Austin, TX – The Texas House passed a bill that would make it a criminal offense for public servants to inappropriately touch travelers during airport security pat-downs.
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Approved late Thursday night, the measure makes it illegal for anyone conducting searches to touch “the anus, sexual organ, buttocks, or breast of another person” including through clothing.
It also prohibits searches “that would be offensive to a reasonable person.”
The bill’s chief sponsor is Republican Rep. David Simpson, who said, “this has to do with dignity and travel, and prohibiting indecent, groping searches.”
He believes it will keep Transportation Security Administration officials from treating travelers like criminals, though the measure may be superseded by federal law.
After a brief but raucous debate, lawmakers approved the measure with little opposition — drawing applause from supporters.
So the terrorists will fly from texas now?
“although it MAY be superceded by Federal law”???
Even a first year law student would tell you that a state cannot regulate how federal security officers employed by (or under contract to) the TSA do their jobs. The first time they tried to interfere, a federal marshall would place take the local sherrif into custody.
The next Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab will be sure to get on a plane in Texas.
Ridiculous. The law can’t be applied. And if there’s probable cause to do a search those are the areas most likely to hide contraband.
This is going to be fun. First, I doubt that it will have any real effect, since state laws cannot regulate federal activities. Secondly, if TSA employees in Texas stop performing pat downs: Anyone flying out of Texas who refuses a whole-body scan will probably be prevented from entering the boarding area. That’s going to create a lot of angry Texans. And I would -not- want to be near a crowd of angry people whose idea of “luxury car” is a Lincoln Continental with a rifle rack.
Your all missing the point , whether this will work by itself is not the point, it sheeds light on a bog problem that we have with the TSA, my cousin just traveled with his family and got the FULL pat down in from of all… This is crazy… It’s a good thing that Texas did this, we should all follow
Support this. Having been told by TSA agents in JFK airport who had removed my baby’s diaper and were poking around with their fat blue-gloved fingers that if I don’t stop crying I would be put under arrest, I believe, we have gone too far.
For those who think it’s just fabulous that TSA agents have carte blanch to do whatever they want, I ask, is ANYTHING off limits? Or in the name of preventing terror can they do anything? Naked strip search of kids, like we were subject to? Body cavity searches? Or do you believe, as I do, that with all good ideas and good laws, there must be limits? Do you think the FBI can just wiretap anyone’s phone? Laws must necessarily come with limits.
To those who attack the very idea of preventing the TSA from doing whatever it wants in the name of security, please be aware that governments also justify taking the people’s freedom by arguing it is for security.
The very reason the Constitution has a 4th amendment making some searches illegal is to prevent the government from doing whatever it wants.
The choice is only whether the TSA uses legal or illegal means to protect us.
This does not impair searches “for cause”