Texas lawmakers vote to add digital currency to the state's Bill of Rights, granting individuals the right to use digital currencies like Bitcoin for trading.
Texas legislators have voted by a large margin to amend the state's Bill of Rights and add a provision recognizing the right of individuals to possess, retain and utilize digital currencies. The decision was made on Wednesday, May 10.
Bill HJR 146, introduced by State Representative Giovani Capriglione, declares that individuals have the right to use a medium of exchange that is mutually agreed upon, which includes digital currencies, cash, coin, bullion, or scrip, for trading and contracting goods and services, and that this right cannot be violated.
The document received up to 139 votes in favor and only two against, and it includes a statement that "no government shall prohibit or hinder the ownership or holding of any form or quantity of money or other currency."
The Texas Bill of Rights safeguards essential liberties like freedom of speech, religion and press, similar to the U.S. Bill of Rights. However, it also includes specific clauses pertaining to Texas, such as the right to a prompt trial and the right to possess and carry weapons for self-defense.
Should it pass and become law, the recent amendment will additionally grant Texans the privilege to employ digital currencies, like Bitcoin (BTC). Tom Glass, who established the Texas Constitutional Enforcement group, remarked on Thursday, May 11, that there is one more House vote on HJR 146, and then it goes to the Senate and a vote of the people.
Objective of adding this to the Texas Bill of Rights is to make a case in the federal judiciary to invoke the 9th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which says that there are other natural rights besides those in the first 8 amendments. If Texas recognizes, the feds should under…
— Tom Glass (@tomgglass) May 11, 2023
In his explanation of the bill, Glass stated that its aim is to leverage the inclusion of the right to own, hold, and use digital currencies in the Texas Bill of Rights to make a legal argument in the federal judiciary. This argument would invoke the 9th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which recognizes the existence of natural rights beyond those explicitly listed in the first eight amendments.
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According to the Texas Constitutional Enforcement group, the inclusion of digital currencies in the Texas Bill of Rights is crucial to safeguard Texans' financial privacy. They stated that the use of alternative currencies is necessary to protect the wealth that Texans have worked hard to accumulate from being eroded by an unstable dollar. The group also emphasized that Texans should not be forced to rely solely on the services of global financial elites, as it would put all of their financial assets at risk of devaluation and confiscation.
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