CAPITOL LETTERS

I remember last session, when it ended and we all knew we were going into a special (or several), our catchphrase for the last days of that and the others was “Sine Die! Die! Die!”

This time, knowing that we may actually wind up with an 18-month interim for the first time since 2003, I was reportedly a little nostalgic at the media party over the session actually ending.

(Yeah, I’m going to need to take someone else’s word for that. I’m an unreliable witness to my own actions on Monday night.)

Tuesday morning, as I lounged in my cool, dark apartment, sleeping past noon and listening to the sweet silence with no TV, radio or cell phone distractions, something else happened.

I got over it.

It’s over, and now it’s time to breathe.

Time to pay the bills that have stacked up on the entry table (I counted 15 envelopes on the way out the door this morning), time to collect the papers out of the front yard and do about three weeks worth of laundry and dry cleaning. Time to remember what it feels like to breathe fresh air instead of 50-degree air conditioning. Time to go out for lunch (outside the four-block radius) instead of slam trail mix or stand in line behind a bunch of citizens so I can consume a $9 tuna sandwich in the Capitol extension.

Time to make reparations to friends and family and pets who don’t really understand – because few do – the life-sucking implications of covering the Legislature and really did think I had abandoned them for the past few months.

(Though the pets are usually the only ones who show their great displeasure by peeing on my cowboy boots...)

Time to try and quash the ding-ding sound of the voting bell that stays in my head for days after the session ends, time to find something else to dream about at night besides legislative anxiety (covering a press conference in your underwear? Anyone? Bueller?) Time to lose weight, my God.

And time for the shout-outs.

First, I send one in particular to the hard-working, hard-partying, burn-the-candle-at-both-ends staff I came to know and respect during the session (holla, clerks!).

Also, to the readers who both kept us on our toes and defended us from those who wished to throw rocks. People in ivory towers like to do that, so thanks for keeping them in their places when my editors (with good reason) wouldn’t let me do it.

And to the editors, who were all the way up in Dallas but still managed to understand exactly what we were going through.

Rarity.

Thanks, thanks, and thanks.

And also, of course, to the lawmakers, for making this one of the most dizzying and, yes, extraordinary sessions in memory.

Props for that.

Peace out. It's still light outside, and Brooksie needs a cocktail.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 5:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

I feel like I’m graduating.
I mean, you can only have Fresh Eyes for one legislative session, can’t you? Before you come back as “Ripe Eyes,” or “Aged Eyes” or “I’ve Been Covering The Legislature Since Before You Were Born And It Shows Eyes?”
To prove I’m worthy of this honor, I’m standing by my word, and gracing this blog with a carefully compiled list of key lessons for the next Fresh Eyes (God bless you, whoever you are).

The list begins, after the jump:

1) Don’t flatter yourself. Rob Eissler and Bryan Hughes are JUST THAT NICE to everyone.

2) The terms “suspend all necessary rules,” “point of personal privilege” and “motion to vacate” also work well in everyday life. Recognizing (or refusing to recognize) your friends, family members and colleagues to speak is also great fun.

3) You’d better take out a loan to fund your meals at the Capitol Grill. It’s pretty much the price equivalent of lunching at the Driskill. And there are so many lawmakers in line on fro-yo Thursdays that they risk breaking quorum.

4) There’s nothing more rewarding than realizing, one day in early May, that you’re no longer winded walking up a giant flight of stairs. Particularly since you haven’t seen the inside of your gym since February.

5) You ARE allowed to use that ladies restroom behind the House chamber – and boy is it nice. Get comfortable, enjoy the potpourri, and you can hang out until you hear your bill called over the loudspeaker. If you pick up your feet, you might also witness a catfight.

6) No you may NOT open the chamber doors without the Incredible Hulk-like strength and quick reflexes of the door sergeants. Believe me, it takes a skill set you don’t have.

7) Eating all of your meals standing up is not good for your digestion. And Altoids and Hershey Kisses don’t count as lunch – unless you eat enough of them.

8) Flats, not heels.

9) Making eye contact with a lawmaker determined NOT to make eye contact with you is an acquired skill, but you’ll get it.

And now that I’ve reached my entire sense of humor quota for the day, I’ll leave you with a few other final thoughts/observations on the session.

Passing a bill is damn near impossible.
I guess somewhere in my naïve mind, I believed that if a bill was good, it would pass. And if a bill was bad, well, it wouldn’t. Boy was I off the mark. Who knew how easy it was for a single person to derail good legislation – for something as minor as the author’s vote against their own measure? Who knew good bills could get weighed down with so many terrible amendments that they became unrecognizable? Who knew the clock could simply run out on a perfectly uncontested measure – leaving important business dangling for another two years, at least? (OK, OK, you probably did. But bear with me). Conversely, lawmakers work so hard all session to keep bad bills from becoming law. But then in the final days of the session, when they’re all freaking out about getting their own bills through, and making sure all of their top priorities are accounted for, bad things slip through. Ridiculous, unnecessary amendments are tacked onto clear-cut measures. And bad bills sometimes pass simply because lawmakers are tired of arguing over them.

