GOOD MORNING! We're halfway there on a short week. On today's The Lead Live, we've got Mike Kelliher coming on to discuss Arcadia Live. Also if you missed Tuesday's show featuring Bella Shearhart and Alyson Amestoy, we recommend it because it focuses on Shearhart's body positivity project. Watch the video here: https://www.facebook.com/thekerrcountylead/videos/646059806364133
ANDY MURR'S SEAT AT THE TABLE
Rep. Andrew Murr got a seat Tuesday at the table when Gov. Greg Abbott signed the controversial Senate Bill 1 into law — a signature win for Murr and Sen. Bryan Hughes; both wrote the election integrity legislation.
Designed to protect Texas from voter fraud, Murr took to social media to note the legislative victory on Tuesday.
"This Act will promote and enhance voter access while also reducing the likelihood of fraud in our voting processes across the state," Murr wrote. "Ultimately, the bill will ensure all legally cast ballots are counted, thereby maintaining confidence in our state's election system."
After Abbott signed the bill into law, liberal and voting rights groups immediately sued Texas. Conservative groups, many backing former President Trump's falsely rampant assertions of election fraud, claimed it was a victory for the good of the country.
"Senate Bill 1 ensures trust and confidence in our elections system — and most importantly, it makes it easier to vote and harder to cheat," Abbott said. "Safe and secure elections are critical to the foundation of our state, and I thank Senator Hughes and Representative Murr for their leadership on this important issue. I am proud to sign Senate Bill 1 into law to uphold the integrity of our elections in Texas."
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Twitter
See @GregAbbott_TX's post on Twitter.
twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX
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The Texas NAACP and Houston Justice both filed suit against Abbott over the law. The court filings argue that the efforts enacted are suppressing the vote in places like Harris County, which used an array of tactics to ensure voter participation during the pandemic.
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Twitter
See @kylegriffin1's post on Twitter.
twitter.com/kylegriffin1
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Murr has repeatedly argued the bill, which led to a walkout among his Democrat colleagues in the House, will make voting more accessible and safe.
"S.B. 1 encourages voter participation, increases confidence in voting and reduces the risk of fraud by guaranteeing that all legally cast ballots are counted — ensuring more trust in our state's election system and democratic process," Murr wrote.
However, election fraud in Texas is limited in scope — reserved to smaller races and usually catches a single person who forged a single name. There has never been evidence of widespread voter fraud on a level that would change the outcome of major elections.
Murr represents the 53rd District, which includes Bandera, Crockett, Edwards, Kerr, Kimble, Llano, Mason, Medina, Menard, Real, Schleicher and Sutton counties.
ICYMI: TOUR OF KERRVILLE POLICE STATION
We put together a short video (5 minutes) about the Kerrville Police Department's station.
PRAY FOR PETERSON
There's an effort brewing to show support for Peterson Regional Medical Center staff by praying for them on Thursday.
It's the work of Pastor Joe Taylor, who is the senior pastor at Kerrville's Southern Oaks Church, to lead seven minutes of prayer at the Peterson campus starting at 6 p.m.
Of course, Peterson's staff has been swamped for more than a month by a huge influx of COVID-19 patients. The hospital has seen record numbers of COVID-19 patients, including 46 over Labor Day weekend. COVID-19 patients are particularly challenging to care for because it requires staff to change personal protective equipment after every visit.
Taylor wants people to meet at 6 p.m. at the road that rings Peterson. In an email obtained by The Lead, Taylor said the prayer would demonstrate the community's support for the hospital.
ENDING RAPE
During his signing of Senate Bill 1 on Tuesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott made a strange comment about the state's abortion bill and that he would end rape.
"Let's be clear: rape is a crime," Abbott said, according to KXAN. "And Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas by aggressively going out and arresting them and prosecuting them and getting them off the streets."
Of course, that set off a rampage on social media, where they compared Abbott's comments to the movie "Minority Report," the premised was predicted crime and arrests made before it happened. It also starred Tom Cruise.
WHILE ALL OF THIS WAS HAPPENING, MEXICO …
Yes, Mexico decriminalized abortion on Tuesday in an odd bit of timing. In a ruling from that nation's supreme court, Mexico paved the way for abortion in a deeply Catholic nation.
Once again, the social media crowd had a field day with the notion of Texans fleeing the state to obtain abortions or abortion drugs in Mexico. One study found that 1.2 million Americans travel to Mexico for medical treatments.
A quick search of Google found dozens of recommendation sites for Mexico-based medical tourism — many along the border.
