January 9, 2007 Tuesday 8:34:45 P.M. CST The Will of the House

After more than four hours of procedural questions and delays, State Representative Jim Pitts (R-Waxahachie) withdraw from consideration as a candidate for the Speaker of the House.  His decision to withdraw came after a couple of recorded votes that would have helped his candidacy failed to get approved by a majority of the House. As the lone candidate incumbent Speaker Tom Craddick was easily reelected by a vote of 121-27.  All the votes against the Speaker were cast by Democrats. The House is set to convene tomorrow at 9 a.m. No date has been set on when committee assignments will be released.

January 9, 2007 Tuesday 8:33:13 P.M. CST Gallegos Elected President Pro Tempore
The Texas Senate elected Senator Mario Gallegos (D-Houston) as President Pro Tempore.

January 9, 2007 Tuesday 8:31:57 P.M. CST Two-Thirds Rule Preserved in Texas Senate
The Texas Senate adopted its Senate Rules today and preserved the tradition of requiring 21 votes to bring up a bill for consideration on the Senate floor. Newly elected Senator Dan Patrick of Houston offered an amendment to get rid of the requirement.  The Texas Senate defeated it 30 to 1. Welcome!

November 13, 2006 Monday 5:26:23 A.M. CST Pre-filing Begins Today
Pre-filing of legislation for the 80th Texas Legislature begins today. To read the latest filings, go to the MyCapitol.com homepage and click on the yellow box.

September 13, 2006 Wednesday 10:11:45 P.M. CST Former Texas Governor Ann Richards Dies 1933-2006
(Photo courtesy of AP) Former Texas Governor Ann Richards died tonight at her home after a six-month battle with esophageal cancer. To read more, click here. MyCapitol.com expresses its condolences to the family of Governor Richards.

September 13, 2006 Wednesday 4:01:23 A.M. CST State Representative Glenda Dawson 1941-2006

State Representative Glenda Dawson (R-Pearland), 65, passed away yesterday at John Sealy Hospital in Galveston. "I am saddened to hear of Glenda's passing. Her entire professional career was dedicated to public service, whether as a teacher, community organizer or state representative. Anita and I send our thoughts and prayers to her family and loved ones," Governor Rick Perry said in a prepared statement. House Speaker Tom Craddick and his wife, Nadine, were surprised and saddened by her death. "She was a wonderful colleague, a warm friend and a great representative to the people of District 29," Speaker Craddick said in a prepared statement. "She will be sorely missed by all." Dawson was running for reelection against Dr. Anthony A. Dinovo, a Democrat. To read more about Representative Dawson, click here. MyCapitol.com expresses its condolences to the family of Representative Dawson.

September 12, 2006 Tuesday 6:45:34 A.M. CST Polls:  Perry Not Assured of Victory

The scuttlebutt among capitol insiders and lobbyists is that Governor Perry enjoys a huge advantage in his re-election campaign. He has lots of money, and he had several legislative victories during the regular and special sessions.  However, the Rasmussen and Zogby polls released yesterday reveal that he is still vulnerable in a four-person race. Political polls provide a snapshot in time about how voters feel.  The questions that are asked and the methodology that is used could skew the results.  They are not an exact science, and one should always remember the "ABC Rule" of polling:  All But Certain.  When polls are favorable, candidates embrace them.  When they are not, they shun them. The Rasmussen and Wall Street Journal/Zogby polls show Governor Perry at 33 percent and 31 percent, respectively.  Although these numbers can still assure victory, they may cause some uneasiness in Perry's campaign.  The Perry and Strayhorn campaigns have already challenged the methodology used to discredit the polls. A lot more polling is expected in what has been called a "crazy" governor's race. But this is Texas.  We are like a whole other country.

September 11, 2006 Monday 10:11:15 P.M. CST President Bush Addresses Nation on 9/11
Earlier tonight, President Bush solemnly addressed the nation and talked about the "struggle of civilization" that free nations are facing in the war on terror. To read the full speech, click here.

September 11, 2006 Monday 10:01:15 P.M. CST Texas Senator's Office Evacuated
A letter filled with a white substance caused Senator Mike Jackson's League City to be evacuated today, the fifth anniversary of 9/11.  The sender of the letter indicated that the substance was anthrax.  Testing by local and federal officials revealed that the substance was a sugar derivative. To read more, click here.

