CAPITOL LETTERS

So Ron Kirk is praising Pete Laney, who he knew from his days as a lobbyist for the City of Dallas, as Secretary of State and Mayor.
And he tells the story of how he was in Pete's office on the last day of the session more than a decade ago, visiting with him. It was before Laney became Speaker and this was a social occasion. There were at least a dozen Hale Center constituents also milling around the office, celebrating the end of the session, enjoying some finger food and drinks.
Then the phone rang and Laney was needed on the House floor, and so he made his apologies and headed to the chamber. And Kirk said he looked around at who was left in the room and it dawned on him that not a lot of these small-town West Texas folks knew people that, well, looked like him.
But one good ol' boy came up and said hi, and introduced himself. "I'm Billy Bob, and this is Billy Joe Bob, and this is Bobby Joe Bob..." Kirk recalled.
And when the introductions were through, Kirk stuck out his own hand. "Hello," he said impishly. "I'm Ron Laney."
He helpfully explained that his mother used to work for Pete, and how nice Pete had been in helping him get into law school and, after that paving the way for a real, fine job.
Then, he said good-bye to a rather stunned and silent crowd and left.
Kirk said he hadn't gotten far, and had only just begun wondering if his joke had gone too far, when his pager began vibrating. Laney wanted to meet him outside the House Chamber. Now.
It was a long walk, Kirk recalled. Not a long distance. Just a long walk.
When he got there, Laney was waiting.
He looked at Kirk and said, "Son, most of them were pretty sure you were lying, but it didn't stop all the women from calling back home."
All was forgiven.
Kirk concluded that Laney has personified for him wisdom, humility and a sense of honor. Of not speaking the gospel so much, but living it.
And then he looked out at the crowd.
"I've never been prouder to be your son than I am today."

Posted by Christy Hoppe at 6:24 PM | Permalink

OK, OK -- I stand corrected on the whole Jessica's Law being a shoo-in thing. I've got Fresh Eyes, remember?
That said, here are my observations on my first full day in the House, amendments, points of order, inquiries and all:

1) Does it have to be that cold in the House? I understand it's probably necessary for most of those lawmakers to stay awake, but I swear I chattered for 8 hours straight.
2) I'm not sure when I'm going to stop getting caught in games of tug-of-war with those nice door guys. It's like a race to see if I can pull it open before they take the door away from me. And every time I come in, I nearly fall on my face because they pull the door back quicker than I can walk in. I'm sure this isn't this complicated for most of you.
3) Watching all these lawmakers scattered all over the floor like ants, I'm reminded what a messy process this is. And though they occassionally call for points of order, there's really not much order to anything else that happens on the floor. The noise level is ridiculous -- it strikes me as really rude that everyone's involved in their own conversations while someone's laying out their bill. No one even listens! And during any interlude, all the reps divvy up into their own little cliques. They look like knitting circles, or gossiping highschoolers huddled around their lockers in the hall.
4) Those phones at reps desks really need an upgrade. They remind me of the batphone.
5) My most important lesson from the day: It's amazing how the pace of a debate can change in the blink of an eye. One minute, the Jessica's Law debate was making great progress, the comments and questions were tempered. The next minute Rep. Debbie Riddle and Rep. Terri Hodge were shouting to be heard over each other. And a minute later, it was over, after more than 130 lawmakers quickly agreed with Rep. John Smithee's amendment to hold off on the entire thing until Monday. That'll teach me to write out my entire story in advance...

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 6:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Pete Laney is a West Texas cotton farmer. He drives old, beat-up cars that you couldn't give to a 16-year-old pedestrian. He is as straight as the furrows he plows. To say he was a man of few words is to use way to many. He. Hardly. Ever. Said. Anything. But for 10 years, he was Texas House Speaker, which as you now know, was a title and not a description.
He pushed through massive ethics reforms. (I know, I know. Just try and imagine what it was like before.) He championed public education. And although Republicans weren't always fond of him, neither were a lot of Democrats. Although a Dem, he was one of the most bipartisan leaders the state has ever seen.
Who says so? Well, during the Wednesday salute to Laney by the progressive Center for Public Policy Priorities, none other than George W. Bush. The President and First Lady jumped at the chance to sit before a camera and record a tribute to Laney and his wife, Nelda. The president said the former speaker led in an "unprecedented bipartisan" way.
And Laney was the guy Bush pushed into introducing him to the nation after he was, ultimately, declared president-elect. Laney, speaking to the world. You can only imagine what a challenge that was.
Also speaking was former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk. Great speech. Very funny. And touching. More on that later.
The luncheon drew hundreds of lobbyists, also known as former lawmakers. But there were also former speakers, a former governor, lieutenant governor, judges, executives, civil leaders, current members, Democrats and Republicans.
When Laney was forced to speak at the end, he spent almost all of it thanking his family for letting him serve in the House for 34 years, thanking his constitutents, thanking staff for making him look good, thanking members for their service. He did squeeze out a good line, while thanking former Speaker Gib Lewis, who liked to run with lobbyists probably more than he should have.
He thanked Gib for entrusting him as chairman of State Affairs and giving him some of the broadest, baddest, most interesting, most sweeping, hotbed of issues you ever saw.
And some of those bills, much favored by Gib, got killed by Laney, anyway.
"He got flustered with me quite a bit," Laney recalled with a laugh. "I told him I was killing those bills for his benefit."
He left the group with two thoughts about state issues: "Everybody talks about economic development, but education is the best economic development you can have."
And, "There's no right and left; just right and wrong."

