Kuempel's Mis-placed Priorities

Here’s a review some of the legislation our state representative, John Kuempel, thinks is important enough to be the author or co-author. Authoring or co-authoring a bill indicates either it’s important enough to the representative that they’ve put in the put in the time and resources to draft a bill or they’ve accepted a bill written by a lobbyist or other source and put their stamp of approval on it. Sometimes legislators submit a bill with no intention of following up on it as they just want to be able to claim the bill when talking to their constituents in order appease them without actually making a real effort.

Of course, the Kuempel bill getting the most news, HB 4237, is one that proposes to legalize casino gambling at four locations in Texas. It’s almost guaranteed that if the bill passes those casinos will go in high population cities like Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, etc. There’s less chance of one being built in Guadalupe or Wilson County than there is of you winning the Powerball lottery this week without having purchased a ticket. Now I’ll agree that it’s time to legalize casino gambling in Texas, I just wonder why our representative feels the need to put his energy into a bill that will have zero benefit on his constituents when there is so many other issues directly effecting the residents of House District 44 that could use his energy.

Then there’s HB 336, which would make it criminal offense for any Texas law enforcement officer or district attorney to enforce a federal judge’s extreme risk protective order involving guns in the hands of known violent individuals. This bill is going nowhere fast. Who is Kuempel appeasing by joining Briscoe Cain as a co-author of this bill?

It’s another legislative session with Republicans in control of both houses and the governor so it should be no surprise that there’s another effort to outlaw abortion in Texas. It is disappointing the John Kuempel is a co-author of HB 1280 which is a companion to SB 9 which passed the Senate and has been referred to a House committee. Both bills seek to penalize doctors performing abortions for any reason other than to save the life of the pregnant woman with a first or second degree felony.

It wouldn’t be Texas if Republicans didn’t include a bill to legalize nearly anyone to tote pistols nearly anywhere which is what HB 1927 does and of course Kuempel co-authored. The bill and it has passed the House and is waiting for a hearing in the Senate committee to which is was assigned. Apparently our state rep feels everyone walking around armed is a good thing. I’m going right out to buy a few cans of pepper spray and if I see some pistol toting yahoo in the grocery or coffee shop I may just spray the yahoo then beat them unconscious. When asked by police why I did it I’ll claim I was in fear for my life. Heck, it works for police officers shooting unarmed black men all the time.

There are a number of other bills Kuempel authored which are in keeping with adjusting state law to meet current needs or fix things that have been found burdensome or counter-productive. One of the important topics Kuempel didn’t put any effort into is marijuana reform. Why Kuempel feels the need to pander to gun nuts and won’t make an effort to help people seeking pain relief through marijuana products is beyond me.

Published in the Seguin Gazette - April 28, 2021