Bill would force presidential candidates to show birth certificates to be on Texas ballot

AUSTIN — Presidential and vice presidential candidates would be required to prove to Texas election officials that they were born in the United States under a proposal that a House committee is considering.
Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, insists his legislation isn’t a swipe at President Barack Obama, though some activists known as “birthers” question whether Obama was born in the U.S., as the Constitution requires.

Shannon: http://dallasne.ws/eNwWDU

Texas sponsor of birther bill revises history at House committee hearing

Texas Representative Leo Berman says Republican John McCain was the sole target of questions about his legality as a presidential candidate in 2008 because he was born outside the United States. McCain was born in Panama . Berman says questions about Barack Obama didn't emerge until well after the election. Not exactly true.

Slater: http://dallasne.ws/fSt5Zs

Sex offenders and their employers - who's accountable again?

A few witnesses testifying in favor of Lon Burnam's bill to make sex offenders' employers private are saying that the media are the only ones who benefit from that info being public.

They say it's a reliable source of stories "on a slow news week" and that it was "sad" that one media outlet once did a check of all 93 sex offenders in their viewing area to see if they were working anywhere close to children - no doubt as a way to check up on how well the system works.

Brooks: http://dallasne.ws/hORy9z

Leo Berman to file for House Speaker

Hoppe with more insight into Berman's move to capture the Texas House speakership:

Arch conservative Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, plans to file the official paperwork today to challenge fellow Republican Joe Straus as speaker.
http://tinyurl.com/25au84p

Rep. Leo Berman of Tyler plans run for Texas House speaker

The AP reports:
AUSTIN, Texas – Republican state Rep. Leo Berman of Tyler is running for speaker of the Texas House during the 2011 legislative session.
http://tinyurl.com/267vmc4