Reptile & Amphibian Forums

post your name here for all to see.........lets see whos calling and who is just sitting down and whining. LET DO THIS GUYS!!!!
Call the Gov........NOW!!!! BE HEARD!!!

Brian Potter
NARBC

*****We will be doing this a lot more......there is a bunch of states that will be following.......dont be fooled!
Link

But will try again this afternoon once I can plug my cell in.. I plan to speak to somebody.

I also plan to call Isett to see if his office will support amending this bill next session... I already know off hand a few other reps that will back that idea up, but I want to hear his office fall in line with that. Remember after that article it brought his office on board with revising the bill to exclude herps.

I did have a nice conversation with a staff member at Gallego's office today. They are informative, support us and willing to help, but can not do much to effect anything until the next session January 2009. That means that this turd of a bill will hang over us for 1.5 years.... Unless we get help from the Gov.

Lance

I called this morning - the person answering the phone sounded bored.

Troy

and once a few minutes ago.... I also sent an e-mail limited to 200 words (could not begin to say all I wanted to with that restriction.

Now I'm on the phone to to the committee clerk.

Thanks

I called at 512-463-2000, got a machine so I left a message. Hopefully the lines are crowded with herpers. You can wait on the line for a real person or just leave a message like I did. The more people who call the better.

called at 2pm. They will here from me again if it gets passed!
John Lopez
WTHS

np

Keep those calls & emails coming!

Jeff Barringer called

I called them both and left messages. It was hard to remain composed because I'm so pissed at this point, but I managed. Count me in for any opposition mounted, no matter how aggressive!

Max
-----
Snakes to the Max

1.2 Variable Kingsnakes
1.1 Grayband x Ruthveni
0.1 Western Massasauga (WC)
1.1 Jungle Carpet Pythons
1.0 Jaguar Coastal Carpet Python
1.1 Pastel Red-tail Boas
1.0 Lavender Motley Cornsnake
3.1 Yearling Variable Kingsnakes
0.0.2 Yearling Western Massasaugas
1.1 Black Milksnakes
3.6 Honduran Milksnakes
1.3 Cornsnakes
1.1 Mandarin Ratsnakes
0.0.1 Baird's Ratsnake

control of his emotions-or first thing in the morning (whichever comes first.

WOAI

Brad Ratliff

We Both have called.

Randal and Bonnie

I called the Governor.

I called my Representative Mark Strama - his staffer was very interested and said he thought the exception language made sense and that he didn't think it would be too hard to get it included during the next session. I was impressed with Strama's office.

I called my Senator Kirk Watson as well.

I called Hilderbran and left a long message (respectful but expressing disappointment in him).

Call everybody! We've got to reach a critical mass of noise before any of them will listen. I love the idea of a demonstration too.

I called twice today to see if I could get someone the second time who didn't sound asleep. The first girl I talked to sounded like she was cleaning her fingernails while I complained. The second one, sounded a little better. I've also called a few other reps. and emailed the Gov. Unfortunately guys, it looks like HB 12 includes a lot of pork which everyone on the receiving end wants badly. Barring a miracle, this bill will be signed. Anyone care to work on some BAD publicity with me? If someone wants to meet up over around Del Rio WITH kids I'll shoot some pictures of kids holding frogs, lizards, snakes, herping, having fun with dad. Then if someone who can write heart wrenching articles will add the text, maybe we can get some folks to publish, "Death of a Texas past-time" (or whatever you want to call it). Then maybe we could get Reptiles Mag. and some other folks to run it to reach a bigger audience. Just a thought. We need to hit'em from every angle. Websites are another avenue that we can use. If you have a website, put up this info and BE SURE to include Issets and Hild. name's as many times as possible so when searches are done on them, folks can see their dirty, underhanded, backdoor, backroom, thugish ways that they push their personal agenda's and ignore the folks that they are supposed to represent, US! Be sure to remeber those that were honest and kept true to their words. Namely; Tracy O King, Pete Gallego, et. al. I'll be working on mine tonight hopefully.

Lastly, I posted this idea on the other form but I'll suggest it here too. IF ANYONE and I mean ANYONE gets ticketed under this law, it is our responsibility to jump in their fight to help them and fight this all the way up the food chain! I suggest we keep tabs on who/if anyone gets ticketed under this BS law, we all pitch in for an attny. and shove if back down their throats any chance we get.

**Steps off of soap box**
I'm going to go kick the dog.
PO'ed
-----
Snakes of Hudspeth County, Texas

I called the out of state number, that Troy had posted above & left a lengthy statement of my opposition to HB12 & asked Gov. Perry to please veto HB12. Thanks Troy for providing the exact contact number I needed....John F.

Heres the correct phone number again for ALL out of staters to call in opposition to HB12:
Citizen's Assistance and Opinion Hotline: (512) 463-1782
[for Austin, Texas and out-of-state callers]

John, did you ask for Joe's permission before calling the Gov's office??? Just wondered. Don't want you to get in trouble!!!

I don't have any problems with John. But I'm beginning to have a problem with you.

We called the Governor's office this morning and voiced our concern. 512-463-1782

We also called the Governor's Policy Office, and left a message there with Andrea at 512-463-2198.

We spoke with Sen. Seliger (Chairman of Natural Resources Committee) this morning. He said someone on the Conference Committee added the amendments to this Bill. He says he does not know who this person is.