Lawmakers work ridiculously hard.
Yeah, yeah, they’re only in session for six months every two years, and yeah, yeah, they’ve got aides, and chiefs of staff, and spokespeople. But let me tell you, these people are NOT slackers. I’m tired and cranky because I spent a lot of very late nights in the Capitol over the last couple of weeks. These people have been spending very late nights and very early mornings in the Capitol since February – easily 16 and 18 hour days – writing and passing bills and taking testimony in committees and running their offices. You’ll see lawmakers who, after a day spent fighting to get their own bill passed, will have carefully conceived questions or concerns about dozens of other bills that come up that day – meaning they, or someone who works for them, are doing ridiculous amounts of homework. The energy level in the chambers at the end of a long day is insane – Red Bull insane. And some of these folks, are, well, over the hill. I try to imagine my own grandparents (heck, even my parents!) sitting in the chamber from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., then running emotional committee meetings that last until 4 a.m., then dashing home for a quick shower before coming back again at 9. And it just isn’t feasible.

I have a love/hate relationship with democracy.
And, by default, with Robert Talton, Jim Dunnam and Lon Burnam.
I’ll admit to being the first one who rolls her eyes and clenches her fists when ANOTHER point of order is raised, when ANOTHER round of parliamentary inquiries is launched, when ANOTHER bill most of the chamber supports is killed on a teeny tiny technicality. I’ll admit to biting my tongue not to scream “VOTE” when Pete Gallego heads to the back mic for the 115th time in one day. Particularly when I’m a couple of hours behind Karen Brooks on the party wagon.
But even this, I confess, is democracy at work. And when it works, when careful, impassioned arguments + smart, careful decisions = good policy, it’s a pretty beautiful thing. And no, Christy, I’m not drinking the Kool-aid. That was Karen too.

For those of you who have been reading these posts all session, I've got a few necessary parting words.

The "bouncy blond TV reporters" are now (miraculously) my great, great friends. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
And Dewhurst's tan: it's real. That's what you get when your Lieutenant Governor doubles as a cowboy.

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 5:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

A reader of Emily's last post asks, "What's everyone so worked up about over Tom Craddick?" This story by Christy Hoppe, from our files, helps explain. It's from the eve of the session, so it's a little dated. (How did that Jim Pitts candidacy turn out, anyway?) But it sheds some light on the beef against the speaker.

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 2:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

And we're out.

Can't believe we made it, can you?

By 11:45 the chamber had mostly cleared out, as lawmakers finishined off last-minute resolutions. I wouldn't say I saw a lot of teary eyes either -- folks seemed exhausted, giddy and ready.

I know I am.

Expect the mother of all fresh eyes posts tomorrow, as I condense everything I've learned into one blog entry.

I'll admit I feel a creeping sense of nostalgia -- or maybe even homesickness. What the heck are we going to do without these people for the next year and a half?

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 11:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Speaker Craddick was going to let Rep. Phil King appeal the chair's ruling to uphold a point of order by Rep. Jim Dunnam against the bill.

But after Rep. Burt Solomons, R-Carrollton, said that might set a bad precedent, Mr. King said he was giving up.

He then had the House pass another "securitization bill" that he said would give electric customers in Houston some rate relief.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 11:25 PM | Permalink

Rep. Lon Burnam, R-Fort Worth, just tried to bring up his resolution commending former parliamentarians Denise Davis and Chris Griesel as having "stood firm" against "dictatorial pressure."

Mr. Burnam says the speaker's office keeps mysteriously losing his resolutions, which have included calls for impeachment of President Bush and a request for permission to sue the Denton State School.

"I wonder why I have such a high loss rate in your office," he says.

Speaker Tom Craddick replies: "I'm not advised."

For these two, it's a fairly good-natured exchange. Mr. Burnam says please, stop all the "filling time" and let him bring it up.

Mr. Craddick: "You can do that at the appropriate time ... when we get past these (TXU bill) points of order."

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 10:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

One wag called it "the Lazarus bill."

Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, won the two-thirds vote needed to bring back the TXU bill, which would put stronger controls on power utilities and curb electric costs up to 15 percent for those paying the highest rates.