Posted by Christy Hoppe at 5:48 PM | Permalink

The House's version of Jessica's Law won't see the light of day again until Monday. Key Republicans just crossed the aisle to request four more days to consider the bill, which would give repeat child molesters the death penalty. The vote in favor of putting on the brakes? 131-10.

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 4:38 PM | Permalink

The House is taking its sweet time debating Jessica's Laws this afternoon -- irritating for those of us angling for Happy Hour. But it appears it'll be a shoo-in, just like Rep. Robert Puente's sexy "environmental flows" water bill was earlier this afternoon.

That bill, which will ensure decisions on future water permits aren't made without input from those downstream -- is a big deal for water-rich Dallas, which "likes its water, thank you," and sits at the top of the Trinity River basin.

Tell that to the fishermen and environmentalists who spend their days on muddy, dried-up rivers, bays and estuaries downstream.

Stay tuned...

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 3:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

- Update - wasn't the blue book (told you i hadn't seen it!) it's the Texas House Directory 80th Legislature....

There's a photocopy going around the state Capitol of page 16 of the Texas House Directory 80th Legislature, which just came out.

Rep. Richard J. "Rick" Noriega, D-Houston, was surprised to see his name, um, misspelled on page 16.

This is a family blog, so how do I say this politely?

Someone put a "P" in front of his nickname so that it says this:

"District 145: Harris (part)
Richard J. "P****" Noriega.

I'm not kidding. Are they getting their copyeditors from Fraternity Row? Because this is classic Animal House behavior right here. And if it was a typo, WOW. Coolest. Typo. Ever.

There's 10,000 of them in circulation.

House Admin is reportedly recalling as many as they can. I haven't seen the actual book yet, but I've seen the photocopy of the page. Noriega's sure that they won't find them all. My guess is that as soon as word gets out, House Admin Chairman Tony Goolsby won't be able to find any of them.

"What? Blue Book? Gosh, Mr. Chairman. I've (*snicker*) got no idea (*snicker*) what you're talking about. *cough* *cough* We never got ours."

PLEASE tell me there's an extra copy of this book out there somewhere. P-L-E-A-S-E. I'll pay money. I'll frame it. And I'm super-annoyed that our news bureau didn't get it before someone realized the mistake.

Rick doesn't seem too bothered by it. In fact, I hear he's trying to find the guy who made the mistake so he can hire him.

OK I made that up. But it would be SO cool if it were true.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 5:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Talk about your unintended consequences. A few weeks ago, everyone figured out that decorative license plates were illegal - technically - according to Texas law if they even partially obscure one letter of the state. Instantly, a bunch of lawmakers turned into scofflaws. For the first time EVER, I'm guessing.

Anyway, Rep. Harold Dutton's got a bill clarifying that law that got a hearing in the House Transportation Committee Tuesday morning. Chairman Mike Krusee is on board with the bill (there are a couple of versions out there, so he doens't know which one the panel wants to go with yet) and says it's likely to pass out of his committee next week.

People are being punished, he says, for "inconsequential actions, and we need to rectify that."

Now, I suppose its up to each individual Texan to decide if a bright neon purple flashing frame around a license plate is "inconsequential" - or just plain obnoxious. But as long as you can still tell that the car is from Texas, lawmakers say it shouldn't be illegal.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

In Austin on Friday, the party was at the Obama rally. At the Obama rally, the party was apparently next to the press box -- just outside the dividers that set us apart from the bloggers (I mean, "audience") -- where a guy sparked up a big joint just a few feet from the TV risers. At least, that's where that dude's party was at.

So if any of the 65,000 on-air journalists standing on those risers and reporting live from Auditorium Shores happen to look extraordinarily happy to be there, don't assume it's because they're Obama-worshipping liberal-media-conspiracy types.