So, the million dollar question is: when the Senators voted again on HB 12 with amendments, WERE THEY AWARE THAT ANY AMENDMENTS HAD BEEN ADDED AND WHAT THOSE AMENDMENTS PERTAINED TO ????

Perhaps a good project at this time would be for someone to contact all of the Senators who voted for HB12 and ask them if they knew amendments had been added and that they were very much opposed to by the taxpayers.

Randal & Bonnie Berry
texasreptiles@comcast.net

I'd say that most of them probably didn't know, they rely on their staffers to look out for these things and this was passed right at the very end.

However, even if they did know exactly what Hildebran and Co. added to HB 12, politically HB 12 had so much going for it in the way of Park Improvement budgetary items that I doubt seriously than they would have taken a stand on principle and voted against it.

Do the math - piss off a few thousand herpers or piss of the hundreds of thousands of state park visitors.

What they should have voted against were the House Resolutions that allowed Hildebran and Co to actually amend HB 12 in conference committee.

Troy

The big question is: Did the Senators know that two controversial House Bills were added as amendments before they voted on this Bill???

It would be quite a task for anyone to call all of the Senators to find out if they knew about these controversial amendments.

For those of you who can, please contact your local Senator's Office and just ask them. If you are able to do this, please post here right away.

We need to post these responses for everyone to see.

Randal & Bonnie

>>The big question is: Did the Senators know that two controversial House Bills were added as amendments before they voted on this Bill???
>>
>>It would be quite a task for anyone to call all of the Senators to find out if they knew about these controversial amendments.
>>
>>For those of you who can, please contact your local Senator's Office and just ask them. If you are able to do this, please post here right away.
>>
>>We need to post these responses for everyone to see.
>>
>>Randal & Bonnie
>>

I've called 2x.

Spoke with a clueless staffer that didn't know if the governor had the power to issue executive orders.

Left a message for Andre Aguiyo. I was told she is the policy specialist assign to HB 12.

Called and left a message today.

I just called hildebrands office, the governors office, and the office of estes. Estes was a very horrible experience. The woman I spoke to (I should have got her name) kept saying that the bill had already passed and didnt want to hear my opinion on anything at all!

>>I just called hildebrands office, the governors office, and the office of estes. Estes was a very horrible experience. The woman I spoke to (I should have got her name) kept saying that the bill had already passed and didnt want to hear my opinion on anything at all!

I called tonight and left this message:

Govenor Perry,

My name is Bradley Ratliff from San Antonio, Texas. I am contacting you to register my complete opposition to HB 12. As you well know the bill contains the riders for HB 2414, banning roadside hunting of all wild animals, and HB 1309, requiring permits for some non-native snakes. The wording in HB 1309 also allows Texas Parks and Wildlife agents freely into the homes of thousands of responsible taxpaying voters. I feel HB 1309 is a violation of the right to privacy millions of voters in Texas are constitutionally granted.

I am disgusted by the utter disrespect and manner in which Rep. Hilderbran and Sen. Estes have manipulated the Texas Legislative process. Governor Perry you have the power to show the all the people in the state of Texas you will not allow the integrity of our great state to be compromised by the dirty underhanded actions of a few rogue legislators. Thousands of responsible taxpaying voters are going to be negatively affected by the passage of this bill. I put my trust in you to represent the people of the state of Texas and veto HB 12.

Thank you

Hello Everyone!
I not only called Governor Rick Perry's office twice and spoke to two different people, but I also wrote an email to schedule an appointment to speak with the Governor. All requests to speak with the Governor must be submitted in writing. It only took a few moments to write a simple note concerning HB 12.
I would suggest that others do the same.
Please remember to be tactful. We are a representation of our Hobby and/or Business. Even if we do not agree with the legislation that has been force fed to us....we should act with dignity and integrity. Rude behavior or language will only fall on deaf ears. Speak up about you views. But remember that we represent everyone who enjoys reptiles. So lets make a good impression....(and use Spell Check before you send a message)
Below you will see a copy of the email message which I sent to Governor Rick Perry's Office.
Please take a moment to write a similar message.
You can utilize thier email system for this purpose. It is located on the Governors Web Page at:

http://www.governor.state.tx.us/

Click on the CONTACT tab. Scroll to the bottom of the page and fill out the required fields. Then send them a respectful message about your opposition to HB-12.
We NEED your help to stop HB-12 from becoming law!

Here is a copy of my message:
...............................................................

To whom it may concern:

My name is Harlin Wall. I own a Colorado State Licensed Business. I would like to formally request a phone conversation with Gov. Rick Perry to discuss HB-12.
This bill should not be signed into law. I would like to state my views about the negative impact that HB-12 will have on Licensed Business Owners and tax paying Citizens of Texas as well as Citizens of other States.
HB-12 will also have a negative impact on Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Tourism Industry of Texas. This bill was ill conceived and should never be signed into law. I ask to be allowed to speak with Governor Rick Perry so that I might voice my concerns about this problematic bill.
I am available by phone at 970-245-7611.
Please contact me to let me know when I might schedule a phone call to Governor Rick Perry. Thank you.
Respectfully,
Harlin Wall - WALL TO WALL REPTILES! 970-245-7611
You can email me at: WALL2WALLREPTILE@AOL.COM