Cody Harris, a member of the US House of Representatives, has proposed a bill designed to protect the rights of those who own and mine bitcoin in the state of Texas.
Harris' proposal is that the interests of digital currency owners should be protected under Article I, Section 9 of the Texas Constitution. It insists that citizens, their households and property must be protected from any unnecessary seizures or intrusions. The resolution also states that this right should extend to digital property, including cryptocurrencies. According to Harris, no Texas resident should be denied the right to own and store bitcoins.
Harris has put forward a plan to protect miners and the bitcoin network in Texas. Under the proposal, bitcoin miners would not be subject to any rules or regulations and would be able to use any energy source to maintain the bitcoin system.
Unlike China, it is known for its strict mining laws, which has forced many companies to move to countries with softer cryptocurrency regulations, such as Texas. Unfortunately, last year the New York State Environmental Protection Committee passed a two-year ban on Proof-of-Work cryptocurrency mining. So Harris expects that this will result in miners leaving Texas in favour of other regions with more favourable cryptocurrency policies.
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas recently called for a ban on the digital dollar due to its potential to interfere with bitcoin use in his state.
