Pit bull ban: update and more info

[StopBSL]

This is a brief status update on the proposed pit bull ban. At the end
is a list of groups, activities, and resources, in case you are
wondering what you can do now.

The legislative process moves very slowly during these early stages.
You can expect very few updates from Texans Against BSL (TABSL) at
this time, because not much is going on.

---Steps for a bill to become law---
1. A group or individual approaches a state legislator (Senator or
Rep) with a proposal. (WE ARE HERE)
2. The legislator decides whether or not to turn the proposal into a
bill.
3. If the legislator supports the proposal, he or she will file a
bill. (by mid-March, 2011)
4. The bill is assigned to a committee.
5. The bill must be heard and approved in a public committee hearing
to move on. Most bills die here.
6. If approved by the committee, the bill is then voted on by the
House and Senate, etc--I'll provide more details if and when we get
here. (by end of May, 2011)

As you can see, we are at the beginning of a prolonged process.

As we wait for the legislators to make their next move, the following
groups, activities, and resources are available to you:

---Groups---

Love-A-Bull, www.love-a-bull.org (also on Facebook and Twitter)
StopBSL, www.stopbsl.com (also on Facebook and Twitter)
Stop Texas Pit Bull Ban (Facebook), www.facebook.com/#!/StopTexasPitBullBan
No BSL In Texas (Facebook), www.facebook.com/#!/pages/No-BSL-in-Texas/128396560551263
E. Texas for NOT banning dogs (Facebook), www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=group_162668880440173

---Activities---

Gather signatures for paper petition against breed discrimination:
www.love-a-bull.org/resources/bsl/petition/

Write or call the legislators who received the proposal, and ask them
not to file it as a bill:
Senator Kevin Eltife: http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members/dist1/dist1.htm#form
Representative Chuck Hopson: http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/email/?district=11&session=81

A petition addressed to Eltife and Hopson:
http://animals.change.org/petitions/view/stop_bsl_in_texas

Nov. 17, Tyler area: a protest against BSL at the Tyler city council
meeting, Nov 17, 9 am, City Hall (212 N. Bonner) -- Tyler is at the
epicenter of this pro-BSL movement

---Free Resources---

"The Pit Bull Placebo: The Media, Myths, and Politics of Canine
Aggression" - FREE BOOK ONLINE - http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/ncrc-publications/

National Canine Research Council information on Texas fatal dog
attacks: http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/in-your-state/texas/dog-bite-fatalities/

StopBSL's collection of links and articles about BSL: http://stopbsl.com/links/

Countless additional resources are available online. If you have any
questions or if you need additional information, please feel free to
ask me.

Thanks as always for your support for the dogs and dog owners of
Texas.

Until the next update--

Jennifer Thomas
stopb...@gmail.com