The vote was 105-26. But there are still points of order that haven't been ruled on, so though I'd hope we are just minutes away from sine die, you never know ... and one should never underestimate the House's capacity to go down to the wire.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 10:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

For what it's worth, here are the names of the Legislative Council attorneys who went to work this past weekend for the Craddick parliamentarian team: Mark Brown, Gary Kansteimer, Jeff Archer.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 7:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Lon Burnam has introduced the potentially combustible House Resolution 2963. It commends Denise Davis and Chris Griesel, the former House parliamentarian and her assistant who resigned Friday night, reportedly after Speaker Tom Craddick rejected their legal opinion that he'd have to allow the House a vote on whether to remove him from the chair.

"Denise Davis and Chris Griesel stood up to autocratic control of a democratic institution by resigning their posts," the resolution says.

Rep. David Leibowitz, D-San Antonio, just demanded to know the names of the three Legislative Council attorneys now working for Craddick rules mavens Terry Keel and Ron Wilson.

"Everybody wants to know who they are," Mr. Leibowitz said.

"And what they look like," yelled Rep. Roberto Alonzo, D-Dallas, from his seat.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 7:03 PM | Permalink

Reps. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, and Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, have heartburn over the hiring of three lawyers from the Legislative Council to work with new House parliamentarians Terry Keel and Ron Wilson.

They're raising possible conflicts of interest for the lawyers, who are part of an office that drafts bills for lawmakers. That is, these guys could be helping advise the chair on how to rule on points of orders brought against bills they helped draft.

The larger point, though, seems to be that House members are in the dark about who is working for their chamber.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 6:58 PM | Permalink

House Speaker Tom Craddick was one of the sponsors of the resolution to recognize Rep. Anna Mowery, R-Fort Worth, for her years in the House. As soon as it comes online, we'll post it.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 4:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

See? I told you everything would be OK.

The $103 million parks funding bill, HB 12, was just brought up without objection and passed easily.

And they're about to pass the CPS bill without objection,

We've been in less than half an hour. WOW. They're working more efficiently today than they have in months.

There are a couple moments - Rep. Jim Dunnam just asked the speaker to remove his press release from the House website denouncing members (no names) for last night. I saw the statement in an email, but it appears to be gone from the House website now. And Rep. Dan Branch is trying to get them to remove Pat Haggerty's roll call speech from the journal, but the speaker is looking like he's going to make them vote on that - which I doubt Branch wants.

What this means is that it's looking good for getting out of here in time to enjoy at least SOME of the Sine Die parties - which is my number one survival motivation at this point in the session.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 2:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

The chair recognizes transportation writer Jake Batsell for a privileged motion to update the blog on that most contentious of issues, toll roads:

A few dozen opponents of the Trans-Texas Corridor came to the Capitol today hoping to commemorate “Moratorium Monday” – that is, Gov. Rick Perry’s signing of SB 792, the high-profile compromise transportation bill that places a partial two-year moratorium on private toll-road deals.

But Perry spokeswoman Krista Moody said it is unlikely the governor will sign the bill before the legislative session concludes today. She said Mr. Perry is still working through a backlog of bills that have swamped his office over the past week.

“The governor reviews every piece of legislation carefully,” Ms. Moody said. “This bill is no exception to that.”

Some involved in this session’s toll-road saga find the delay a bit unnerving, since Mr. Perry’s office was so closely involved in hammering out the details of a compromise to avert a special session. And the governor found time yesterday to reject a resolution proclaiming the Texas blind salamander as the official state amphibian.

But while many lawmakers and toll-road activists had hoped that the governor would quickly sign the bill, there are no imminent stirrings of an override on an earlier transportation bill vetoed by Mr. Perry. If the governor does not sign the compromise bill by mid-June, it automatically becomes law without his signature.

“It doesn’t concern me at all,” said Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, the Senate transportation committee chairman. “We have all given one another our word, and I know the governor’s word is good. I feel very comfortable.”

David Stall, co-founder of the grassroots CorridorWatch group, said he’d be stunned if Perry were to veto the bill because it has “significant political capital.”

“If he is going to work at all with the Legislature in the next session, I do not see how he can afford to veto this bill,” Mr. Stall said. “The backlash of the 81st Legislature would just be incredible. And we would be right there beating the drum."

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 2:22 PM | Permalink

The House just opened Day 140 -- the session's last -- with a prayer by Dallas GOP Rep. Tony Goolsby.

"God, we ask that you watch over your flock and ... deliver them safely from the clutches of conflict," he said.

No, that wasn't a reference to internecine strife in the House but a Memorial Day prayer for the troops.

Mr. Goolsby did beseech the Almighty, though, for patience with a certain group of lawmakers.

"God, this is our prayer," he said. "Hang in there with us. We need you more now than ever. Amen."