August 22, 2006 Tuesday 6:15:35 A.M. CST And Then There Was One
Sugarland Mayor David Wallace announced yesterday that he was ending his write-in candidacy for the race in Congressional District 22. To read more, click here.

August 22, 2006 Tuesday 6:14:15 A.M. CST Perry Task Force to Review Property Appraisal System

Texas Governor Rick Perry has appointed a task force to study the property appraisal system in Texas. "Earlier this year, we provided Texas property owners with the largest property tax cut in state history - a 33 percent reduction in their school property tax rates over the next two years," Perry said. "Now we need to address the rest of that equation: the silent tax hikes of rising appraisals." To find out more, click here.

August 22, 2006 Tuesday 6:13:43 A.M. CST It's Party Time!
The Princeton Review rankings are out and The University of Texas of Austin, Texas' flagship school, was voted the "Best Party School" in the country. University leaders are not taking the ranking seriously. Hiccup'em!

August 18, 2006 Friday 12:21:45 A.M. CST Can You Spell Dr. Shelley Sekula-Gibbs?

The Republican precinct chairmen in Congressional District 22 have selected Houston councilwoman Dr. Shelley Sekula-Gibbs as the write-in candidate that will receive support from the Texas Republican Party. David Wallace, the mayor of Sugarland, has already filed as a write-in candidate.  No word yet on whether he will drop out of the race or continue with his campaign. Bill Miller, a close ally of the Republican leadership and a principal in the lobbying powerhouse HillCo Partners, recently told the Houston Chronicle that  "[t]he whole write-in theory is ludicrous. It is handing the seat to the Democrats. Republicans cannot win this seat with a write-in candidate, I don't care what name they write in."

August 17, 2006 Thursday 6:13:45 A.M. CST Wanted: Democrats on K Street

The employment tide seems to be turning for well-connected Democrats who wish to bank on their congressional access and connections. With the possibility of a Democratic takeover of the U.S. House and some gains in the U.S. Senate, lobbying firms on K Street - the Rodeo Drive of lobbyists in Washington D.C. - are seeking candidates who bleed blue   For many years, Democrats were shunned from high-paying lobbying positions.  The K Street Project - Tom Delay's pet project to increase the number of GOP lobbyists at major law firms and trade associations -was the dominant force in lobbying employment circles. To read more about the change, click here.

August 17, 2006 Thursday 6:03:15 A.M. CST Dissention in the GOP Ranks
Finding a write-in candidate that the Texas Republican Party can support  for the race in Tom Delay's old district (CD 22) has brought about dissention. A closed-meeting is scheduled today to discuss which candidate will get the nod of support from the party, but some influential Republicans are urging a boycott. To read more, click here.

August 9, 2006 Wednesday 5:49:35 A.M. CST Republican Write-In Faces Uphill Battle

Tom Delay's decision to withdraw yesterday from the race in Congressional District 22 probably brought more headaches than smiles to the voters in the district.  Delay blamed his decision to withdraw on the federal courts, but he didn't specifically criticize the conservative judges by name who decided to uphold the U.S. Constitution.  If Delay thinks that Justice Antonin Scalia and Fifth Circuit Judge Edith Clement are flaming liberals, then he is out of touch with reality.  They are conservative, strict constructionists. Delay's withdrawal sets several events in motion. The most important one is finding a single write-in candidate that the voters in the district can support.  Good luck to the Republican Party of Texas! Even though Delay said he would support a write-in candidate to replace him, others see a write-in candidacy as a futile exercise. "The whole write-in theory is ludicrous," Bill Miller, a principal in the lobbying firm HillCo Partners, told the Houston Chronicle.  "It is handing the seat to the Democrats. Republicans cannot win this seat with a write-in candidate, I don't care what name they write in." Miller has personally advised Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick and other GOP leaders and candidates. A write-in candidacy is so challenging that it may not succeed. "While that's about the only route left open to Republicans, they'll find it daunting to pull that off," Cal Jillson, a political scientist at Southern Methodist University, told the Houston Chronicle. The deadline for write-in candidates to register with the secretary of state is August 29.  Stay tuned to find out who decides to throw their hat in the ring.

