Pics in this post were taken by myself and members of my household throughout the legislative session. I think they capture the theme quite well. Please excuse the blurriness in some - cell phone cameras only do so much.

Snakes! Provided by the Sweetwater Chamber of Commerce in honor of the annual Rattlesnake Round-Up.

Two lobbyists having a lightsaber duel.

Citizens lined up to testify on SB 362, the voter identification legislation, before the Committee of the Whole Senate in March.

Passing HCR 16, changing the official state dinosaur. Yeah.

 

A citizen holding up the Republic of Texas flag at Rep. Creighton's press conference on HCR 50, the sovereignty/10th Amendment legislation, in early April.


Governor Perry addressing the RightOnline blogger conference on May 23.


The first-ever rally for tax increases (the TLOTA) at the State Capitol, held on May 29. In this photo are Senator Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth), Senator Kirk Watson (D-Austin), Senator John Carona (R-Dallas), Rep. Vicki Truitt (R-Fort Worth) and Rep. Mike Villareal (D-San Antonio). The "Texas Not Taxes" sign is being held up behind Sen. Carona by Americans for Prosperity's Peggy Venable - about 30 grassroots activists showed up to be "anti-protesters" against the taxes proposed by Carona and Truitt.

Dead legislation! This is a stack of dead bills the morning of sine die on June 1. The black spot you see is an eyepatch, put there in honor of Rep. Rene Oliviera (D-Brownsville).

Mourning some dead legislation on sine die.

The Texas State Capitol on sine die, June 1, 2009. Beautiful day in Austin!!

After 2005's Summer of the Special Session(s), I think it's perfectly natural for Texas political junkies to take about a five minute breather when the gavel falls on sine die before they begin wondering if the governor is going to call everyone back to address some major issue.

The chaos and headaches that came out of the 80th legislative session in 2007 were enough to hold us over for two years, and the last couple of weeks certainly seem like plenty to hold us now until 2011. Unfortunately, the Democrat shenanigans in the House and the mudslinging from a certain Dallas senator wreaked enough havoc to leave some serious unfinished business behind.

Now, Governor Perry said several times in the last few weeks that the one thing he would be ready to call a special session over would be windstorm insurance. I was at an event over Memorial Day weekend at the Capitol where he said that very thing to a room full of bloggers and live-Tweeting activists. The legislature passed a windstorm insurance bill, and it seems like that crisis is averted.

But the legislature adjourned sine die without addressing the sunset problem. Five state agencies hang in the balance because legislation enabling them to continue was left to die on the vine. TXDOT, for instance, died at midnight Sunday night, when the bill was postponed in a wrangle over the conference committee report - it was likely to die regardless, with Carona's filibuster threat, and Pickett saved us all from that nightmare. There was still a chance to save TXDOT, the Texas Department of Insurance, and the others with HB 1569, the "safety net" bill that would allow the agencies to continue operating and undergo the sunset process again in 2011. But that bill was, for lack of a better word, chubbed into oblivion on Sunday night as well, by Rep. David Leibowitz (D-San Antonio).

A last-minute Hail Mary by Rep. Jim Pitts (R-Waxahachie), HCR 291, passed the House but didn't get traction in the Senate. HCR 291 was a resolution that would extend through 2011 the agencies that would receive federal stimulus funds - meaning TXDOT and TDI. Despite the overwhelming support in the House, there were serious questions raised about the constitutionality and legality of HCR 291 - the 29 members who voted against it were very concerned about this, and a point of order was raised and overruled. After passing the resolution, the House did some more ceremonial singing and dancing before adjourning sine die just after 6pm.

Meanwhile, the Senate was immediately concerned about HCR 291. They recessed for the better part of two hours, each of the caucuses met twice to consider what to do, and ultimately the entire Senate rejected HCR 291 before adjourning around 9pm (the resolution was not even brought up for a vote). The post-sine die response to all of this from newly-elected President Pro Tem of the Senate Sen. Steve Ogden (R-Bryan) was that the blame for the Legislature's failure to save TXDOT, TDI, and the others lay with the House. Speaker Straus brushed off that criticism.

