Texas votes to include cryptocurrency in the state's charter of rights

By a wide majority, Texas lawmakers approved an amendment to the state's Bill of Rights that includes language recognising people's freedom to own, use, and use digital currencies. On May 10, a decision was made on May 3.

State Representative Giovani Capriglione's bill, HJR 146, states that people have the right to use a mutually agreed-upon medium of exchange for trading and contracting goods and services, including digital currencies, cash, coin, bullion, or scrip, and that this right cannot be infringed upon.

Texas approves to include cryptocurrency in state constitution

The Texas legislature overwhelmingly passed an addition to the state's Bill of Rights that recognises people's ability to possess, use, and exchange digital currencies. HJR 146, a measure by state representative Giovani Capriglione, declares that people have the right to trade and contract for goods and services using a mutually agreed-upon medium of exchange, such as cash, currency, bullion, or scrip, as well as that this right cannot be violated.

There were just two votes against the resolution, which gained up to 139 votes in favour. It states that "no government shall prohibit or hinder the ownership or holding of any form or quantity of money or other currency."

Similar to the U.S. Bill of Rights, the Texas Bill of Rights protects fundamental rights such the freedom of speech, religion, and the press. However, it also contains particular provisions that apply only to Texas, such as the right to a speedy trial and the right to carry a firearm with you should you need to defend yourself.

The most recent amendment will also enable Texans to use virtual currencies like Bitcoin if it passes and becomes law. The Texas Constitutional Enforcement group's founder, Tom Glass, stated on May 11 that there remains one more House vote on HJR 146 before it moves to the Senate and a popular vote.

According to Glass, the purpose of the measure is to use the Texas measure of Rights' inclusion of the right to acquire, keep, and use digital currencies as the basis for a legal argument in the federal courts. The U.S. Constitution's ninth amendment, which acknowledges the existence of natural rights in addition to those that are expressly stated in the first eight amendments, would be used in support of this claim.

According to the Texas Constitutional Enforcement organisation, it is essential to protect Texans' financial privacy by include digital currencies in the Texas Bill of Rights. To prevent the riches that Texans have fought so hard to amass from being destroyed by an unstable dollar, they said that the usage of other currencies is essential. 

The organisation also stressed that Texas residents shouldn't be compelled to rely only on the assistance of the world's financial elites since doing so would put all of their financial assets at risk of being seized and devalued.