It might just be the weed.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 5:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Helping to coordinate media at the Barak Obama event: Laura Stromberg, former spokeswoman for Kinky Friedman.

Laura took her share of heat during the uproar over Kinky's old comedy routines, which his detractors (read: opponents) said were racist. She got blasted by a lot of Democrats for her candidate's not-liberal-enough-for-the-party stances on things like abortion and immigration.

And yet, there she was, a proud, badge-wearing volunteer for Texans for Obama, a liberal black Democrat that many of her detractors (read: opponents) are hoping will win the nomination in 2008. There she was, coordinating the press types and cheering along with the other 20,000 spectators.

I could have sworn I took her picture, but none of her images showed up on film. Interesting.

OK, I made that up. I didn't think about taking her picture because ... I forgot the camera. You'll just have to trust me.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 4:50 PM | Permalink

These are my grandfather's boots, and they got me all the way from our office at 10th and Congress to the Obama rally. In the rain. Uphill both ways.

Why, you ask, did I have to hoof it the 3 miles to the rally? Because EVERYONE ELSE JUMPED ON THE SHUTTLE BEFORE I DID. And those who left standing on the curb apparently snapped up all the cabs. And I don't know where the busses went - which is odd, because there's about 25 of them blocking traffic on Congress Avenue every morning. It's a mystery where they'd all disappeared to by 2 p.m.

All right. Now, a look on the internet tells me that It's reportedly a 1.27-mile walk from the DMN's Capitol bureau, aaaaall the way down Congress, across the Town Lake bridge (and over the bats) to our Obama Bureau at Auditorium Shores.

1.27 MILES?? Puh-leeze. I'd like to have a chat with those hacks over at Mapquest.

My bureau chief, Christy Hoppe, helpfully suggests that if I really want to garner sympathy for my journey over the river and through the crowds, "you should take a picture of your hair."

Yeah, thanks!

Posted by Karen Brooks at 4:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

More from our Obama bureau: Austin police estimate the crowd at 20,000 strong.

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 3:31 PM | Permalink

More from Emily Ramshaw on Obamapalooza (her very clever term, not mine):

Rain is turning the Auditorium Shores into a muddy mess. But the crowd doesn't seem to mind, waiting for the candidate as various rock bands play. The crowd is an interesting mix of suited professionals playing hooky from work and body-pierced types, plus a healthy sprinkling of diehard Kinky Friedman supporters still wearing their campaign T-shirts. She notes that a lot of attendees she talks to are trying to decide between Sen. Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, and women in particular are looking at whether they should back Obama even while there's a woman in the race who could very well win.

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 2:21 PM | Permalink

Emily Ramshaw sends in this picture. Note the crowd size -- and this was taken an hour before Obama is supposed to start speaking. Then again, it's a Friday afternoon in Austin, the main splash of blue in red-state Texas.

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 1:57 PM | Permalink

Ok, for the record? The House isn't in session today. The Senate hasn't been in session since Wednesday.
Not that there's a whole lot to do - except a million memorial and congratulatory resolutions that usually keep everyone tied up on the House floor for two hours every morning.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
But on Community College Day in the Capitol, the gallery was filled with community college students ... and rep after rep honored the colleges in their districts from the floor.
There are about 80 community colleges in Texas, no kidding. Was 2 hours of resolving really necessary?
Many would argue yes. And OK, that's fine.

But I'd just like to point out that the furor over the 60-day moratorium on floor debates - which is in effect because a group of 34 House Dems blocked the chamber from waiving that part of the constitution - is ringing a little hollow today.

It's Friday. There are resolutions to pass, constituents and football players to honor, talk show hosts to, well, host. And let's not forget - a long list of emergency legislation that Perry said could be passed in spite of the moratorium.

And yet, the House floor is filled with tumbleweeds and cricket noises.

I'm just sayin.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 1:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Several thousand people (Obama-maniacs and the Obama-curious) are expected to jam Auditorium Shores in Austin this afternoon to see Democratic sensation Barack Obama. He's in Texas to raise money for his presidential bid. And his mid-afternoon rally looks to be something of a sensation.

One Texan paying very close attention to Obamarama is former Land Commissioner Garry Mauro, a leader in the Hillary Clinton team. The dustup between Clinton and Obama forces is still hot. Mauro's not shy about where he is in the fight for the party faithful.

Here's his take: "Two years ago, we were not sure a woman could be elected president. The polls clearly show that’s not the case anymore. The same polls don’t show that’s the case for an African-American. What we’re seeing at this point is the process of the American people deciding whether they are ready to elect an African-American president or vice president. And it’s a fascinating thing to watch."

Let the brawl continue.

