Wentworth tries, tries again on campus carry

Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, saw a chance to revive his bill to allow concealed guns to be carried into college campuses and he jumped on it.

Wentworth offered his proposal as an amendment to Senate Bill 5, a higher education bill by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo. He said upfront it was essentially his concealed-carry measure, SB354.

Zaffirini objected, calling his amendment unanticipated and unacceptable. She ended up delaying consideration of her bill until tomorrow.

Wentworth has been unable to get the two-thirds Senate vote needed to bring up his bill after losing the support of Democratic Sens. Mario Gallegos, of Houston, and Eddie Lucio Jr., of Brownsville.

By attaching his proposal as an amendment, he’d only need a majority vote. He said he’s got the support of 20 senators.

Asked about Zaffirini’s clear displeasure, Wentworth said, “I’m trying to pass a bill that passed this Senate two years ago. and would have passed this Senate two weeks ago, had senators who promised me they would vote to suspend kept their word to me. To say that I am now somehow using the system unfairly is a little silly. I’m using the same parliamentary tactic that anybody would use trying to get a bill passed.”

Zaffirini is in the Senate caucus, but Wentworth added, “Her threat is that she would rather kill her entire bill than pass it with my amendment on it. You need to visit with her about that decision.”

I hope to talk to her after caucus to asked whether she’s willing to let her bill die to kill Wentworth’s effort.