TEXAS

Update: June 30, 2011

Texas was very close to potentially passing an "anti-groping" bill which will make it a crime for a public servant, as part of a search, to touch a person's genitals, breasts, and buttocks without probable cause to believe the other person committed an offense. Details of an original version of the bill are at http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=821&Bill=HB41 .

The net result is that a TSA "enhanced pat down" could not include touching one's genitals, breasts, and buttocks.

Unfortunately, Texas Governor Perry exhibited reluctant support for this bill, and Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and Speaker Joe Straus wanted changes to the original bill that would severely hamper its effectiveness.

The last ditch efforts by the bill's sponsors in the House and Senate included watering down some of the provisions to a tepid protest against the TSA. In the end, a Senate version passed that was different from the House's version. Due to the lateness in the session, the net result is the House did not bring up a potentially reconciled bill to a vote.

SPECIAL NOTE: The US Government had written a letter threatening, if this bill passes, to implement a "No Fly Zone" in Texas - which is what our country has done to Iraq and Libya's dictatorship governments.

Link to TEXAS Campaign