Posted by Wayne Slater at 11:01 AM | Permalink

Someone has to counter all the Big 12/Austin bias on this and other Capitol blogs, so I guess it'll be me.

Despite numerous posts noting the fanfare for rookie quarterback Vince Young, the pride of UT, no one has bothered to mention that LaDanian Tomlinson was honored by the Legislature, too.

NFL most valuable player, anyone? Single-game record holder for most yards rushing in a Division 1 college game (406!)? NFL single-season touchdown record -- hello?

OK, perhaps the fact that VY was there and LT was not had something to do with it, but this Horned Frog detects some college football snobbery. Bring back the Southwest Conference!

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 3:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

After Monday's heated testimony on the HPV vaccine hubbub, you'd think (at least I thought) Wednesday's meeting of the House Public Health Committee would've been similarly raucous. Lawmakers shaking fists, shouting angrily, even hanging from the rafters. Instead, the 6-3 vote on Rep. Dennis Bonnen's bill to supersede Gov. Perry's HPV mandate for 6th grade girls was like a blip on the radar. If you blinked, you would've missed it.
And then there was AP Reporter Liz Austin Peterson's exclusive story about Gov. Rick Perry's chief of staff meeting with aides about the HPV vaccine the same day Merck, its manufacturer, contributed to their boss' campaign. Sent the guv's office on the defensive -- after the jump:

Says Robert Black, Mr. Perry's spokesman, in a quickly crafted statement:
“In their zeal to sensationalize routine policy meetings of the Governors staff, the Associated Press has creatively attempted to create a conspiracy where none exists."

"The facts are these: The governor’s chief of staff, budget director and health care policy staff had a meeting to discuss the possibility of expanding Medicaid and CHIP coverage to correspond with the existing federal Vaccine for Children (VFC) program and the impact this action may have on the state budget. The federal government has provided Texas significant funds for the VFC program. However, any expansion of Medicaid and CHIP would require additional state dollars. No mandate for the HPV vaccine was discussed at any time and the briefing papers made available to the Associated Press demonstrate these facts."

“It is unfortunate that a respected organization like the Associated Press would fabricate a loose configuration of events into an elaborate conspiracy by implying wrongdoing without offering any proof."

“Given the facts, it is apparent that in this case the AP is ‘all hat and no cattle.’”

The guv's ofc has this going for them: It was only $5,000. And Merck folks weren't in the meeting. But I also know that Liz certainly isn't in the ranching business -- she's a top-notch reporter.

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The following is from Dallas Morning News energy writer Elizabeth Souder:
The judges hearing the TXU coal plant permit case told the lawyers (about two dozen of them) to get together and agree on how to proceed in light of the ruling against the fast-track schedule. So, the court will take a break until 11 a.m.
Steve Susman, representing an anti-coal-pollution group, suggested the court deal with issues today such as whether carbon dioxide and IGCC are relevant topics. TXU lawyer John Riley expressed concern that such issues will be appealed all the way to the supreme court, delaying the plants forever.

Posted by Jennifer Chamberlain at 10:45 AM | Permalink

The following is from Dallas Morning News energy writer Elizabeth Souder:

Formal hearings on TXU's coal plant permits will begin today as expected. Lawyers, news media and one judge have gathered in a small courtroom in Austin, waiting for the fun to begin. It's anyone's guess what might happen today after a judge instructed hearing officers to ignore the governor's fast-track order and reconsider the hearing schedule.

Posted by Oscar Martinez at 9:09 AM | Permalink

Although he's under contract to the Tennessee Titans, that doesn't mean Vince Young's hometown of Houston has given up on finding a way to bring him to the Texans - which passed on the star quarterback in last year's college draft. As the Senate honored Young on Tuesday, Houston Sen. Dan Patrick asked his colleagues whether he could amend a Senate resolution to require that Young be traded to Houston to make up for "the biggest blunder since the Red Sox let Babe Ruth go."

"No. Regrettably, we cannot amend the resolution," Lt. Gov David Dewhurst responded as Mr. Young smiled. The resolution honoring the former University of Texas quarterback was unanimously approved after senators heard some words of encouragement from Mr. Young, who was named AP rookie of the year in the NFL last year. "Stay focused. Keep a good image. Your image can take you a long way. And when you fall down, always get up," he told senators and a large number of college students who were seated in the Senate gallery, including a group from the University of Houston.

Sen. Royce West of Dallas voiced his hope that when Super Bowl is held in the Dallas Cowboys new stadium in Arlington as early as 2011, Mr. Young will be there with one team or another. "Hopefully you will be in that Super Bown and you will finish off the job you started this past year," Mr. West said.

