[Deathpenalty] TEXAS DEATH PENALTY ACTION ITEM
Action Alert Call Texas Senators to vote against SB 1697. The vote was delayed on Tuesday and will come up soon in the Texas Senate. MESSAGE: No matter what you think of the death penalty, you care about open and transparent government and accountability of government to the citizens of the Texas. Legislation does not need to be made in the dark. The death penalty and executions in Texas are public policy. Call and Email: Senator Whitmire 512-463-0115 john.whitm...@senate.state.tx.us Senator Huffman 512-463-0117 joan.huff...@senate.state.tx.us Senator Burton 512-463-0110 konni.bur...@senate.state.tx.us Senator Creighton 512-463-0104 brandon.creigh...@senate.state.tx.us Senator Jose Menendez 512-463-0126 jose.menen...@senate.state.tx.us Senator Perry 512-463-0128 charles.pe...@senate.state.tx.us Senate Bill 1697: 1. Takes information regarding the death penalty from public view and undermines open government. The public has a right to obtain public information. These transactions involve the State paying a private entity for an item or service using taxpayer money to perform executions, yet the Legislature wants to withhold the procedure and substances names from the taxpayer. 2. Transparency is a basic principle of a democracy, yet information regarding the substances and procedures will not be transparent to the public. The bill restricts information. 3. There is an ongoing lawsuit on “credible threats to the supplier,” but several sources and one court have questioned the existence of these threats. 4. If the State of Texas is going to continue to administer the death penalty, it is essential that the public have confidence that we are doing so in an appropriate manner. Cutting the public’s access to information will only inhibit public confidence. Call Texas Senators now! Link to all the Texas Senators is located at: www.capitol.state.tx.us/Members/Members.aspx?Chamber=S SB 1697 (Huffman) This bill relates to the confidentiality of certain information regarding procedures and substances used in the execution of a convict. The bill allows confidentiality of any person who participates in an execution procedure, including a person who uses supplies or administers a substance during the execution and any person or entity that manufactures, compounds, prescribes, dispenses, or provides a substance or supplies used in an execution. ___ DeathPenalty mailing list DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty Search the Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/deathpenalty@lists.washlaw.edu/ ~~~ A free service of WashLaw http://washlaw.edu (785)670.1088 ~~~
[Deathpenalty] TEXAS DEATH PENALTY-----action item
please circulate widely ** Call Texas Senators to vote against SB 1697. The vote will be on Tuesday, May 5 in the Texas Senate. MESSAGE: No matter what you think of the death penalty, you care about open and transparent government and accountability of government to the citizens of the Texas. Legislation does not need to be made in the dark. The death penalty and executions in Texas are public policy. Senate Bill 1697: 1. Takes information regarding the death penalty from public view and undermines open government. The public has a right to obtain public information. These transactions involve the State paying a private entity for an item or service using taxpayer money to perform executions, yet the Legislature wants to withhold the procedure and substances names from the taxpayer. 2. Transparency is a basic principle of a democracy, yet information regarding the substances and procedures will not be transparent to the public. The bill restricts information. 3. There is an ongoing lawsuit on “credible threats to the supplier,” but several sources and one court have questioned the existence of these threats. 4. If the State of Texas is going to continue to administer the death penalty, it is essential that the public have confidence that we are doing so in an appropriate manner. Cutting the public’s access to information will only inhibit public confidence. Call Texas Senators now! Link to all the Texas Senators is located at: www.capitol.state.tx.us/Members/Members.aspx?Chamber=S SB 1697 (Huffman) This bill relates to the confidentiality of certain information regarding procedures and substances used in the execution of a convict. The bill allows confidentiality of any person who participates in an execution procedure, including a person who uses supplies or administers a substance during the execution and any person or entity that manufactures, compounds, prescribes, dispenses, or provides a substance or supplies used in an execution. ___ DeathPenalty mailing list DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty Search the Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/deathpenalty@lists.washlaw.edu/ ~~~ A free service of WashLaw http://washlaw.edu (785)670.1088 ~~~