4/9/2009-- Environmental Group.
Place: City Hall
Time: 6PM
3/13/2009--North Central Austin Neighborhood Association
Place: TBD
Time: TBD
4/16/2009---City Hall Debate
Place: City Hall
Time: 8PM
4/19/2009--Worker's Defense Project
Place: 1001 Cumberland
Time: 5PM
4/23/2009--East Austin Forum
Place: Space 12 , 3121 EAST 12TH ST
Time: 6-8:30pm
4/25/2009-----Libertarian Party Debate
Place: Ventana De Sol, 1834 E. Oltorf
Time: 3-6PM
4/27/2009--Travis County Republican Forum
Place: 3601 Lake Austin Blvd
Time: 7PM
4/29/2009----Jewish Community Relations Council
Place: Dell Jewish Center on Hart Lane
Time: 6:15pm
All we can say is THANK YOU to all the concerned citizens who made it out to the forum at City Hall. Your participation MATTERS! The successful turnout sent an incredibly powerful message to local politicians, and perhaps more importantly, put this issue on EVERY SINGLE LOCAL TV BROADCAST OUTLET! This is what "We, the People" is all about - and we need to keep it up!
TAG is working with the ACLU and other civic leaders to frame a resolution for the next City Council to PREVENT officer administered blood withdrawals by the Austin Police Department. We have commitments from:
Michael Miller, Member - Travis County Republican Party Executive Committee, Director - Travis County Republican Liberty Caucus
Jim Harrington, Director - Texas Civil Rights Project
Ann del Llano, Founder - Capitol City Solutions
WHAT YOU CAN DO: ATTEND UPCOMING CANDIDATE'S FORUMS!!!
We need YOUR help to keep this important civil liberties issue at the forefront of the mayoral and city council candidate's debates. Your voice is needed to put our local politician's feet to the fire on this issue. Some possible questions:
* Would you support a resolution to stop all police blood withdrawals?
* Would you support the City Council blocking the use of Federal Grant money to implement this program?
* Are you concerned with the liability issues the City might face if this program were implemented?
Be creative - you probably have even better questions to ask! Just strive to be concise, on point, professional, and respectful in all of your dealings. Don't give politicians or the media any room to marginalize us or this issue!
We're going to try to post as many upcoming forums as possible on this website; if you know of any you don't see listed, please let us know at: givefight@hotmail.com
UPDATE - TAG and the TX ACLU will be making an important announcement on City Hall Steps @ 5:30 PM.
Please come early and get some camera time with us!
Regardless, it's CRITICAL that we muster a big turnout for the forum proper -
Austin City Hall, Council Chambers, Monday, March 30th, 2009, 6 PM.
Austin City Hall is located on:
301 W. Second Street
Austin, TX 78701
For a map and directions click here
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