While most politicos and political junkies are now either literally or figuratively sleeping off the 140 day wrangle, the questions have already been asked.

1 - Are the Texas Dept. of Transportation, and the Texas Dept. of Insurance, and the other agencies, effectively dead? - More or less. There are things that can be done, including an executive order from the Governor, to keep these agencies alive. The way sunset works: an agency undergoes sunset review during the interim prior to the session before the official sunset date set for that agency. The Sunset Review Board gives recommendations, and a bill is crafted and filed to fine-tune the agency. The legislature debates and votes on that legislation. The agency is then either shut down or continued. If the bill does not pass, for whatever reason, the agency is then subjected to a systematic shut-down. The date of sunset for TXDOT, TDI, and two others is Sept. 1, 2010. This means that unless something is done, beginning Sept. 1 of 2009 (this year), the agencies' services and duties will be assigned to other agencies, and they will operate on "skeleton crews" through the final sunset date. The Texas Racing Commission has an extra year; their sunset date is Sept. 1, 2011.

2 - Will there be a special session? According to Governor Perry in this morning's press conference, maybe and maybe not. As stated above, the windstorm insurance legislation that primarily concerned the governor passed and is being sent to his desk. Scuttlebutt at the Capitol yesterday held that if there is a special, Gov. Perry will wait until after the veto period (the 20 days after sine die) and the July 4 holiday to call it. Speaker Straus has stated that he doesn't think there's a need for a special. Lt. Gov. Dewhurst is mum so far. But the final authority lies with the governor, and so far, he's playing it down. I'll have another post on a special session and what it could mean for Gov. Perry later today.

3 - Whose fault was this, really? Lots of fingers to point, and I'll probably miss a few, but the first one has to aim at Sen. Carona. The TXDOT sunset bill, HB 300, passed the Senate with his local option tax increase attached, and the House was adamantly opposed to the tax from the get-go (they let the House version die without a floor debate prior to the chubbing, grassroots efforts and the chubbing killed the Senate version while it was in the House, and the House voted to instruct the conference committee on HB 300 to reject the tax provision). TXDOT died because of DFW rail and taxpayer-funded lobbying efforts to raise taxes unnecessarily. The Texas Dept. of Insurance bill died thanks to chubbing - it's only hope was the safety net bill. And finally, Rep. David Leibowitz, and doubtless some of his Dem colleagues in the House, get a portion of the blame as well. Killing the safety net bill ensured the final death of those agencies and if we get a special session, that's the ultimate reason why.

Honestly, the chubbing was the big killer and big problem of the final days of the 81st session. Time-wasting in the House in an effort to prevent legitimate debate on voter identification legislation (read: Democrats trying to avoid taking a vote on a popular issue that would have cost them seats) also prevented a good deal of important legislation from passing, both good and bad. If the legislature is called back, if Governor Perry overlooks the possible political backlash from a special session to address these major issues, it won't be difficult to figure out who is to blame, but it also won't matter. The work has to get done, whatever that looks like, and the fact remains that neither chamber came out of this smelling like spring bluebonnets.

Just sit back, relax, watch and listen: 

Courtesy of Pearls at My Modern Country Home:

Yeah - I can see it happening.... Really....

Right now, there is a Bill before the House of Representative - HR 875 - that basically says that anyone that grows or raises anything for food must be able to track it from beginning to end. The trick in this bill is, that it doest define what a farm is, what a ranch is or anything else. That means that it could be used to control what people grow in their own backyards or if they have a few hens for eggs.