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 2:16 PM | Permalink

The governor has finally weighed in, kind of, on the steel cage deathmatch that is the Texas House. Rick Perry, a former House member himself, has understandably been reluctant to take political sides over the fate of Tom Craddick.

After all, if he chooses the wrong (i.e., losing) side, he's got to try to get his agenda past a House speaker with an ax to grind. In fact, Mr. Perry's spokesman, Robert Black, took pains to tell Austin bureau chief Christy Hoppe yesterday that the guv has no dog in this fight.

But the walkout last night imperiled legislation the governor cares deeply about, including the massive water bill so important to North Texas. So he's telling them, in so many words: Get your act together. The full statement after the jump:

Statement from Gov. Rick Perry on the need for legislators to finish their work:

“The members of the Texas Legislature have not finished the people’s work. The events that transpired in the Texas House of Representatives last night have placed in serious jeopardy legislation that has statewide impact. Important legislation addressing our future water needs, border security, clean air, funding for parks and our future energy needs will die unless they are acted upon today. I encourage legislators to rise above their differences and finish the work of the people of Texas.”

Posted by Ryan J. Rusak at 1:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Flowery speeches and humorous comparisons to Don Corleone - The Godfather - were the first order of business in the Senate today as the chamber elected Sen. John Carona of Dallas as its president pro tempore. Although the post is mostly ceremonial, the number two officer of the Senate is second in line of succession for governor, behind only the lieutenant governor.

Several senators offered seconding speeches for Mr. Carona's nomination as president pro tempore, alternatively offering praise for his standout work as chairman of the Senate tranportation committee this year and joking about his well-known temper and fearlessness in confronting political enemies. Sen. Kim Brimer of Fort Worth described his fellow Republican as a "legislative manhole cover" because of his toughness in getting his bills passed.

"Most of all he reminds me of a manhole cover because he is shaped like one," Mr. Brimer said of the slightly rotund Dallas senator, bringing laughter to the chamber. Mr. Brimer and other senators noted that Mr. Carona's Italian-American heritage raised inevitable comparisons to the main character in one his favorite movies - The Godfather. Noting that Mr. Carona will function as governor when Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst are out of the state, Mr. Brimer said there will be a difference in leadership and style.

"When 'Don' Carona assumes the office of governor, we won't have any trouble collecting the new business tax," Mr. Brimer said. "Collections will be at an all-time high." Added the Fort Worth senator: "John Carona is a real man. You better believe it - or else." And to wrap up his seconding speech: "Please godfather, forgive me for what I say."

Posted by Terrence Stutz at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

By my count, Craddick has four hours to pass the major legislation of the session before he starts cutting into serious SINE DIE PARTY TIME. They go in at 2.

(Guess maybe Ryan Guillen won't get all 255 resolutions passed, will he? Since the clerks had to RETYPE THEM into the system AND add punctuation. Poetic justice, I say.)

Here's the statement.

STATEMENT REGARDING THE EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE HOUSE

(AUSTIN) - Alexis DeLee issued the following statement regarding the events that took place in the House:

"Once again, some members chose to divert the House away from important matters and instead tried to drag the members into a Speaker's race while we are in session. Speaker Craddick made a promise to the members of the Housethat he would make sure their bills would be heard so their constituents concerns would be met. This evening a number of bills were put into jeopardy - bills that would protect our water, fund our parks and historical sites, lower electric rates, enhance air quality, and require steroid testing in our public schools. It is his intention to take up and consider these and other pieces of legislation before the session ends tomorrow at
midnight."

Posted by Karen Brooks at 1:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

The 94-0 vote that broke the quorum is being lauded by Craddick staffers and supporters as being the be-all, end-all list of people who would NOT have voted to vacate the chair because they didn't walk out.

Well, by my count, there are about a dozen who were voted in that 94 but may not have voted against a motion to vacate.

I'm not making assumptions about anyone, I'm being very conservative, so I'm going to give you the most obvious among those: Jose Menendez, D-SA; Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston; TODD SMITH (a leader in the insurgency); Chente Quintanilla was in the bathroom and didn't walk out OR vote (though someone voted him.)

In short, however, this number is no more meaningful than the 87 who voted to overrule the chair a few weeks ago. The insurgents didn't have 87 votes then, and Craddick doesn't have 94 now.

So everyone relax and remember that the Lege can ALWAYS suspend the rules and pass all this stuff tomorrow.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 1:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

TXU bill
Parks funding HB 6
CPS reform bill
Top 10 percent (they were going to try and bring it back up)
Homeland Security
Border Security
Water bill - all of them, big and small

32 bills in all.

OK, my guess is that they'll suspend the rules Monday, take up a bunch of them and pass them.

(Ethics reform in 2003, anyone?)

