Oh no the furry bill has a hearing tomorrow

What’s up, I’m in the middle of making dinner. Salmon, broccoli and a tomato/basil salad. Here’s what’s in the news, as far as I can tell:

Texans could soon need to show their passport or birth certificate to register to vote — “Texas House lawmakers began sparring this week over a bill that would require voters to prove their citizenship before registering to vote, part of a national, GOP-led effort to further tighten voting restrictions.

The proposal, which the Senate passed early this month, would require voters to provide a U.S. passport, certified copy of their birth certificate or citizenship papers in order to register to vote.”

Texas lawmakers want to exempt police from deadly conduct charges — “When Austin police responded to a 911 call in a downtown high rise in 2019, they confronted Mauris DeSilva a few feet away from the elevator, in a mental health crisis holding a knife.

Christopher Taylor, an on-duty officer, shot and killed DeSilva that night. DeSilva’s father has said his son was not a threat to the police, only to himself. Prosecutors agreed.

Taylor last year was sentenced to two years in a prison for deadly conduct, a charge only a handful of officers have been convicted of in recent history. Lawyers for Taylor after the sentencing have called the prosecution an abuse of power.

Texas lawmakers are now working to make that kind of sentence impossible. House Bill 2436 would exempt law enforcement officers from being charged with deadly conduct for actions taken in the line of duty.”

Hearings of note this week:

Tuesday, April 29:

House Education, 8 a.m., will be a roller coaster:

HB 54: FORBIDDING UNLAWFUL REPRESENTATION OF ROLEPLAYING IN EDUCATIONAL SPACES (FURRIES): Relating to the display of and allowance for non-human behaviors in Texas schools.

HB 850 Lalani | et al.
Relating to the availability of automatic external defibrillators and a cardiac emergency response plan at public schools and certain private schools in this state.

HB 4442 Bhojani | et al.
Relating to an elective course on mindfulness for middle school, junior high school, and high school students.

SB 10 King | et al.
Relating to the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms.

SB 24 Campbell | et al.
Relating to the inclusion of an understanding of communist regimes and ideologies in the essential knowledge and skills for the social studies curriculum for certain public school students.

House Transportation, 8 a.m.:

HB 341 Morales, Christina | et al.
Relating to a study by the Texas Department of Transportation on traffic collisions involving persons operating bicycles, electric bicycles, or motor-assisted scooters.

HB 2721 Toth
Relating to the installation and maintenance by the Texas Department of Transportation of highway signs for certain cultural attractions. — Another dumbass Gulf of America bill.

Senate Criminal Justice, 8 a.m.:

SB 1199 Birdwell
Relating to the investigation of the death of a prisoner in county jail. (excuses investigation into “a death from natural causes as determined by a physician during an autopsy or examination of the deceased prisoner”)

Senate Education K-16, 11 a.m.:

SB 205 Paxton | et al.
Relating to fetal development instruction included as part of the public school health curriculum in certain grade levels.

SB 2617 Creighton
Relating to a policy adopted by a school district or open-enrollment charter school regarding the expression of dates. (“The board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of an open-enrollment charter school shall adopt a policy requiring the use of the terms Anno Domini (AD) and Before Christ (BC) when expressing dates during student instruction.”)

Wednesday, April 30:

House Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs, 8 a.m.:

HB 2929 DeAyala
Relating to training for peace officers on interacting with persons with autism spectrum disorder.

HB 3420 Campos | et al.
Relating to certain mental health policies and services for peace officers, fire fighters, and telecommunicators.

HCR 118 Dorazio
Expressing support for the expansion of the warship manufacturing industry in Texas. — Ew.

House State Affairs, 8 a.m.:

HB 1617 Swanson
Relating to exempting the intrastate manufacture of a firearm, a firearm accessory, or ammunition from federal regulation.

HB 2881 Isaac
Relating to the enforcement of certain federal laws restricting the acquisition, manufacture, or possession of ammunition in this state.

HB 4726 Schofield
Relating to the prohibited provision of homeless services in certain locations. (“An organization may not provide homeless services within 1,000 feet of: (1) a public or private primary or secondary school campus; (2) a residential area; or (3) a public park.”) — Got it, so where unhoused people generally are.

HB 5318 Louderback
Relating to the authority of the attorney general to prosecute certain criminal offenses against public order. — There have been many bills filed to bolster the AG’s power after he got his feelings hurt last year. The weirdos who have kept Paxton afloat for years paved the way for Trump’s whole thing.

House Insurance, 8 a.m.:

HB 2076 Ordaz | et al.
Relating to health benefit plan coverage of anxiety and pain management in connection with insertion or removal of prescription contraceptive devices. (“A health benefit plan that provides benefits for prescription contraceptive devices must provide coverage of evidence-based anxiety and pain management related to the insertion or removal of the device.”) — You. Love. To. See. It.

Delivery of Government Efficiency, 10:30 a.m.:

The Committee on Delivery of Government Efficiency will hear invited and public testimony on the following subjects: Path to an Efficient System of Public Education — Oh, good.

Texas Democrats who are terrible at it:

Three. Good. Things:

1. You want a little skin chemical peel at home? This stuff is legit.
2. Basil from the garden.
3. Caring for other people and believing when they tell you that things are hard.