"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."
Galatians 6:9
One of the biggest controversies of the 84th Texas Legislature concerned a bill by (Straus' committee chair) Rep. Joe Pickett (D - El Paso) that would grant state law-enforcement powers to private Federal Reserve security guards. When they attempted to sneak this bill through the Local and Consent process, Jonathan Stickland knocked it off the calendar. That exchange was the direct antecedent to Chairman Pickett's actions against Stickland in a committee hearing later that evening.
Unfortunately, the House passed the bill through the regular Calendars committee a week later.
But what happened after that?!?
It's often said in the Texas Legislature that "delay equals death." The Texas Senate received Pickett's bill from the House on May 14th. Lt. Governor Patrick sat on the bill for a week.
On May 21st, Patrick referred the bill to the Criminal Justice committee...where it died without a hearing.
They never took it up.
Bottom Line: Joe Pickett's bill to grant law enforcement powers to a subset of private security guards never reached the Governor's desk...thanks Dan Patrick!!!
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