TSA Tyranny Withdraws Support from House Version of TSA Anti-Groping Bill (HB41)

Recent amendments introduced to HB 41 — which adopt changes made at the urging of Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and Speaker Joe Straus — would strip the proposed TSA Anti-Groping bill of its teeth and render prosecution under the measure extremely difficult. More importantly, the new language concedes the debate on the fundamental constitutional question at stake. Rather than declaring that a state actor cannot touch a person’s private parts without probable cause in violation of the Fourth Amendment, the amended language requires that a prosecutor prove in every instance that such inappropriate touching does in fact violate the Constitution, or their case will be dismissed. With this in view, TsaTyranny.com believes HB 41, in its present form, will only affirm and embolden TSA officials in their abusive procedures and hinder prosecutors from holding them accountable. Consequently, TsaTyranny.com opposes the present wording of HB 41 and withdraws support of the bill until the compromise language is removed.