Not just a cheesy line from a horror flick, the 82nd legislative session will come to an end on May 30, 2011, in seven days. This does not however mean that the legislature is finished. If the state cannot pass a budget by Sine Die, the legislature will be forced into special session/s until a budget is passed. With currently no funding for education the inevitability of a special session is high…as in I will be damn surprised if there is not a special session.

House Deadlines
Tuesday, May 24, 2011: Last day for House to consider 2nd reading SBs/SJRs on Daily or Supplemental Calendar
Wednesday, May 25, 2011: Las day for House to consider local and consent SBs on 2nd and 3rd reading and ALL 3rd reading SBs/SJRs on Supplemental calendar
Thursday, May 26, 2011: Before midnight — Senate amendments must be distributed to the House
Friday, May 27, 2011: Last day for House to consider Senate Amendments (concur or go to conference)
Saturday, May 28, 2011: Before midnight — House copies of ALL CCRs must be distributed
Sunday, May 29, 2011: Last day for House to adopt CCRs
Monday, May 30, 2011: Sine Die Corrections only in House and Senate

So, what have we accomplished so far?

House of Representatives
Introduced
Bills: 3,865
Concurrent Resolutions: 154
Joint Resolutions: 154
Resolutions: 2,345

Passed
Bills: 304
Concurrent Resolutions: 71
Joint Resolutions: 0
Resolutions: 1,845

Senate
Introduced
Bills: 1,930
Concurrent Resolutions: 57
Joint Resolutions: 53
Resolutions: 1,124

Passed
Bills: 305
Concurrent Resolutions: 35
Joint Resolutions: 2
Resolutions: 1,122

Total House and Senate Bills
Introduced: 5,795
Passed: 609

Total
Introduced: 9,682
Passed: 3,684

Bills Vetoed: 0

Bills signed by the Governor: 180
Bills vetoed by the Governor: 0
Bills filed without the Governor’s signature: 2

For more statistics and reports you can visit the Texas Legislature Online Website

About those special sessions. It is just about guaranteed that the legislature will meet back in Austin some time around the second week in July to discuss the state budget, redistricting, and education funding. While all of this can be tackled in one special session it is more likely that Gov. Perry will call a seperate session for each issue (not necessarily limited to the ones I listed).

This is pretty much how the legislature works. The reasoning for this is mostly due to the time constraints placed on the legislature by the Texas constitution wherein the legislature only meets for a total of 140 days every odd numbered year. Not only are they constrained to this timeframe but the initial 60-days of session legislators are only allowed to pass bills delegated by the Governor as “emergency items” in his/her State of the State address. This is nearly half of the entire session during which we passed none of the Governor’s emergency items in this session.

Furthermore, all other bills must have a vote to suspend the rules agreed upon at the start of the session in order to take up any legislation. Of the legislation filed, which amounts to over 9,000 bills this session, only about 20 percent makes it to the floor in either chamber where it often faces lengthy scrutiny and delays. In combination with the massive budget shortfall for the next two fiscal years, redistricting, and public education funding to be carved out it’s not hard to see that 140 days is not nearly enough time to cover all of your bases.

Finally, one cannot forget the solid majority held by Republicans in both chambers which constantly reminds us that not everything that legislators wish to accomplish will happen in one session. This session, more than most, time constraints, partisan conflicts, and constitutional requirements made for one hell of a session to watch even as we stood biting our nails and shaking our heads.

always,
davilin.marie

What is black, white, and read all over and sends Texas politicians scurrying to clear their calendars? In case you either did not read my title or are oblivious to statements of the obvious, the answer is Texas Monthly. To be more exact, its the Texas Monthly’s Top Ten Best and Worst Legislators.

This long-anticipated biennial roundup of Texas’ lousiest lawmakers, Rookie of the Year, and honorable mentions is featured in the July issue and while different organizations offer up lists of the best Texas legislators, Texas Monthly has been doing it the longest (since the magazine launched in 1973) and approaches the assignment without some of the ideological attachments that special interest groups generally have.

Why do I speak of this you ask? Because I, davilin.marie, will be attending Texas Monthly’s Terquasquicentennial (175th) anniversary of Texas’ Independence event at the Bob Bullock State Museum later this week along with a slew of top ten best and worst legislators hoping to canoodle their way to better reviews. It’s one of the Capitol’s worst kept secrets that if Texas Monthly is going to be present at an event attendance numbers will be higher and it truly is a sight to be seen. The staff jokes about it, the lobbyists snicker, but we all know that as soon as Texas Monthly sends out an invitation it almost automatically gets added to the schedule.

To get an idea of who may be attending any Texas Monthly event just take a look at past sessions winners and losers since they first started making the list in the 70’s, scroll down any local Texan news ledger to see who makes the most headlines, or look to see which business card the interns keep on the top of their “deck”.

The event is in commemoration of the launch of a special March issue marking the 175th anniversary of independance ”with a unique journey through the history of Texas”, as per the invitation’s statement. I, being the nerd that I am, read Texas monthly and am super jazzed about being able to attend this event considering its an event for legislators plus one guest…granted the Chief of Staff will be attending in representation of the representative I still get to the the “+ one” and it’s pretty awesome. I may look cool and collected on the outside but I’m totally doing an awkward victory dance on the inside.

Here’s to hoping I won’t make a fool of myself…or trip on too many things.

always,
davilin.marie