SB 723 Update 13-One More Day

Well, Texas trans community and supporters, let's cut to the chase and get to what you wanted to know.

The Texas Senate cranks up for 'bidness' at 11:00 AM CDT and SB 723 is not on the intent calendar for today.   It is still on the general order of business calendar where it is now 41st in line to be considered and Sen. Tommy Williams has until midnight to get it voted on and out of the Senate and over to the Texas House.

Once it gets to the House, it must undergo first reading, be assigned to a committee, be voted successfully out of committee and undergo a vote on the House floor.

Oh yeah, did I forget to point out this process in the House needs to happen in one day?


And the clock is ticking

Keep the pressure on the Democratic senators.  Let them know the eyes of Trans Texans are still upon them and will be until this unjust bill dies.
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George Takei's Don't Say Gay Solution

I've always known that the best way to irritate a conservafool and make them look like the stupid anti-democratic idiots they are is to make fun of them. 

In Tennessee the GOP controlled legislature is bumrushing the 'Don't Say Gay' bill to passage in which people in school settings are prohibited from menitioning gay topics in classroom settings.

Actor George Takei (yep, Mr Sulu of Star Trek fame) is family, and he has a humorous workaround for this jacked up bill.  



Live long and prosper fam, and keep plucking those conservafool nerves.

SB 723 Update 12-Clock Ticking Toward Bill's Death

The Senate is recessed until 8 AM and anti-trans SB 723 is not on the senate intent calendar for today.   That means it's still mired on the general calendar .   The clock is ticking toward the May 20 deadline to be passed out of the senate.

We're close to victory, but we can't relax yet.    Keep those calls, faxes and e-mails coming.   Tell the Texas Democratic senators to continue hanging tough and working together to kill SB 723.  

Be nice when you do call, fax or e-mail. Thank these Texas Democratic senators for standing up for what's fair and just for trans Texans.     

Mario Gallegos (512) 463-0106
mario.gallegos@senate.state.tx.us

Kirk Watson (512) 463-0114
kirk.watson@senate.state.tx.us

John Whitmire (512) 463-0115
john.whitmire@senate.state.tx.us

Carlos I. Uresti (512) 463-0119
carlos.uresti@senate.state.tx.us

Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (512) 463-0120
juan.hinojosa@senate.state.tx.us

Judith Zaffirini (512) 463-0121
judith.zaffirini@senate.state.tx.us

Eduardo A. (Eddie) Lucio, Jr. (512) 463-0127
eddie.lucio@senate.state.tx.us

Rodney G. Ellis (512) 463-0113
rodney.ellis@senate.state.tx.us

Wendy Davis (512) 463-0110
wendy.davis@senate.state.tx.us

Royce West (512) 463-0123
royce.west@senate.state.tx.us

Leticia R. Van de Putte (512) 463-0126
leticia.vandeputte@senate.state.tx.us

José R. Rodríguez (512) 463-0129
Jose.rodriguez@senate.state.tx.us
 

SB 723 Update 11-On Life Support

Let's get right to the latest news concerning SB 723.   

The Senate is cranking up for business at 11 AM CDT and our least favorite unjust bill is not on the Senate intent calendar for today.   It's still on the regular order of business calendar where it was 45th in line as of yesterday.

Pat yourself on the back for being close to making happen what many people on I-5, I-95 and inside I-495 think is impossible for the trans community:  stopping an anti trans bill in a GOP controlled red state legislature.

Y'all don't know us trans Texans do you? 

The clock is inexorably ticking toward the bill's demise, but we can't get happy yet.   Never underestimate the determination of oppressors who wish to screw you.   It must pass the Senate by May 20, so keep the pressure on. 

Let the Democratic senators know the eyes of trans Texans and the national trans community are still on them.

 

SB 723 Update 10-Another Day Closer To Dying

The Texas Senate is adjourned until 11 AM CDT, and Monday's session ended with good news for trans Texans concerned about the anti-trans SB 723.  