Posted by Terrence Stutz at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

For some reason, I was under the distinct impression that, once the session started, it would be all lawmakers, all the time. But what did this morning have in store? Celebrities. Local and national. A-List and D-List. Not just the stunning specimen Vince Young, footballer extraordinaire wearing a gorgeous three piece suit and towering over Speaker Craddick, who couldn't wait to hand over the gavel. But MONTEL Williams -- king of daytime TV and on-screen hair-pulling -- addressing the chamber on his nationwide tour on the uninsured. (Also showing this week: "Moms On The Edge" and "Exposed! America's Dirty Secrets.") This is about as good as it gets.

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young just excited House members with a brief appearance at the chamber's dais. He even banged the speaker's gavel.

"I'm happy to be back home ... just to get the love," the former University of Texas gridiron great told House members.

Mr. Young said he plans to return to Austin to complete his college studies.

"I will continue to be a role model," he vowed.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 10:29 AM | Permalink

After taking testimony on the HPV vaccine until after 1 a.m., the House's Public Health Committee adjourned. They're saving their own debate on Rep. Dennis Bonnen's bill to override Gov. Perry's mandate until Wednesday, an upbeat but weary Rep. Ellen Cohen said this morning. But the fireworks may not be as good as they were last night. My favorite exchange of the evening came around 11:30:
Angry Anti-Vaccine Man 1: "Texas shouldn't be in the business of providing preventative health care for teenage sluts....I don't care if Texas' uninsured die on the sidewalk."
41-year-old Uterine Cancer Survivor: "I guess that makes me a teenage slut."

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 9:52 AM | Permalink

Rep. Garnet Coleman offered the crowd at tonight's HPV public hearing a little comic relief -- reminding the audience he'd "never had a pap smear." Good to know.
He, Rep. Ellen Cohen and Rep. Veronica Gonzales spent the early part of the late-to-start hearing drilling Rep. Dennis Bonnen on his bill to prevent schools from making the HPV vaccination mandatory for admission (one he hopes would override Gov. Perry's executive order to the contrary). It's bound to be a long night. Rep. Bonnen's talking a lot about those glorious pap smears, saying at this point, they're a much better bet than a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. He doesn't know it yet, but he's about to get an earful from a couple of cervical cancer survivors in the audience, who had repeat pap smears that failed to detect either HPV or cancer.

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 7:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

We've got a chair. We've almost got a quorum. We've got Rep. Bonnen (the author of the "no mandatory HPV vaccination" bill). We've got the guv's spokesman Robert Black. We've got a packed room. We've got a bunch of cervical cancer survivors, a bunch of mothers, a small dose of chaos. We're so close I can taste it.

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 6:52 PM | Permalink

Our energy writer, Elizabeth Souder, notes the following:

Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, is expected to propose adding an amendment to his electricity bills that supports clean coal technology.

The senator has already filed legislation that would force power companies to cut their market share to 20 percent in each region of Texas. Already Texas law only allows power generation companies to serve 20 percent of the state-wide market. But some companies, including TXU Corp. and NRG Energy, serve larger portions of their home regions.

Mr. Fraser’s amendment would exclude any clean coal power plants from the 20 percent rule.

The term “clean coal” typically refers to power plants that don’t emit the pollutants that can cause asthma and heart problems. Technology such as coal gasification generally falls into the “clean coal” category.

NRG has said it might consider a coal gasification plant in Texas, but TXU has opted for conventional coal technology for its 11 proposed power plants.

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 6:20 PM | Permalink

Greetings from the underbelly of the Capitol, where we're waiting (and waiting, and waiting) for the much-advertised public hearing on HPV. Babies are crying. The media's getting antsy. And rumors of a meeting that could run into the wee hours of the morning have everyone on edge.
We'll keep you posted -- as soon as the House adjourns and we can start this durn thing.

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 5:12 PM | Permalink

The House just uanimously approved a constitutional amendment to unfreeze the property taxes of seniors and the disabled on their homestead taxes. The amendment, which will go before voters on May 12, allows the seniors to get the same property tax cut the rest of the state does, then refreezes it at a lower level so it can't be increased. Tax rates are constiutionally frozen as a protection to fixed-income residents, but that also left them out of last year's tax cut passed by the Legislature.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 3:18 PM | Permalink

It's always fun to see what the lege celebrates in congratulatory resolutions, and this one stood out last week: Sen. Rodney Ellis gives props to Houston native Vince Young for being named NFL offensive rookie of the year.

And Sen. Ellis, D-Houston, is a deft politician, too: The resolution makes no mention of the fact that the QB's hometown team, the Houston Texans, coulda had him in last year's draft, a sore spot for Texans fans. Nor does it remind that Young's impressive achievements came in service to the team that used to be Houston's beloved Oilers -- the Tennessee Titans. That's what we're here for.

