> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://bayou-city-sludge.ghost.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Guns v. People - URL: https://bayou-city-sludge.ghost.io/guns-v-people/ - Published: 2025-04-16T04:58:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-07T22:47:46.000Z - Description: And Mayes Middleton wants Ken Paxton's job. - Author: Sara Cress - Tags: Newsletter, #Migrated-1794091451356, #Import 2026-11-07 22:47 No time to waste, let’s get into it. I’d like to start with some videos from the House [gun bill hearings on Monday](https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/texas/2025/04/15/518825/texas-lawmakers-consider-a-variety-of-bills-to-loosen-restrictions-around-firearms/?amp=1&ref=bayou-city-sludge.ghost.io), because there was understandably some heated moments. Apologies for not being able to caption these videos, that takes a lot of time and today just isn’t that day. First let’s start with defense of the guns-at-polling-places bill a leader of one of the many gun-rights organizations in this godforsaken state. He’s wearing an AR 15 lapel pin. Guns aren’t gonna just cause any problems, he says. Next, here’s a clip of outspoken dad of a child who died in the Uvalde shotting, [Brett Cross](https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/brett-nikki-cross-uvalde-parents-uziyah-activism-robb-elementary-school-shooting/?ref=bayou-city-sludge.ghost.io), testifying against a bill that lowers the age to buy and carry a gun from 21 to 18. A guy in “2A” hat who testified for bills all day pointed out that federal courts have already allowed 18 year olds to purchase firearms, per a ruling in the Fifth District Court in January of this year. I admit, I was kind of distracted then. But the fact remains that the Supreme Court may very well be overturning all sorts of gun restrictions in the coming years. Passionate testimony from [Santa Fe High](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa%5FFe%5FHigh%5FSchool%5Fshooting?ref=bayou-city-sludge.ghost.io) graduate, London Delgado: Moms Demand Action members stayed the whole day to testify against this litany of horrible, violent bills. Toward the end of the day, one member who had just recited the names of young people killed by firearms was met with complete, utter disrespect from Rep. Carrie Isaac (R-New Braunfels): I think more people should yell at Carrie Isaac, to be honest: We’ll have to wait and see how much of this legislation makes it past the finish line in the coming months. --- [In a bit of good news](https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/15/texas-legislature-democrats-school-vouchers-constitutional-amendments/?ref=bayou-city-sludge.ghost.io): > House Democrats are threatening to kill all constitutional amendments for the rest of session unless the House votes to put school vouchers before voters in November. They appear to have the numbers to make good on that special session-inducing threat. > > More than 50 House Democrats have signed on to that plan, according to at least four Democrats and Capitol staffers briefed on the tally, enough to handcuff the Legislature on constitutional amendments. The move comes as Gov. Greg Abbott is attempting to squash any changes to his top legislative priority, [Senate Bill 2](https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB2&ref=bayou-city-sludge.ghost.io), including a bill amendment that would have voters weigh in on the proposed education savings account program. > > Blocking constitutional amendments is one of the last bits of leverage Texas Democrats have left after House Republicans this session undid the decades-long tradition of giving the minority party committee chairmanships. Killing vouchers is Democrats’ top legislative priority, and Democrats say they are prepared to pull all the stops to thwart the measure and others they oppose. The House is voting on its voucher bill on Wednesday. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6d/51/6d51d957-e70d-452f-8661-3823af319edd/content/images/2026/11/e63a7ee2-e6e2-47bb-ba9f-063a4105990a_480x475-jpeg.jpg)](https://www.texasdemocrats.org/vouchers?ref=bayou-city-sludge.ghost.io) --- A few hearings of note coming up on Wednesday: **8 a.m. House Corrections:** [HB 3006](https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB03006&ref=bayou-city-sludge.ghost.io) Canales *Relating to the purchase and installation of climate control systems at facilities operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. —* Prisoners are suffering and dying due to a lack of air conditioning in our state prisons. This is our mayor John Whitmire’s fault. Someone needs to fix this. **9 a.m. Senate Education:** [**SB 2972**](https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB02972&ref=bayou-city-sludge.ghost.io) Creighton *Relating to expressive activities at public institutions of higher education.* [**SB 1909**](https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB01909&ref=bayou-city-sludge.ghost.io) Creighton *Relating to a policy prohibiting antisemitism at public institutions of higher education.* [**SB 2233**](https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB02233&ref=bayou-city-sludge.ghost.io) Hinojosa, Adam *Relating to a prohibition on certain persons supporting terrorist activity at public institutions of higher education.* These are campus protest/free speech bans, particularly with regard to Palestine. Then, we get a blessed reprieve for a long Easter weekend. --- There’s more news to cover from today, like Galveston’s finest Bible-beating prude [Mayes Middleton running for Attorney General](https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/15/mayes-middleton-attorney-general-candidate-ken-paxton/?ref=bayou-city-sludge.ghost.io), but I gotta get away from this desk. SO Three. Good. Things. 1. I was photographed today for an article running in a coming Houstonia Magazine issue about Hurricane Harvey. I am becoming weirdly accustomed to these “hey, would you like to be in the news?” requests. It’s happened a lot in the past 10 years. The photographer was super nice despite me being super jittery and hating my face. She also had a wonderful, honest Southeast Texas twang to her voice that I found comforting. It’s genuinely not something I hear that often. 2. FOSTER DOG PAPA IS LEAVING FOR DENVER ON THURSDAY! I’ll miss The Best Potato, but I can’t wait for him to find his forever family and bunny hop around their yard in a beautiful city. 3. The new season of [Big Grande’s podcast, County Fair](https://biggrandewebsite.com/?ref=bayou-city-sludge.ghost.io). You have to pay for it, but you can check out a great episode of a previous season [here](https://youtu.be/bHMeAWO%5F%5Fbs?t=1476&ref=bayou-city-sludge.ghost.io). [Subscribe](#/portal/signup)