SB 723 was 'not again placed on the intent calendar'.

That means it is on the regular order of business calendar.   While that means Sen Williams (R-The Woodlands) doesn't need to have a Democratic senator help him bring it to the floor for a vote, being on the general calendar means it comes up in the order the bill cleared its senate committee.

In case you're wondering, SB 723 was 45th in line on the RO calendar and the clock is ticking toward the midnight May 20 deadline for all Senate bills to be passed and on their way to the Texas House. 


Is there a possibility that Sen. Williams could put it back on the 'intent calendar'?    That depend on how much political capital he has left to do so.  You are only allowed a certain amount of attempts per senator to place a bill on the intent calendar, and every time he tries and fails to do so, that's burning up capital for other bill of his he may be concerned about.

So keep those calls and faxes coming.   We're closing in on accomplishing something the rest of the country and probably our opponents don't think we trans Texans can do, stop an anti trans bill in a Republican dominated legislature.


Here's the full Senate contact list     Here's the one for the twelve Senate Democrats to urge them to hang together and oppose SB 723.   

These are the seven Democratic senators rumored to be waffling on the bill.   Be nice when you call or fax them and implore them to stick together and kill SB 723. 

Mario Gallegos (512) 463-0106
mario.gallegos@senate.state.tx.us

Kirk Watson (512) 463-0114
kirk.watson@senate.state.tx.us

John Whitmire (512) 463-0115
john.whitmire@senate.state.tx.us

Carlos I. Uresti (512) 463-0119
carlos.uresti@senate.state.tx.us

Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (512) 463-0120
juan.hinojosa@senate.state.tx.us

Judith Zaffirini (512) 463-0121
judith.zaffirini@senate.state.tx.us

Eduardo A. (Eddie) Lucio, Jr. (512) 463-0127
eddie.lucio@senate.state.tx.us

Thank these Texas Democratic senators for standing up for what's fair and just for their trans constituents.

Rodney G. Ellis (512) 463-0113
rodney.ellis@senate.state.tx.us

Wendy Davis (512) 463-0110
wendy.davis@senate.state.tx.us

Royce West (512) 463-0123
royce.west@senate.state.tx.us

Leticia R. Van de Putte (512) 463-0126
leticia.vandeputte@senate.state.tx.us

José R. Rodríguez (512) 463-0129
Jose.rodriguez@senate.state.tx.us

Five days to go..

SB 723 Update 9-Six More Days

The Senate was just called to order moments ago, and SB 723 is on the intent calendar for today.    Sen. Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands) must get it passed before the end of this week or the unjust bill dies.

All the Democrats have to do to block it is simply hang together as a united front and just say no to bringing the bill to the Senate floor.

That is our mission.   I know you're up to the job, so lets get busy.   Our right wing opponents are putting pressure on their caucus right now to pass it..

Keep those calls, e-mail's and faxes coming.   Make sure the Texas Democratic senators stay together and kill SB 723  by doing so.

So keep up the pressure and keep those calls and faxes coming.   The right wing haters are doing the same on their side now that they have been alerted to what we trans Texans and our allies have been up to.

These are the seven waffling Democratic senators.   Be nice when you call or fax them and implore them to hang together and kill SB 723. 

Mario Gallegos (512) 463-0106
mario.gallegos@senate.state.tx.us

Kirk Watson (512) 463-0114
kirk.watson@senate.state.tx.us

John Whitmire (512) 463-0115
john.whitmire@senate.state.tx.us

Carlos I. Uresti (512) 463-0119
carlos.uresti@senate.state.tx.us

Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (512) 463-0120
juan.hinojosa@senate.state.tx.us

Judith Zaffirini (512) 463-0121
judith.zaffirini@senate.state.tx.us

Eduardo A. (Eddie) Lucio, Jr. (512) 463-0127
eddie.lucio@senate.state.tx.us

Thank these Texas Democratic senators for standing up for what's fair and just and their trans constituents.

