The session is winding down and what a session it has been. With just seven days to go there is nothing of any import getting done. I know you are feeling down due to the loss of our Helmet Bill but here is a quick rundown of Bills that were sent to Transportation this year. Of the 244 Bills in Transportation 92 never came out of committee. Of the 152 Bills that came out of committee a large number of them died in Calendars and only 17 were passed by the Senate and sent to the governor. In short nothing much was accomplished by Transportation Committee.
The same is true of every other Committee with the primary culprit being the House Calendars Committee. The real battle was not between the R’s and the D’s this year but rather between the Lt. Governor and the Speaker. Both have refused to give and as a result only 335 Bills have been sent to the governor. Only four of the top ten House Bills have passed both Houses and are in Conference. The other six are dead. That in it’s self is not bad and thankfully for us several of those that have gone to the governor are nonsensical Bills that do no harm. It’s still too early to declare ourselves safe from this session but we definitely are not losers.
HB 823 the Bill to allow carrying a weapon in your vehicle is to be heard tomorrow on the Senate Floor. SB 1195 the Bill to stop unwarranted Consent Searches will be heard on the House Floor tomorrow. However SB 1140 the Bill to require Recorded Votes has died in the House State Affairs Committee. It would be a good idea to call Chairman David Swinford and ask why he felt his votes should be kept secret from public view. This is a Bill the Senate passed but after killing all House Bills pertaining to this issue Chairman Swinford chose to kill the Senate Bill. Whether by his own volition or at the order from the Speaker he alone is responsible for the death of SB 1140. I shall be asking him this question face to face in the morning.
Sputnik
State Chair / TMRA 2
District 87
David Swinford Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0470
District Address: 724 South Polk, Suite 760 Amarillo, TX 79101
District Phone: (806) 374-8787
