Texas legislators, who, like all politicians, despise fibbing, are coming down on a weighty issue: cheating in bass-fishing contests.
Telling tall tales may be a matter of pride in Texas. But it may soon be against state law to tell one about a fish. A bill that would make it a misdemeanor — and in some cases a felony — to misrepresent the size, weight or provenance of a fish in a fishing tournament arrived on Gov. Rick Perry’s desk on Wednesday, after passing the State Senate in a unanimous vote on Monday.
Lying about a fish could draw a serious sentence under the new law: two to ten years in prison, plus a fine of $10,000.
Less enlightened minds would probably say that it’s up to organizers and judges to enforce the rules of what are after all private (non-governmental) affairs — no special law needed. Tournament officials could simply disqualify a cheater, for instance, and perhaps kick him out for life if his fish tales were egregious enough.
But here at Nobody’s Business, we’re just glad — glad that the Lone Star State’s problems are so slight that dozens of elected officials were able to give fish-cheating their full legislative attention.
BONUS LINK: Meanwhile, children across Texas are waiting with bated breath for another pulse-quickening Senate accomplishment: kids’ trading cards of the 82nd Legislature.
You know, Rog, Texans are extremely sensitive about size since that Alaska thing.