Rodney G. Ellis (512) 463-0113
rodney.ellis@senate.state.tx.us

Wendy Davis (512) 463-0110
wendy.davis@senate.state.tx.us

Royce West (512) 463-0123
royce.west@senate.state.tx.us

Leticia R. Van de Putte (512) 463-0126
leticia.vandeputte@senate.state.tx.us

José R. Rodríguez (512) 463-0129
Jose.rodriguez@senate.state.tx.us

Just six more days and this bill dies a well deserved death.

SB 723 Update 8-Countdown To May 20

We Texas transpeeps already know what we're facing Monday morning in our ongoing battle to kill SB 723.

Conservabigot Sen. Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands) has already put the bill on the senate 'intent calendar'. We have five NO votes out of the 12 Democratic senators.    Leticia Van De Putte (San Antonio), Rodney Ellis (Houston), Royce West (Dallas), Wendy Davis (Fort Worth) and Jose Rodriguez (El Paso).

West, Ellis and Davis' offices have confirmed their opposition to SB 723, while Van De Putte's and Rodriguez's offices haven't. 

The Van De Putte one is a mystery to us trans Texans because she is related to Chrisite Lee Littleton.   (yes, THE Christie Lee Littleton)  

That leaves 7 Democrats on the fence, and the GOP needs only ONE to bring this bill to the floor.

Sen Carlos Uresti is the one that's rumored to be the shakiest on this bill.  One of his staffers was quoted in a recent Legislative Queery post as stating SB 723 'was a simple clean up bill'.

Yeah, right.  That's the lie that Sen. Williams is telling you.   To be honest, I'd love to find out if Sen Williams has any ties to either the Wharton Fire Department or attorney Frank Mann III.  . 

Can we get some investigative journalists on that one?

It's an unjust clean up bill that will frack with the lives of trans Texans for decades if it passes and could have deleterious effects on transpeople elsewhere on the planet as well.    Two people who are definitely watching what's transpiring in Austin are Nikki Araguz and Joanne Cassar in Malta who have pending trans marriage cases.

But the good news is the clock it ticking toward the demise of this bill if the Democratic Senators can hang together one more week (and we keep letting them know we are watching them).   In order for this bill to pass, it must clear the Senate,  get a first reading in the Texas House, get referred to a committee and clear that committee before midnight May 21

So keep up the pressure and keep those calls and faxes coming.   The right wing haters are doing the same on their side now that they have been alerted to what we've been up to in terms of trying to kill this bill. .

These are the seven waffling senators.   Be nice when you call or fax them. 

Mario Gallegos (512) 463-0106
mario.gallegos@senate.state.tx.us

Kirk Watson (512) 463-0114
kirk.watson@senate.state.tx.us

John Whitmire (512) 463-0115
john.whitmire@senate.state.tx.us

Carlos I. Uresti (512) 463-0119
carlos.uresti@senate.state.tx.us

Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (512) 463-0120
juan.hinojosa@senate.state.tx.us

Judith Zaffirini (512) 463-0121
judith.zaffirini@senate.state.tx.us

Eduardo A. (Eddie) Lucio, Jr. (512) 463-0127
eddie.lucio@senate.state.tx.us

Thank these Texas Democratic senators for standing up for what's fair and just.

Rodney G. Ellis (512) 463-0113
rodney.ellis@senate.state.tx.us


Wendy Davis (512) 463-0110
wendy.davis@senate.state.tx.us

Royce West (512) 463-0123
royce.west@senate.state.tx.us

Leticia R. Van de Putte (512) 463-0126
leticia.vandeputte@senate.state.tx.us
José R. Rodríguez (512) 463-0129
Jose.rodriguez@senate.state.tx.us


Can't rest until May 21.   We've got one more tense week, and then it's over until 2013..