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One of the nice things about serving on committees and attending committee meetings in the Texas House of Representatives is that you get the opportunity to delve a little deeper into issues that are brought up for debate in the committees. During committee hearings, members of the public have the opportunity to provide input through testifying before the committee. This provides insight from many different perspectives on issues.
Recently, the House Committee on Culture, Recreation and Tourism, of which I am a member, heard a bill dealing with the contentious issue of computer-assisted remote hunting. Technology currently exists to allow a person to actually hunt animals by computer. Using an internet site the person could control the movement of a gun mounting at a remote location where there is actual game, such as deer or exotic wildlife. With the click of the mouse, the person can fire the gun. House Bill 391 would ban computer-assisted remote hunting if the animal being hunted is located in Texas.
The committee heard from numerous witnesses for and against the bill. Those for the bill included hunters who believe that the practice is unethical and takes the sport out of hunting. Other supporters included animal rights advocates who believe the practice is cruel to animals.
This past week, the House Committee on Law Enforcement heard House Bill 164 by Rep. Leo Berman, of which I am a joint author. As I have mentioned in previous "Capitol Watch" columns, this bill aims to reduce the proliferation of methamphetamines by restricting the sale of certain medications containing pseudoephedrine and increasing penalties for meth-related crimes. The bill is similar to a law that was passed last year in Oklahoma that has reportedly been successful in reducing the manufacturing of methamphetamines.
The Oklahoma law restricts the sale of pseudoephedrine in tablet form. The restrictions include, among others, requiring a purchaser of pseudoephedrine to present photo identification and limiting the amount of pseudoephedrine that may be purchased. The Oklahoma law was named after three state troopers who were killed in the line of duty by persons involved in illegal methamphetamine production. The wife of one of the slain troopers traveled to Austin last week and gave compelling testimony before the committee.
Another bill of interest heard in the committee this past week was House Bill 3006, by Rep. Harvey Hilderbran, which address concerns raised by an alleged polygamist sect that left other states to settle in west Texas last year. Currently, minors 14 years of age or older can legally be married with their parents' consent. HB 3006 would require a minor to be at least 16 years of age if they are to be married, would also outlaw stepparents from marrying stepchildren.
I am interested in your comments on legislation that will be debated in the Texas House of Representatives. You can contact me by writing to P.O. Box 2910, Austin, TX 78768-2910 or by emailing me at larry.phillips@house.state.tx.us.
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