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2-19-03; Longview, Texas
Local lawyer says animal rights bill is ridiculous'
By GLENN EVANS
A bill moving through the Texas House smacks of tyranny, a Longview attorney and animal welfare advocate said Tuesday.
House Bill 433, dubbed the Animal Rights and Ecological Terrorism bill, makes it illegal for two or more politically motivated people to obstruct "activity involving animals." Those activities include hunting, food preparation or clothing production, medical research and entertainment/recreation, according to the bill by Grand Prairie Republican Ray Allen.
The representative was not available for comment Tuesday, but legislative aide Tedrah Hutchins said Allen's intent is "to differentiate between politically and personally motivated acts and declare animal and ecological terrorism as terrorism."
Attorney Kelly M. Heitkamp, who draws a distinction between herself and more radical animal rights activists, said Texans should be wary of this bill regardless of their stance on animal issues.
"This is about freedom of speech, freedom of assembly," Heitkamp said. "I don't know if anyone here cares. There are some pro-lifers here. It could be you tomorrow. ... this is a ridiculous bill."
HB 433 outlaws obstructing the use of animals or natural resources, damaging them or holding them for ransom. It also forbids two or more "terrorists" from damaging the places where animal activity occurs, disrupting their operation or taking photos or videotape to defame the facility or its owner.
Conviction can bring up to two years in a state jail. Offenders would be required to register their names, addresses and recent photographs on a data base available on the Internet.
The bill was sent to the House Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations committee on Feb. 10. Tommy Merritt, R-Longview, is a committee member, but his aide, Dennis Suiter, said Tuesday that Merritt has not taken a position on HB 433. Suiter said Merritt's staff is analyzing the measure.
"We're looking into it and seeing what it does," Suiter said, adding that Merritt will be concerned both with protecting Texans' property and their freedom of speech and assembly. "We'll just have to see if there is a (committee) hearing on it."
Heitkamp, who describes passing out pamphlets at a circus while she was in college as her foray into protesting, is a member of the Texas Humane Legislation Network. She describes the group as "a very middle-of-the-road group of people in the state of Texas."
Allen's aide said he took the bill from the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, which says on its Web site it is pushing the bill state-by-state beginning with Texas.
"The Animal and Ecological Terrorism Act specifically recognizes animal and eco-terrorism as forms of domestic terrorism," the Web site says. "(It) increases penalties for persons participating in politically motivated acts of animal and eco-terrorism and creates specific penalties for those who encourage, assist or finance these acts of terror."
Association Vice President Rob Sexton, who is listed as the contact for the bill, was not available for comment Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Heitkamp said the bill is unnecessary.
"There are laws already protecting people against violence, against vandalism and trespassing," she said. "It's a scary, scary bill. It robs you of all your rights to protest. It's frightening. ... It hurts me that they think the best way to deal with us is to shut us up."
Glenn Evans can be contacted at [email protected].
Local lawyer says animal rights bill is ridiculous'
By GLENN EVANS
A bill moving through the Texas House smacks of tyranny, a Longview attorney and animal welfare advocate said Tuesday.
House Bill 433, dubbed the Animal Rights and Ecological Terrorism bill, makes it illegal for two or more politically motivated people to obstruct "activity involving animals." Those activities include hunting, food preparation or clothing production, medical research and entertainment/recreation, according to the bill by Grand Prairie Republican Ray Allen.
The representative was not available for comment Tuesday, but legislative aide Tedrah Hutchins said Allen's intent is "to differentiate between politically and personally motivated acts and declare animal and ecological terrorism as terrorism."
Attorney Kelly M. Heitkamp, who draws a distinction between herself and more radical animal rights activists, said Texans should be wary of this bill regardless of their stance on animal issues.
"This is about freedom of speech, freedom of assembly," Heitkamp said. "I don't know if anyone here cares. There are some pro-lifers here. It could be you tomorrow. ... this is a ridiculous bill."
HB 433 outlaws obstructing the use of animals or natural resources, damaging them or holding them for ransom. It also forbids two or more "terrorists" from damaging the places where animal activity occurs, disrupting their operation or taking photos or videotape to defame the facility or its owner.
Conviction can bring up to two years in a state jail. Offenders would be required to register their names, addresses and recent photographs on a data base available on the Internet.
The bill was sent to the House Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations committee on Feb. 10. Tommy Merritt, R-Longview, is a committee member, but his aide, Dennis Suiter, said Tuesday that Merritt has not taken a position on HB 433. Suiter said Merritt's staff is analyzing the measure.
"We're looking into it and seeing what it does," Suiter said, adding that Merritt will be concerned both with protecting Texans' property and their freedom of speech and assembly. "We'll just have to see if there is a (committee) hearing on it."
Heitkamp, who describes passing out pamphlets at a circus while she was in college as her foray into protesting, is a member of the Texas Humane Legislation Network. She describes the group as "a very middle-of-the-road group of people in the state of Texas."
Allen's aide said he took the bill from the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, which says on its Web site it is pushing the bill state-by-state beginning with Texas.
"The Animal and Ecological Terrorism Act specifically recognizes animal and eco-terrorism as forms of domestic terrorism," the Web site says. "(It) increases penalties for persons participating in politically motivated acts of animal and eco-terrorism and creates specific penalties for those who encourage, assist or finance these acts of terror."
Association Vice President Rob Sexton, who is listed as the contact for the bill, was not available for comment Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Heitkamp said the bill is unnecessary.
"There are laws already protecting people against violence, against vandalism and trespassing," she said. "It's a scary, scary bill. It robs you of all your rights to protest. It's frightening. ... It hurts me that they think the best way to deal with us is to shut us up."
Glenn Evans can be contacted at [email protected].