Not to worry.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 1:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

About 45 members just walked out of the chamber, broke quorum and made the House adjourn until 2 p.m. Monday.

Right now, there's wild cheering in the lobby, the staffers are lining the steps from the gallery and clapping and yelling for everyone who walked out, and those left in the chamber are annoyed.

A Craddick staffer just passed me and said, "This is disgraceful" before pointing out that 94 members had just voted the last bill.

"That shows that he had 94 votes."

Nope. Someone ghost voted Senfronia, not everyone walked out, and if Ms. Thompson was ghost-voted, then who knows how many else were. Since Sly rang the bell for what felt like 10 minutes.

Anyway. Very weird ending to a relatively normal last night. Very dramatic.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 12:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

The vote was announced as 25-6 but was actually 25-5.

Nays were Mike Jackson, Kyle Janek, Jane Nelson, Dan Patrick and Florence Shapiro.

All Republicans.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 12:42 AM | Permalink

Rep. Pat Haggerty, R-El Paso, is in the middle of taking roll call vote on the speaker in a speech of personal privilege. He's calling each member's name, and just making them vote.

Sly Turner tried to shut him down, but Pat says this is the only way they'll have a vote.

The anti-Craddicks just took their voting key and are walking out.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 12:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

As Dunnam continues right now with his back-and-forth w/Sylvester Turner, who's in the chair, the buzz going around is this web page for the Catholic Encyclopedia.

Apparently, according to this book, a pope can be removed from office for either his "conduct or behavior" or "resistance to the synod" (I'm sorry, I went to Catholic school and I have no idea what that means) or lack of faith.

So, a pope can be removed but a Texas speaker can't?

But here's the rest of what it says.

"In point of fact, however, heresy is the only legitimate ground."

Here's my fave part: "A sinful pope, on the other hand, remains a membrer of the Church and is to be treated as a sinful, unjust ruler for whom we must pray, but from whom we may not withdraw our obedience."

Posted by Karen Brooks at 12:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The House vote was 114-35 -- more a vote for SUMMER VACATION than a test of Speaker Craddick's current standing among members.

The Senate's usual version of a floor debate resembles an Academy Award acceptance speech -- and there's some of that.

But Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, couldn't resist a little lecturing of fellow Houstonian, Republican Sen. Dan Patrick.

So it could be a while longer before that $153.5 billion sucker heads to the governor.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 11:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

1) The Senate already passed a major TDCJ reform bill that permits early release for certain prison inmates and gives those on parole a chance to shorten their terms. The bill aims to reduce prison populations and prevent the state from having to build new lock-ups. The House won't have trouble with it -- but they certainly haven't done it yet.

2) An oft-debated measure to protect the state’s border and crack down on drug and human trafficking is also awaiting a House vote -- though it's failed there before. After getting killed on a technicality in the House, the border security measure was slapped on a Senate homeland security bill, on that chamber already passed tonight. It'll be a while before it comes up in the House, and we'll see what happens there.
The measure has a better chance than before at passage: the border part wouldn't include hotly-debated language over who will oversee a database that contains personal information about everything from criminal investigations to traffic violations on thousands – maybe millions – of Texans.
It still would create a governor-appointed border security council to make recommendations on funneling more than $100 million to authorities along the Mexican border. That money would fund hiring hundreds of new law enforcement agents, as well as high-level equipment to help patrol the border.

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 8:52 PM | Permalink

"Oh-oh, we're halfway the-re..."
So, the Senate went ahead and passed the session's major water planning bill this evening -- the first in a decade. But this legislation, that nearly crumbled over contentious reservoir sites, still has to come up for debate in the House tonight. It could be rough.
Most of the bill is non-controversial. It sets guidelines for water conservation and for protecting the ecology of the state’s rivers, lakes, bays and estuaries. Here's the beef -- the bill sets aside 19 Texas locations for future reservoirs, and, well, reservoir sites almost ALWAYS cause a brawl.
Two Dallas reservoirs were removed in the House version of the bill. But the conference committee stuck them back in -- with a provision that cities and water districts must start spending money on those reservoirs by 2015, or risk losing their designation.
That's peeved some House lawmakers, particularly those concerned wtih the environmental and economic impact of flooding big portions of East Texas.
Here's hoping they do SOMETHING on this before midnight.

Posted by Emily Ramshaw at 8:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Rep. Robert Talton says he wanted to make the point that we're a nation of laws and rules, then withdraws his point of order that might have forced a special session.

House Speaker Tom Craddick's allies applaud.

"Thank you, Mr. Talton," says Rep. Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, the House's chief budget writer. "That was the gentlemanly thing to do."