Let me give you a little background on this Bill. Everyone knows about Monsanto - they are an evil corporation who uses the legal system and Intimidation to force farmers to use their products or to just quit all together. They genetically alter seeds (genetically modified - GM) so that they will not reproduce. When farmers buy these seeds, and the plants grow, flower and there is a wind, the pollen from these plants drifts to other farms. Because of the pollen drift, other farms who grow heirloom seeds will see their seeds not be able to reproduce because of the pollen from the seeds from this evil Company.

This bill is Monsanto's dream....It was introduced by Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). Her husband works for Monsanto - SURPRISE SURPRISE SURPRISE....

If you are found to be in violation of this law, each infraction is punishable up to $1,000,000.00 and no, I didnt make a mistake with the zeros - ONE MILLION BUCKS....

This law has the potential to do several things....

First - if it is implemented, all food stuffs are going to go up - MAJORLY. In order to track every little grape, its going to cost a TON.

Second - This is going to cause food shortages. LESS FOOD - will make costs go up (supply and demand) but the reason is because this law will drive many out of business. From the backyard garden, to the farm trucks selling on the side of the road, to the Food Coops, to the small farm/ranch - it will be cost prohibitive to continue to produce food.

Third - People will starve - YES, STARVE as in DIE....

You see, bunches BUNCHES of people have opted out of the Industrial Food System. We have done it for so many reasons....some want food that is pesticide/antibiotic free food.....some want to support their local economies (Locavore, 100 mile Diet), some are anti-establishment.....some do it out of necessity (growing their own food).....some do it out Self-Preservation (preppers and survivalists).

This bill has the potential to bring those from the Left - dont mess with their organic granola - and those from the right - dont mess with their right to raise a chicken or a cow - together....

Everyone looses with this bill.....but if you produce your own food or do not have tons to spend on your food, you have EVERYTHING to loose....

Pray, Praise, Prepare....

** Here is a link for another story I found while researching this one on line....

TAKE ACTION: If you support the death penalty in Texas, please call your state representative today and ask them to oppose HJR 24 and HB 877.

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Texas State Representative Elliott Naishtat (D - District 49) has authored HJR 24, which proposes a constitutional amendment relating to a moratorium on the execution of persons convicted of capital offenses.

Mr. Naishat is rabidly anti-death penalty, while 3 out of 4 Texans (74 percent) support the death penalty and want the state to continue executing those convicted of capital murder.

HJR 24 has been assigned to the Criminal Jurisprudence committee, and is scheduled for public hearing today at the Capitol in Austin.

If you support the death penalty, please call your state representative today and ask them to oppose HJR 24.  (If you are not sure who your state representative is or how to contact them, you can look here: http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/ ).

Another Study, Another Waste of Tax Dollars

Additionally, Rep. Naishtat has also introduced another bill, designed solely to waste Texas tax payer money.

HB 877 proposes the creation of a commission to study capital punishment in Texas. Something that has been studied nearly to death already. All that Rep. Naishtat wants to do is find a study that supports his belief that capital punishment is 1) biased against black people, 2) biased against brown people, 3) biased against the poor, 4) cruel and unusual punishment.

The United States Supreme Court as Well has more than clearly enough ruled that capital punishment is Constitutional. And the people of Texas have more than clearly enough expressed their support of the death penalty.

Any “study” that Rep Naishtat wants to throw together would amount to nothing more than a waste of tax payer dollars.

When you call your state represntative to voice your opposition to HJR 24, tell them that you also want them to oppose HB 877 because it’s a waste of our tax dollars.

The 81st session of the Texas Legislature is under way at the Capitol here in Austin. And it’s going to be an exceptionally busy session too.

On the House side, a total of 4697 bills were filed, up 18% from the 2007 session, in which 3,977 made it to the clerk’s office (via Elise Hu). On the Senate side, Senators filed 2,447 bills, up 26% from last session’s 1,944.

That’s a grand total of 7,144, bills for a combined chamber increase of 21%.

The Bill That’s Missing

With all of those bill filed, I’m more than disappointed that one of them isn’t the already-authored Licensed Open Carry bill. The current drafted bill by Representative Debbie Riddle (R) couldn’t find a single member to file it. Not even Rep. Riddle.

