Texas Gov. Rick Perry adds TSA bill to special session

- from Tenth Amendment Center

Texas Gov. Rick Perry presented legislation for consideration this week in the ongoing Eighty-Second Texas Legislature, First Called Session that would ban intrusive TSA pat-downs.

"We applaud Gov. Perry for presenting this legislation," Tenth Amendment Center communications director Mike Maharrey said. "James Madison said states are duty bound to interpose when the federal government overreaches its constitutional limits. Nobody can argue that requiring citizens to get groped by a badged agent in order to get on an airplane doesn't step way over the line."

The bill passed the Texas House unanimously in the general session in May and was poised to pass the Senate when a letter from U.S. Attorney John E. Murphy threatening to shut down air travel in the Lone Star State scared Texas Senators into backing down.

"It's an opportunity for redemption. Now its time for the Texas legislature to do its job and get this bill passed," Maharrey said.