Another Craddick ally speculates that the dissidents got to Mr. Talton and persuaded him that a vote to appeal the chair's ruling would be a poor test vote: There are members who'd vote to oust Mr. Craddick who don't want to vote against the budget.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 8:19 PM | Permalink

But Mr. Talton now is asking for recognition to appeal the ruling of the chair.

Mr. Craddick says he'll recognize him for that appeal -- only on the point of order on the budget. Among other things, Mr. Talton's point of order said the budget was making "general law" by setting fees for the Residential Construction Commission.

"I have the 10 signatures," says Mr. Talton, who again has approached the dais.

Stay tuned.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 8:09 PM | Permalink

Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, just raised a point of order against the budget.

"I’d like to raise a point of order," he said, "on the grounds that the conference committee report changes general law."

No word yet on details.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 7:43 PM | Permalink

Former chairman Buddy West, R-Odessa, just made an emotional and down-home speech about the "field of dreams" he called UT Permian Basin and the fact that it was finally getting some cash.

He asked members to please forgive him if he gets emotional, since it may be the last time he stands up to the front mic.

What?

At the end of his speech, he clarifies and says that he hopes next week's "full body scan" will show him with a clean bill of health and he'll get to run again. If not, his wife is running in its place.

He didn't get more specific. Sounds like cancer, but because everyone's in their seats whle members are making speeches, I haven't asked for any more details.

Mr. West was a GOP chairman and House veteran who was busted from his position in January after voting against Craddick in the speaker's race.

He got a standing ovation from his colleagues.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 7:30 PM | Permalink

Rep. Linda Harper Brown, a couple hours ago, got to the back mic to blast Rep. Mark Strama and Rep. David Liebowitz for wasting time and killing bills that solve a litany of societal problems, including "helping the medically" vulnerable, "poor... and indigent."

Then she voted against the CHIP bill.

For the record.

So, it's OK to kill those bills with a vote, but not with a personal privilege speech.

Or, it's OK for her to kill those bills, but not for the Other Side.

Just clearin that up.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 5:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, just withdrew his point of order against the CHIP bill.

The House then approved it, 134-14, and sent it to the governor.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 5:48 PM | Permalink

Rep. Robert "Torpedo Bob" Talton, R-Pasadena, has just raised a point of order -- or at least appeared to do so -- on the bill to partially undo cuts made four years ago to the Children's Health Insurance Program.

Mr. Talton said he found a "transition provision" in the conference report that was in neither chamber's version.

"I was under the impression that if you had something new in the bill, that you had to have a privileged resolution [to OK the change], is that not correct?" he said.

Replied Rep. Dan Gattis, R-Georgetown, who's now presiding: "That principle is correct."

Big huddle to the south of the speaker's dais right now .... This could be a heart-breaker for CHIP advocates because the bill was finally approved by the Senate an hour or so ago and was only one hurdle away from going to the governor's desk.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 5:21 PM | Permalink

"You know, a lot was made that there was no one from Dallas on the conference," Rep. Lois Kolkhorst just told me, referring to the House-Senate conference committee that worked out final details of the proposed two-year budget.

"But I gotta tell you, I think we were very fair to Dallas."

Ms. Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, said Dallas got $21 million of the roughly $180 million of "special items" in the higher education budget. She said UT Southwestern Medical Center also got $8 million of state money for graduate medical education. "That's up there with Baylor in Houston," she said.

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 5:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Here's Craddick spokeswoman Alexis DeLee's statement, responding to the Pitts-Talton-Delwin Jones presser alleging big time pork in the two-year budget, and last minute budget shenanigans by the speaker to save his political skin:

"The budget is a strong one -- supported by members on both sides of the aisle. The process that has taken place to put it together is the same as every session in the past. It reflects the various needs of the state."

In addition, Team Craddick arranged for Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, the House's negotiator on the higher education budget, to respond to the dissidents' pork allegations -- one of which was that the speaker loves Dallas' UT Southwestern Medical Center, so much that he inserted two "special items" to give it $19 million.

Earlier, former Craddick ally Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, who was dumped as the House's chief budget writer after running to unseat Mr. Craddick in January, said the speaker always pressures his Appropriations Committee chairman to load up the budget with his pork projects.

"Even when we had a $10 billion budget deficit, there was money put in the budget for Speaker Craddick," Mr. Pitts said.

He was asked if Mr. Craddick pressured him in 2005 to insert Craddick pork.

"Yes," Mr. Pitts said.

For this session's budget, Mr. Pitts said, the speaker has special higher ed items and parking lot money worth nearly $16 million for UT-Permian Basin in Odessa, next door to the speaker's hometown of Midland. Mr. Pitts also ticked off several other items, which he described as Craddick-directed pork, that are in Midland, though a few are in Austin and Dallas.

