Senator Eliot Shapleigh - El Paso, Texas

On the Senator’s desk....
Texas military families are one of the most vulnerable communities when it comes to predatory lending and insurance practices. That’s why Senator Eliot Shapleigh is trying to pass legislation that will stop this predatory practice. “When soldiers are off fighting a war for the U.S., we should fight here for them. Over the years, we have seen predatory lenders who abuse soldiers with high interest rates and repossession of collateral while soldiers are at war,” Shapleigh said.
S.B. 1479 prevents payday lenders from garnishment of military wages; conducting any collection activity against a military customer of their spouse when the military customer is on combat deployment; and contacting a commanding officer in an effort to collect.
C.S.S.B. 506 prohibits an insurer or an insurer's agent from selling a life insurance policy to a member of the United States Armed Forces or a member of the Texas National Guard without notifying the member of less expensive policies that may be available through the federal government.

Chamber echoes...
With the 79th Legislative Session almost over, the Senate is expected to start meeting on Fridays next week. And several major issues still need to be finalized. “Here we are with 50 days left and there are still many moving parts,” Shapleigh said. “For us, the goals remain the same. We need medical school funding, equal funding for school and fair taxation. We also need to lower property taxes.”

Among those who visited Austin this week ...
Ted Houghton, Rick Francis and other El Paso business leaders who were there to lobby for El Paso's medical school. Also, Daniel Arrellano and Margarita Arrellano, and Paul Spencer, Armida Patino, Sofia Moreno and Annie Payton, Elizabeth Leal, Doug Hamilton, Karen Porter and Sarah Nahous.

In Committee this week...
The Senate Criminal Justice Committee this week approved a blue ribbon commission to examine Texas’ application of capital punishment. The committee approved SB 544 by State Sen. Eliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso). The companion legislation in the House is HB 493 by State Rep. Elliott Naishtat (D-Austin). The legislation would create a broad based panel composed of judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and distinguished citizens to make recommendations to the next legislature in 2007.

Upcoming News...
SB 95 by Senator Shapleigh which establishes an Asthma Research Center at the Texas Tech University campus in El Paso has been moved onto the local and uncontested calendar. The center is needed in El Paso because while the national average asthma rate is 7 percent, in El Paso County it is 16 percent. The American Lung Association of Texas currently gives El Paso County a grade of F (worst grade) in both High Ozone Days and Particle Pollution.