Posted on 04/20/2009 7:53:50 AM PDT by BGHater
Any 'peace officer' can demand i.d. any time, doesn't say exactly who qualifies as a 'peace officer.'
Papers please!!
The Texas Senate has approved a bizarre measure which would require citizens to show some sort of identification to any police officer who demands it, at any time, for any reason, 1200 WOAI news reports.
Currently, it is illegal for a person to give a false name to police, but there is no law rewiring a person to provide i.d. at an officer's whim. And State Sen. Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands) doesn't like the sound of this bill.
"We still live in a free society," he said. "I don't want police officers to be able to pull you over and ask that you identify yourself."
The bill would also require individuals to provide their date of birth and 'residence address' to police.
Supporters of the bill, like State Sen. Juan Hinojosa (D-McAllen) says there are safeguards.
"A police officer would not have the discretion just to come over and ask for i.d. on just anybody," he said.
Hinojosa said the officer would have to have a 'good reason' to demand identification.
The bill is sponsored by State Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston), who is a strong supporter of individual rights.
"It is illegal for them to falsely identify themselves, but it is not illegal for them not to tell you who they are," Patrick said. "In this era of national security issues, if we have a police officer detaining someone at a high profile target, it is in the best interests of the safety of that officer and this community to be able to quickly determine who that person is."
Other lawmakers say if a person is bent on committing a crime, the individual is not likely to be deterred by the possibility of a misdemeanor charge of failure to identify.
Patrick’s' bill does not specify exactly who a 'peace officer' who is authorized to demand papers is. It doesn't say whether it would be limited to TCLOSE certified police officers, or would apply to constables, security guards, or neighborhood watch members. It also doesn't specify what passes for 'i.d' and wither it would have to be a photo i.d.
The bill also does not spell out any safeguards or recource for citizens who are asked at random to identify themselves to police.
Thank your luck stars; try having a full time one.
Well ya can just keep yer hands off my wires. They don't already work too good as it is!
That's a houtonian (R) which stands for RINO. This is the kind of two faced meallt mouthed con artist that the Republican party must get rid of.
More likely.
This is a bad idea. It sounds like a misguided attempt to deal with illegals.
In other words, "we expect terrorists who may be planning on acts of subversion, sedition and sabotage to be otherwise truthful when confronted by police." In any event, I'm sure that moslems will be exempted before the bill reaches final form.
“Inattentive Driving” was the catch-all in NJ for a number of years.
If the police officer doesn't know who the person is that is being detained, how do they know it's a "high profile target"?
Dan Patrick is a solid Conservative. This is why it is surprising to me that he is sponsoring this bill.
He certainly is no RINO.
If that is the reasoning, write it into the bill.
Which one, Barrack Hussein Obama or Barry Sorento?
This guy needs to sit down and STHU!
You can't be for individual rights and then fly in the face of the 4th AND 5th Amendments.
You don't loose your right to be 'secure in your papers' just because you leave the house, and you can't be forced to provide evidence that can be used against you.....PERIOD!
Not to mention that anyone determined to do any harm will have false identification, ANYWAY.
GEESH! What bizzarro world rock did this guy crawl out from under?
"You look like you might be an illegal."
We have enforced thought control.
Ping
No argument there...
I do believe I just found a loophole... This law ONLY applies to those who are legally in the USA...
Everybody had enough yet?
No?
Niemoller’s Long Fuse burns on.
The fact that he is behind this attack on our freedom makes him a RINO.
By the way tomorrow we in Texas will celebrate the over throw of the dictator Santa Anna.
And yesterday was the anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord the beginning of the end of royal tyranny.
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