This bill would give Texans who posses a valid Concealed Handgun License to open carry. For whatever, reason, our state lawmakers do not want to give Texans the opportunity to voice their opinions and vote on this law — a right, by the way, that is allowed in some form or another in 44 states.

Second Amendment-related Bills

A number of handgun-related bills were filed by the 81st Texas Legislature, though. Many of them are aimed at expanding the too-narrow rights spelled out in the second amendment.

The second amendment-related bills that I’m tracking (there are many more not listed here) this session are:

Allowing Guns on Campus

SB 1164 and HB 1893 — Relating to the carrying of concealed handguns on the campuses of institutions of higher education — These bills would allow those with a valid concealed handgun license to carry their concealed handguns while on state colleges and universities. Gun free zones, which campuses are now, are gun free zones only for law abiding citizens.

Gunmen at Columbine and Virginia Tech clearly illustrate the need for students and faculty to be able to defend themselves and their fellow students from life-threatening situations.

Status:

SB 1164 Senator Seliger was assigned as Co-author of the bill. Has not been referred to a committee.

HB 1893 has been referred to the Public Safety Committee, chaired by Rep. Tommy Merritt (R).

What to do with Your Gun While You’re at Work

HB 1301 and SB 730 — Relating to an employee’s transportation and storage of certain firearms or ammunition while on certain property owned or controlled by the employee’s employer — currently, employers can prohibit Texans from keeping their guns locked up in their cars while they are at work.

Under current Texas law, it’s legal to transport a concealed weapon in your vehicle. (via Grits for Breakfast) “If the gun is legal, you’re not a crook, you’re driving your own car, and if the gun is stowed (i.e., you’re not driving around with it laying on the passenger seat like an idiot), then you can carry a gun in your car when you’re driving.”

However, under current Texas law, your company or business could prohibit you from keeping your gun locked up in your car. Which created a dilemma for those with a concealed handgun license — what to do with you handgun when you got to the office?

Status:

SB 730 was considered in a public hearing o March 18 in the Criminal Justice Committee. I’ll call Sen. John Whitmire’s (D) office tomorrow to find out how the hearing went (Whitmire is the chairman of the Criminal Justice Committee).

HB 1301 is scheduled for public hearing on March 23.

Perpetual Handgun License

HB 3777 — Relating to a perpetual license to carry a concealed handgun — This bill would create a new class of concealed handgun license. A perpetual license issued in accordance with the procedure established under this bill does not expire and is not subject to renewal. The fee for a a renewable license is $140 or $300 for a perpetual license.

I think a lot of gun owners will opt for the perpetual license, if for no other reason than having to deal with the hassle of renewing their license.

Status: Has not been referred to a committee.

Concealed Carry for the Disabled

HB 3684 — Relating to the carrying of a handgun by a disabled person — This bill provides for a designation on the concealed handgun license of a person with a disability authorizing the person to carry a handgun without having to conceal the handgun if the person’s disability prevents the person from effectively concealing the handgun.

If this passes, at least someone in Texas would be allowed to Open Carry…

Status: Has not been referred to a committee.

Tax Free Guns and Ammo

SB 1788 — Relating to an exemption from the sales tax on handguns, rifles, shotguns, and ammunition —This bill exempts the sale of a handgun, a rifle, a shotgun, or ammunition for a handgun, rifle, or shotgun from sales tax if the sale takes place during a period beginning at 12:01 a.m. on the Friday preceding the second to last Monday in August and ending at 11:59 p.m. on the second to last Sunday in August.

The only thing better than a shiny new gun? A tax-free shiny new gun.

Status: Has not been referred to a committee.

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If you support any of these bills, all of which expand second amendment rights and get us closer to “shall not infringe”, please contact your state senator and representative and ask them to support these bills.

(Cross-posted at Urbangrounds)