Alana Rocha, multimedia reporter for the Texas Tribune talks about the week that was in Texas politics.
On a bizarre incident between a gun rights activist and the Speaker of the Texas House
This was a gun rights activist, Chris McNutt, who had shown up at the Speaker’s house in recent weeks when the speaker was in Austin. I believe just the Speaker’s son was home, and [McNutt] was upset that a constitutional carry bill was not moving in his chamber … And then this week, both Bonnen and McNutt were invited by Darlene Pendery, a Republican donor, who bought three tickets at this fundraiser. The two ended up seated back to back. Bonnen approached him, McNutt handed him a letter, some other gentleman threw a Kool-Aid packet on the , and Bonnen is like, ‘I’m the speaker. I shouldn’t be in this type of situation,’ and he left before he was set to give remarks to the fundraiser.
On a possible one percent sales tax increase:
They’re basically looking at ways to get the property tax reform across the finish line this session, and by proposing this as an additional revenue source, maybe winning some votes of lawmakers who have heard from their local governments who are upset about their hands being tied, and not being able to raise the money they say they need to pay for vital services. By raising it a penny, it is estimated to generate at least $5 billion additional revenue each year … The entire Democratic caucus has said they are against this because they think it’s a regressive tax that would disproportionately affect the poor, so it sounds like it has a long way to go before becoming reality.
On a bill that would criminalize all abortions
Chairman Jeff Leech, a representative Republican in the House, basically declared that this bill would not get through his committee. While he says he is pro-life, he thinks this moves it in the wrong direction and now he’s facing safety concerns, according to the Collin County Sheriff’s Office. Tinderholt, the author of this bill, when he filed it last session, faced death threats and had DPS security. It’s a controversial issue for sure.
