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Old 04-03-2007, 09:49 AM
  # 4 (permalink)  
Elana
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Join Date: Nov 2003
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This seems a good bill. However, the thing that needs to happen with any of these bills is simultaneous funding for support staff to track, enforce etc.

I see a lot of this.. the Legislative Body will pass a bill that is very popular but provide no funds to enforce the statute once passed.

For instance (this is just an example), a bill will pass to keep pedophiles off the streets longer and increase penalties for first offenses. This will get signed into law. Meanwhile no additional funding will be made availalble to hire extra prison guards or policemen or computer operators to track, arrest and confine in support of the bill. Meanwhile, the politicians get kudos and re-elected because they passed this important legislation.

I have seen elected officials actually increase the penalty for first offense violent criminals and cut funding for enforcement and prisons.. or will increase funding for administration but not for officers.

I hope Texas does pass this and also provides the funding for the personnel to make it work well.
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