SB 1440 was delivered to the governor on June 3. He has twenty days after the end of the session to take action on the bill by signing or vetoing it or allowing it to become law without his signature, which means he has until the 21st or 22nd of June to veto the bill.
We have had people from all walks of life and from across the political spectrum who have responded to this story and joined us in calling for the veto of this bill. The more we learn about the way the bill passed, the more the more ugly the story becomes. Our friends at the
Parent Guidance Center were tracking this bill in its first rendition as SB 1064, registered to give testimony against the bill on May 14, and offered
written testimony against the bill. The hearing was actually on Thursday, May 14, but no testimony was taken on the bill; the next day the rules were suspended on the House floor, and the 5-day posting rule was suspended so the hearing could take place on that day (Friday, May 15). Therefore, it took place at 7:09 Friday night. There was no chance for opponents to be there because of the lack of notice, but Madeline McClure of
TexProtects and Jane Burstain of
Center for Public Policy Priorities, supporters of the bill, were obviously given notice and were there to support the bill . The hearing lasted an hour and 13 minutes. The written testimony of the Parent Guidance Center was not entered into the record; neither was there any record of their registered opposition to the bill. Now defenders of SB 1440 are trying to claim that there was no opposition to the bill.