URGENT ACTION NEEDED: Help stop Governor's Database

URGENT ACTION NEEDED:
Help stop Governor's Database

TODAY, a key House committee may vote on HB 13, a bill that would give the governor unprecedented access to intelligence and homeland security information. These committee members need to hear from you!

The Office of Homeland Security--to be directed by the Governor rather than our state's leading law enforcement agency, the Department of Public Safety--will be transformed from an emergency planning and preparedness agency to intelligence gathering one, which can use information from both public and private sources. Texans have the right to know what information is being collected, who will have access to it and how it will be used!

Call the representatives on the State Affairs Committee to urge them to vote against this major legislation. Here is some more information for you to use in your conversations:

HB 13 makes major changes to the state’s homeland security law including:

• Creates the state Office of Homeland Security under the direct supervision of the Governor
• Gives the Governor’s office unfettered access to multi-jurisdictional criminal intelligence information
• Enables the Governor to allocate funds to state and local law enforcement agencies for activities related to “border security” and “law enforcement emergencies,” without defining those terms or creating guidelines for the funding
• Takes away local control over law enforcement practices related to immigrants

To read this bill click here. To call or email the committee members, use the phone numbers and links listed below.

House State Affairs Committee Members:

House District 87--Representative David A. Swinford
Capitol Office: CAP 4N.3
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0470

House District 70--Representative Ken Paxton
Capitol Office: EXT E2.910
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0356

House District 130--Representative Corbin Van Arsdale
Capitol Office: EXT E2.810
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0661

House District 9--Representative Wayne Christian
Capitol Office: EXT E2.902
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0556

House District 148--Representative Jessica Cristina Farrar
Capitol Office: CAP 4S.3
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0620

House District 2--Representative Dan Flynn
Capitol Office: EXT E1.302
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0880

House District 63--Representative Tan Parker
Capitol Office: EXT E1.416
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0688

House District 95--Representative Marc Veasey
Capitol Office: EXT E1.306
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0716