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 12:32 PM | Permalink

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Warren Chisum has apologized to the Anti-Defamation League for giving colleagues a document that contains what the league called “outrageous anti-Semitic material.”

The Pampa Republican sent a letter late today to the North Texas-Oklahoma office of the league, which works to eradicate hatred of Jews and other minorities.

“I certainly meant no harm or disrespect for the religious views held by any person or group and for having done so, I am truly sorry,” Mr. Chisum wrote.

Mr. Chisum said his colleague of 18 years in the Legislature, former Rep. Steve Wolens, D-Dallas, who is Jewish, could confirm that Mr. Chisum is not a bigot.
Mr. Wolens did just that Friday.

“I’ve always found him to be respectful of religions and respectful of my religion,” Mr. Wolens said.

Mr. Chisum, a 10-term lawmaker, also distanced himself from the document he distributed to House members Tuesday.

The memo by Georgia GOP Rep. Ben Bridges urges state legislatures to ban the teaching of evolution. It claims evolution was the religious doctrine of certain Jews in ancient times, and thus can’t be taught in public schools.

Mr. Chisum said “the document in question does not accurately reflect my views.” He did not elaborate.

Nor did he mention the Atlanta-area Fair Education Foundation. Mr. Bridges’ memo contained links to the foundation’s Web site, which asserts that the universe revolves around the earth. The site also depicts theories on evolution as a plot by “Jewish physicists” and Hollywood moguls to brainwash people.

The league had demanded that Mr. Chisum not only apologize but repudiate the material Mr. Bridges circulated.

Mark Briskman, the league’s North Texas-Oklahoma director, called Mr. Chisum’s letter “most welcome.” League officials plan to meet with Mr. Chisum on March 7 to further discuss the incident, he said.

“We just want to make sure he fully understands why this is of such tremendous concern to us,” Mr. Briskman said.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 7:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Man, I thought I had a lot of readers telling me how the cow ate the cabbage. Gov. Rick Perry's constituents, obviously, do some chewing of their own.
A look at some of the e-mails our fellow Texans sent to the honorable governor concerning his most recent proposals to vaccinate girls against HPV and sell the lottery to raise money for cancer research, public education and health care for the uninsured:
"YOU BETTER HOPE THERE IS NO HELL...don't worry, you will have company forever in hell. It will be THE BUSH FAMILY" (ok, wow)

"I am firmly opposed to the sell (sic) of the Lottery....Almost two thirds of the voters opposed you in the last election." (Nice reminder.)

"I am a lifelong Republican and apparently you never really were one at all." (This was in all caps, but I'm too tired to scream)

"Ok, here is the deal. I just wanted to way (sic) in on the two things I just heard Rick Perry is trying to get done. I am against them....You may not be so lucky in next time to win the election." (At the end of her detailed opposition she does include a "thanks for your time" for helping her solve a housing problem)

"No way, do NOT sell the lotto...And as for the money going to cure cancer, get real." (Let me guess, not a member of the Optimists.)

"Are you crazy?" (I think this is rhetorical)

And then this: "We need common sense solutions. Keep up the great work."

Posted by Christy Hoppe at 5:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Two stories I wrote this week -- one on a possible state cover charge at strip clubs, the other (coming Sunday) on HPV and abstinence education -- thrust me into some sexually-charged debates, and reminded me just how awkward it can be to talk about sex at the Lege.
Words I never wanted to say to Sen. Jane Nelson: "genital" and "warts."

The strip club story -- which I have to admit, was my first on the topic since I entered this illustrious field -- nearly caused me some grief. Particularly when I was spotted carrying around print-outs of the very colorful Web sites from Dallas' own Silver City and Baby Doll's to interviews with Sen. Royce West and Rep. Ellen Cohen. Raised a few eyebrows in the halls of the Capitol extension, I'm sure.
And who knew topless bars were going to be so touchy? (I know, I know). I put my colleague, Amy, through the wringer, forcing her to call pretty much every adult video store and strip club in Dallas to get a comment. Most shared none, but still gave us an earful of the bump-and-grind music in the background.
My story on HPV being the new frontier in the science vs. faith war, which you'll have to wait until Sunday to read, also hit a nerve. Talking to religious conservatives about abstinence education is one thing. Talking to them about "the bases" -- and at which points HPV infection is feasible -- is quite another. The convos are awkward, but I'll give them this: they're much quicker to return phone calls than the doctors and researchers I hassled.

