Texas pat-down bill dies

El Paso Times: Disappointed. That’s the feeling of many after the 82nd Texas Legislature adjourned without passing the TSA pat-down bill.

It was an example of lawmakers waiting until the last minute to take up certain bills, then running out of time, often using political means to make sure that occurs.

We believe there was room for compromise had this not been taken up at the 11th hour.

The bill called for better respecting citizens’ rights at airport security stations. Certain hands-on-body searches can sometimes be affronts to a person’s dignity. Note the case where an elderly woman was made to take off her diaper as part of a search.

The bill was harsh toward the Transportation Security Administration. If passed, it would have criminalized airport security searches without reasonable suspicion. The chairman of the House Criminal Justice Committee, Democrat Pete Gallegos, noted that both Texas law-enforcement and district attorney associations warned passage would require them to prosecute federal employees for following national guidelines.

With modern technology available, it would be prudent for the federal government to ease up on pat-downs at airports, thus negating vain efforts by states trying to force that into law.