"As everyone, I think, knows, he's been a pretty big advocate for UT Southwestern," Mr. Pitts said, attributing to Mr. Craddick the Dallas medical school's receipt of $18 million for an obesity research program and $1 million for sickle cell research.

But Ms. Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, said that's wrong. The items were requested "by the Dallas delegation," she said. Specifically, she said, by Craddick allies Dan Branch and Will Hartnett, both Dallas Republicans.

More broadly, Ms. Kolkhorst defended the "institutional enhancement" money for UT-Permian Basin. At West Texas colleges, she said, "It's very hard to recruit professors." Last session, she said, UT, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and the University of Houston got similar money.

She also was asked if Mr. Craddick used higher ed special items, in effect, to buy votes to keep his job. At the dissidents' press conference, GOP Rep. Robert Talton of Pasadena admitted he had no proof of such quid pro quos, which would be illegal.

But Mr. Talton said of Mr. Craddick, "He's being a dictator." He said that while it's rumor, most people believe the budget got loaded with $100 million in Craddick-directed higher ed pork. And Mr. Talton said this alleged budget manipulation by the speaker occurred in that remote period of pre-history -- early May -- when Mr. Craddick "was told that he had to recognize a motion to vacate."

Wait a minute, said Ms. Kolkhorst. While she can't disprove allegations of help-me-I'll-help-you chats by the speaker, she said, "He never did that in my presence."

She also said the dissidents have their figures wrong.

Her version of events, in a nutshell: When the House passed the budget on March 30, it had $22 million of higher ed pork. Then the Senate added $42 million more worth of such items, and left the House's intact, when it blessed the spending blueprint on April 12. In budget conference, negotiators agreed to make it even-steven as they added to the stack of chips.

The Senate piled on an extra $33 million, while the House lugged in $64 million more. But in a bit of cool budget magic, Comptroller Susan Combs said $10 million of the obesity research money didn't "cost the bill" because it actually would pay for itself in reduced state health care expenditures. (Don't you love budgeting?)

Oh, yes, budget negotiators added another $31 million -- most of it for A&M's ever-expanding medical school, which will now be in Round Rock as well as Temple and College Station. But those are listed as "shared by both chambers." Those bacon bits, in other words, had a senator and a rep of some influence weighing in jointly for them.

Bottom line, according to Ms. Kolkhorst: Each chamber got about $75 million of higher ed special items (House actually got $76 mil), and they shared $31 million. So you can't say Mr. Craddick drove $100 million of such pork into the budget. And, she said, 1999 was the highwater mark for such higher ed pork: $334 million worth, compared with about $180 million this session. (She didn't have a figure for current two-year budget.)

Posted by Robert T. Garrett at 4:46 PM | Permalink

One of the most surreal things about former Rep. Terry Keel being the parliamentarian is that the guy's voice carries. So we at the press table can hear what he's telling whoever's in the Chair of Absolute Power, and people at home can hear even more, since it's mic'ed to the audio feed.

This is what can be heard on the archives of yesterday's House action at 2:01 p.m. I'm told you could hear even more live, but the archives have this exchange at the dais - which you could ONLY hear if you were watching TV.

(God bless television.)

During a semi-tense, occasionally funny back-and-forth with a frustrated Rep. Tommy Merritt and Sly Turner, members were standing up at their desks, shaking their heads, and generally causing a commotion.

Keel to Turner: "You have to get the floor under control."

Then he says, presumably for Turner to repeat: "The sergeant-at-arms will be escorting members to their seats."

Turner wasn't hearing it - and was clearly not about to threaten the guards on the members - can you imagine how P.O. the members would be??? Oh. My. Talk about mutinty. The video would be priceless.

Turner instead "respectfully" asks members to "please" take their seats, which they do.

Typical reaction from Keel to tell Turner to threaten physically dragging members back to their seats. He's always been, shall we say, a bold decision maker and doesn't seem to be worried about whether his approaches will blow up the House floor. He's always been like that. I think he enjoys it.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 4:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

The bikers in the "Patriot Guard Riders" just got one of the longest standing ovations of the session.

These guys are the ones who go to the funerals of military men and women and scare the bejeezus out of (and drown out) those "crazy people from Kansas," as Rep. Charlie Geren calls them, who go to the funerals to protest and say the soldiers died because God is angry over gays in the military.

One sign prominently featured being carried by protesters - at funerals, people - is this one: "God hates your tears."

To quote the choppster, OK, wow. Yeah, I'm guessing the leather-clad bikers - and looking at them in the gallery, those are some tough dudes - caused some serious pants-wetting in those protesters.