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 4:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Higher ed. writer Holly Hacker has found some interesting background on the governor's big initiative for state universities:

Gov. Rick Perry has a new plan for higher education that calls for, among other things, mandatory testing of college students, more detailed college budgets and paying colleges more for every student they graduate.

Now we know where he got some of those ideas. The Governor’s Business Council, a group of powerful, wealthy business leaders in Texas, has an “action plan” for higher education. The Council released its final report this week but it’s been in the works for a while. Among its recs: require colleges to measure student achievement, make them be clearer about their costs, and give colleges incentives based on results, like the number of students who their academic programs.

One thing the Council recommends, but Perry doesn’t, is replacing the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, which oversees higher ed in the state, with something stronger. The board has long been seen as relatively weak -- if lawmakers really want something, like a new campus, they’ll get their way, even if it goes against the Coord Board. A more powerful body, arguably, would stay focused on higher ed goals across the state, not just in one legislator’s district versus another’s. Of course, it remains to be seen how willingly lawmakers would give up their influence.

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

House Appropriations Chairman Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, tried to call a quick meeting of his committee while the House was still in session to vote out what he called a procedural resolution that would lift a constitutional spending cap and let lawmakers cover the property-tax cuts in this year’s budget.

Rep. Jim Dunnam, D-Waco, and some of his cohorts took exception for two reasons.

One, there was no public testimony on that particular piece of legislation, which leaders argue it does not require. And two, it was going to be held in a different room than usual – a room that has no web feed so no one outside the room can see what’s going on over the internet.

On the first concern, Chisum basically said, tough luck. As for the second, he went ahead and moved the meeting back to the appropriations room – and then refused to broadcast it anyway.

When Dunnam asked House Speaker Tom Craddick if he could make a motion on the House floor to require a public hearing on the resolution – thereby forcing people to make a decision to vote against their party or to vote against a public hearing – Craddick said no.

Would have been an interesting vote to watch. Whether you agree with his answer or not, Mr. Craddick's decision apparently protected the resolution's supporters from a tough vote - since, given the kvetching that went on after the House adjourned, those supporters didn't want the resolution to get a public hearing.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 5:51 PM | Permalink

Two years ago, Rep. Al Edwards' infamous "sexy cheerleading" bill landed the Legislature a prime spot in comedian Jon Stewart's crosshairs on The Daily Show. Now, his Comedy Central colleague Stephen Colbert is all over Gov. Rick Perry's order on the HPV vaccination. This link has highlights of his whole show last nite, but to get right to it, fast forward to the segment labeled "Bad Medicine." (And a hat-tip to Holly Hacker, the DMN's higher ed writer and a friend of Capitol Letters, for pointing this out.)

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 1:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It was only for a day, but Houston Sen. Dan Patrick brandished a million dollars at a Capitol news conference Wednesday to illustrate his opposition to a plan to break the current state spending cap so that homeowners can receive promised property tax cuts. Mr. Patrick, also a talk show host on Houston and Dallas radio stations, said the million bucks - which he borrowed for a day - was his way of showing how much 200 taxpayers in Texas pay every two years to the state in taxes. Enough is enough, he said, contending the Legislature should cut expenditures rather than break the current spending cap - even if it means property taxes cannot be reduced as much.

While he did not suggest where the budget reductions should be made, he said they should be deep and lawmakers should not be deterred by those who have warned about "draconian" cuts in education and social services. "The draconian increases in college education, property taxes and business taxes have been tough on the folks too, and if it's tough on them, it should be tough on us too," the Republican said. Lawmakers are still expected to eventually pass a resolution to exempt the property tax cuts - which are being financed with new state taxes - from the spending cap.

As for the million dollars - stacks of twenties displayed in plastic bags - Mr. Patrick said he "borrowed it, and it needs to go back right now. I can't wait for it to get on the truck and go back to the bank." He offered no further details about his short-term loan.

Posted by Terrence Stutz at 11:52 AM | Permalink

Expect fireworks from House members over this exclusive story from Bob Garrett today -- Rep. Warren Chisum, now one of the most powerful people under the pink dome, circulating a letter questioning the teaching of evolution.

Also today: the Legislature will continue the fight over the budget and how to spend all that money the state has. Here's a set-up, also from the very busy Mr. Garrett.

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Okay, this is a real heading in a real release, announcing a press conference tomorrow on immigration issues. It is being sponsored by MALC, TAB, TEIR, MALDEF, TAMACC, ACLU.
And if you know what that means, it's time for Vanna to sell you a long vowel and a stiff drink.
See if you can guess (answers below). 6-outta-6, you're a chief of staff. 4 or 5, you're the legislative wonk. 3 or less, you've wandered into the Capitol by mistake.

