Stage Seven: A Common Sense Bill

In the Texas Tribune, there's an article about a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's permits after paying about $150 in fees, get fingerprints and backgrounds checks.
House Bill 3206 by state Rep Roberto Alonzo would require that applicants pass a driving test to get the document, which would allow holders to legally register their vehicles and obtain auto insurance.
Republican opponents fear the bill will encourage illegal immigration but they need to know that it's only a driving permit and also the licenses would be labeled to say that the immigrants are not legal residents, and the identification  could not be used to board a plane, vote or to obtain public benefits.

Immigration has always been a controversial topic,  some people don't agree with this bill but I think it's a good thing because there are more than 1.6 million immigrants in Texas and many of them drive, issuing them driving permits would make Texas roads safer and would allow the state to keep better track of who is driving.
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo is in favor of the bill, he says "It will absolutely enhance safety. There is nothing more frustrating than being hit by an individual and when you go to exchange information, there is no ID." It goes toward helping them to investigate all crime because now they have a picture and of course fingerprints. It's just safer for everyone and we are all more protected!

"It's a law enforcement, a security, a common sense bill."

Blog 6: On The Phone, Off The Road

On Wednesday, April 3, 2013 one of my colleagues posted an article called "support ban on texting while driving" my classmate made really good points on why they think that texting while driving is the same thing as driving intoxicated because "when you're drunk and you drive you not only a danger to yourself but a danger to other drivers on the road" we all know that texting and driving can result an injury and loss of life. I think before new drivers get their licences, they should at least know that taking their eyes off the road even for a few seconds could cost someone injury or even death. Yes some people are able to text without looking at their phone, and they might think it's safe but isn't, texting while driving is very dangerous and can cause very serious harm. We should ban cell phone use and texting without hands free all over the entire United States and state of Texas, there are too many accidents about to happen and it can all be prevented with passing the law to ban cell phone use without speaker or hands free devise.

Stage 5: Austin passes plastic bags ban

Austin should not ban plastic bags, this is officially the most intrusive piece of legislation to come out of Texas government in my lifetime. 

The bag ban is the most ridiculous social tax I have ever seen because some people reuse the grocery bags for trash cans in bathrooms and kitchen, they honestly have all sort of use. If the city of Austin want us to use reusable bags they should at least supply them for free. I don't like grocery shopping as it is and now it's hard to carry all the things in just one bag! Plus reusable bags are unsanitary because of all those germs wind up where your bag us set when you are checking out, most reusable bag shoppers do not wash their bags once they return home may be leading to food poisoning, that's why I prefer plastic bags over reusable because I value my personal health. 

People say "it's okay to save the world" but there are millions of things we can do that are more effective and less inconvenient than a bag ban. It honestly has a big effect in our daily lives. Give people a choice to respond as to whether they want to switch to reusable bags or not, not labeling them as caring about the environment or not. There are many reasons why people may or may not use reusable bags, that have nothing to do with whether they care about the environment. The bag ban is going to be overturned either by the legislature, or by a citizen initiative. It needs to be repealed.