From a CNN article:

This is also very much a story about another phenomenon the Phelps protest has created. That's the birth of a group called the "Patriot Guard Riders." They're a volunteer group that came together after hearing that so many military families were being blindsided by the protesters. (Watch bikers ride to protect a funeral -- 2:11)

The procession of rolling thunder escorted Davila's family from memorial services to the grave site on a quiet hill.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 3:41 PM | Permalink

Rep. Mark Strama, D-Austin, just made a personal privilege speech on the House floor, putting into perspective exactly what he was just trying to do from the back mic.

Sly recognized him for the speech "and for no other purpose." I found that amusing.

Anyway, Strama lays out his argument that there is no precedent in either state or Congressional history for the speaker to have absolute power over recognizing any motion that doesn't have to do with actual speech or debate.

These are the things he got Keel/Craddick to say he could use his recognition power to do:

- deny a member privileged motion
- deny their ability to make points of order (I bet some of his buddies who lost their bills wish they knew that months ago - would have been handy on, I dunno, half of their agendas.)
- deny 25 members of the House the ability to second a motion to cut off debate on a bill

"Our rules mean nothing if the power of recognition extends beyond speech and debate."

He then invokes "Humpty Dumpty-ism," a term he's heard before and decided to research using Through the Looking Glass. Here's the section of the book he refers to - and you can find the entire weird chapter here.

(Fantastic literature, by the way. Strama, make sure Victoria gets a copy of this asap)

"I don't know what you mean by 'glory,'" Alice said.

"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master -- that's all."

Posted by Karen Brooks at 3:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The day started out like yesterday, with a slam and inquisition on Craddick and his advisers on the dais.

This time, Reps. Mark Strama and David Liebowitz, both Democrats and the latter a lawyer, ran though a series of questions in an apparent attempt to do two things:

(I'm no lawyer but this is what I see)

1) Force Craddick to list all the things he can do or not do with his "absolute power" of recognition, to drive home their argument that he's going over the top.

Keel/Craddick is taking the position that the rules back him, and that it's not an interpretation but clear in the rules.

2) Establish, through a dizzying legal and intellectual trip up, a precedent or ruling or judgement (or, in Eiland's words, "whatever it is") right here on the floor that the speaker doesn't have absolute power - by forcing him to admit that there's at least one instance in which he is required to recognize a motion, any motion. Craddick's bobbing and weaving, and they're unsuccessful.

Posted by Karen Brooks at 3:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

The bill that would have lowered electricity rates for some Texans is dead, killed today on a technicality.

The point of order came from a Democrat, Rep. Jim Dunnam of Waco, yesterday.

The decision sustaining the technicality means lawmakers will have done nothing on the biggest pocketbook issue facing them this session. In addition to cutting some consumers' rates by 15 percent, the bill would have boned up consumer protections and reinstated a discount for the poor.

Lawmakers also will have done nothing to prevent TXU from manipulating the electricity market. Early versions of the bill would have broken the company up into three companies. The compromise bill killed Sunday provided for stiff multimillion-dollar penalties and criminal sanctions for coordination among the separated units.

It's a big victory for TXU and the companies working to buy the power giant and had hired dozens of lobbyists to fight off the proposals.

Said Phil King, the Weatherford Republican who sponsored the bill: "It's a shame and it's sad that it's lost, and our consumers will pay the price for that for the next couple of years. And I can assure you that the people who will not be paying the price ... are the electric companies."

Posted by Mike Drago at 3:06 PM | Permalink

Rep. Phil King is at the front mic on a personal privilege speech, lamenting the death of the TXU bill that just went under on a point of order.

Pete Gallego asked for more order in the House, which is customary for a personal privilege speech. Sly thanked him and then beseeched the House to "be adults."

I can't think of a lot of members the chamber would take that kind of talk from, but the silver-tongued Sly has lots of personal friends in this House.

This would be, incidentally, why he's on the dais all day yesterday and most of the day today. When questions come up, he handles them calmly and with finesse, usually - and not always in the manner that Keel advises.

More on that in a few..

Posted by Karen Brooks at 3:05 PM | Permalink

Former House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, and two GOP colleagues, Lubbock's Delwin Jones and Pasadena's Robert Talton, just held a presser to denounce the $152.5 billion budget that is before lawmakers today -- and Republican Speaker Tom Craddick's use of it for his own political ends.

The three dissidents assailed $100 million of late additions to the budget, college "special items" that they said Mr. Craddick used to shore up support so he could face down efforts to remove him. Mr. Pitts also outlined tens of millions of pork projects inserted for the Midland-Odessa, Permian Basin area, which Mr. Craddick represents.

"We can and must do better," Mr. Pitts said. "This budget is bloated and fiscally irresponsible."

While Mr. Pitts said he thinks fiscally conservative Republicans should oppose the budget and force a special session