Okay, let's see how many you got: Mexican American Legislative Caucus, Texas Association of Business, Texas Employers for Immigration Reform, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Posted by Christy Hoppe at 5:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

So, today was Seniors Day at the state Capitol, which I just love because senior citizens are SO much fun to mix with politicians.

Seriously. Grandma ain't shy about telling her elected official What Is Up and, even better, how to fix it. And boy, do they vote, so the lawmakers have to take it. It's great.

A bit of irony I have to share with you on today, Seniors Day, from two Dallas lawmakers coming at the whole "protect the seniors" thing from entirely different angles:

Rep. Yvonne Davis, D-Dallas, wants to institute the "Silver Alert" system, modeled after Amber Alert, for when elderly people go missing.

Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, and Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, want to make 90-year-olds take vision and driving tests every two years.

One's bound to please the seniors, the other could annoy them.

For some reason I found the timing of the two press releases, within the same hour of each other on Seniors Day, totally funny.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 4:27 PM | Permalink

The sharp-dressed man with the KILLER smile (standing next to House Speaker Tom Craddick) is Irwin Thompson, the DMN’s video editor and one of eight current and former DMN photogs who won the Pulitzer Prize last year for their coverage of Hurricane Katrina.

He was there to be honored on the House floor with a resolution by Rep. Helen Giddings, D-Dallas. A couple of his winning photos were displayed on easels on the floor, including that awesome shot with parts of cigar boxes tied to the guy’s feet in place of shoes. The words “keep moving” are printed on them, although I-T didn’t see the words on the boxes until he looked more closely at the photos later.

“I didn’t know I had it,” I-T said from the speaker’s podium, as the House members gathered around to check out the shots. “I’d probably still be there shooting it.”

Giddings praised the work of all those stellar photojournalists, saying it “forces us to come face to face with the devastation, the pain and the suffering of this tragedy.”

Then she says: “(Their work) provided very valuable insight and undeniable evidence of what happened in Katrina and Rita in what Karen Brooks described as, and I quote, a mind-blowing, nightmarish place straight out of a science fiction movie.”

(Someone dared me to quote Giddings quoting me. Tomorrow I'm going to try and get her to quote me quoting her quoting me. How’s *that* for post-modern journalism?)

The other seven rockstars: Michael Ainsworth, Melanie Burford, Barbara Davidson, Tom Fox, Brad Loper, Michael Mulvey and Smiley N. Pool.

Studlies, all of them. They'll each be getting their own resolutions if they ever decide to wander down from HQ and visit their brothers and sisters in Austin. HINT.

You can see their work under Breaking News Photography for 2006 here.

To see the whole thing on video (including I-Ts comments from the Speaker’s dais), click here, go to today’s date, and fast-forward until you get to exactly 58 minutes into the broadcast.

For the record, the picture of I-T was taken by someone on the House floor that was not me, nor was it a DMNer. I gave the camera to a nice parliamentary type and he snapped it for us.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 4:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Two lawmakers are pushing bills that would charge a flat fee at strip clubs to raise money for sexual assault prevention, counseling and treatment.
Rep. Ellen Cohen, D-Houston, and our own Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, say they're crafting bills that would force patrons at topless bars and strip clubs to pay a $5 cover charge, raising an estimated $40 million a year. Mr. West’s legislation would take it a step farther, requiring all sexually oriented businesses to pay an annual $5,000 registration fee.
The bills will make big headlines because of their timing: Texas is in the midst of considering a bunch of Jessica's Laws -- including instituting 25-year minimum sentences for child sex offenders and the death penalty for repeat offenders. Victims’ rights advocates and prosecutors have spoken out against parts of the laws, saying they’ll have the unintended consequences.
Opponents in the nightclub and adult bookstore industry say it’s unfair to charge their patrons for a problem that isn’t theirs – and that lawmakers are clearly insinuating that there’s a link between adult entertainment and sexual assault. Lawmakers say it's not about making a direct connection -- but that women, who are disproportionately affected by sexual assault, are also disproportionately represented in strip clubs.

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 2:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This is from Rep. Mike O'Day's staff, a day after the House learned he was in the hospital for a heart attack:

Representative Mike O'Day is doing exceptionally well today after receiving one stent for a partially blocked artery. Having no prior history of any cardiac problems, Mike is quoted as saying "It was quite a surprise." His wife Connie, who works in Cardiology, is very pleased with the Methodist Hospital staff and nurses.

"Mike is healthy and after some rest at home, he will continue as usual with no restrictions. The only hard part will be making him rest because he is looking forward to returning to work in Austin."

Posted by Karen Brooks at 2:19 PM | Permalink