August 7, 2006 Monday 10:29:23 P.M. CST Republicans Raise White Flag

Acknowledging that they were outlawyered by Texas Democrats, the Republican Party of Texas abandoned its efforts to overturn the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals' decision that required Tom Delay's name to remain on the ballot for the November election. "The Democratic Party has been successful in picking the nominee of the Republican Party," James Bopp, the attorney for the Republican Party of Texas, told the Austin American-Statesman. The decision to abandon an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court came after Justice Antonin Scalia, who reviews emergency appeals in the 5th Circuit and is extremely conservative, dealt a fatal judicial blow by refusing to stay the 5th Circuit's decision issued last week.  The appeals court upheld a ruling by U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks that held that Tina Benkiser, the chair of the Texas Republican Party, unconstitutionally imposed an inhabitancy requirement on Delay. Realistically, Delay has two options:  run or withdraw. If he withdraws, the Republican Party of Texas cannot replace him.  Nick Lampson, the Democratic nominee, becomes the de facto congressman of the district. If he runs, Democrats will have a field day by making him the poster child of corruption and scandal. While it is still possible that Delay could win his race in his district, the same may not be true for other candidates across the country.  Several candidates running for the U.S. House and Senate have begun running ads that distance themselves from President Bush and the Republican Party.  Adding Delay to the mix could make the situation more complicated.  In short, national Republicans do not want anything to do with Tom Delay.   Congressional Democrats need to win 15 seats to take control of the U.S. House of Representatives.  They are confident they can win at least 12.  With Delay on the ballot, the number of victories could increase. If TomDelay.com becomes an active website again, you know he is running. Stay tuned.

August 6, 2006 Sunday 11:39:55 P.M. CST Texas Redistricting Lowdown

They came, they drew, they left.  And now for the spin. The map that was released Friday afternoon by the three-judge panel was not a major surprise to court observers who heard the legal arguments and the judges' comments.  The highlight came early on in the proceeding when Judge Higginbotham offered his "suggestion" of how the map should be redrawn - unite Webb County, proceed counter-clockwise to fix the adjoining districts, move District 25 closer to central Texas, and increase the number of Latino voters in District 23, Congressman Henry Bonilla's district.  After the suggestion it became apparent that the map had already been drawn or very close to being finalized by the panel. The map prepared by the panel rejected the recommendations by the State Defendants - Governor Perry, Speaker Craddick, and Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst.  It didn't pair any incumbents and made modifications that had Texas Democrats smiling. Here's the lowdown: District 23 Status:  Marginally Republican; Endangered Species List The reason the panel had to convene again was to fix CD 23, which violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act because it denied Hispanics the opportunity to elect the candidate of their choice.  Approximately 100,000 Hispanics had been transferred out in 2003 to shore up the election prospects of Congressman Henry Bonilla, the only Hispanic Republican in the Congressional Delegation. Interestingly, Congressman Bonilla was not even present at the court hearing to see what the judges were going to do to his district.  On Friday he issued a statement saying he was "ecstatic" about the new configuration. The new district includes the south side of San Antonio, which is primarily Hispanic. It includes the west Texas portion that was in his district, except for some hill country counties that were placed in District 21, currently represented by Lamar Smith. Even though the district is 61% Hispanic, Bonilla has a huge financial advantage.  He has more than $2.2 million in the bank and time on his side.  The primaries will be held on Election Day in November.  That doesn't give a Democratic opponent much time to organize and raise money. The writing is on the wall in this district.  A well-financed Hispanic Democrat may give Bonilla a run for his money. Former Congressman Ciro Rodriguez will announce this week whether he plans to run for the seat. District 28 Status:  Safe Democratic Seat Henry Cuellar has a strong, safe seat.  Webb County was reunited and the new district includes Starr County and the southern part of Hidalgo County, which are "dark blue" areas.  Cuellar still retains some counties close to south central Texas. No primary challenger is expected.  However, Valley newspapers are reporting that he may get a challenger from Hidalgo County.   District 25 Status:  Safe Democratic Seat Congressman Lloyd Doggett has more lives than a cat.   No matter how many times Republicans try to oust him, he always dodges the redistricting bullet.  The latest attempt was in the State Defendants' plan, which was flatly rejected by the judges.  The panel gave Doggett a very compressed district, which includes 50% of Travis County, his home base.  He will have a couple of new counties to the east of Travis County that vote Republican, but the addition of Travis County will offset any Republican votes. The people in the Lower Rio Grande Valley will miss his representation, but the district had to be altered to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court decision. District 21 Status:  Safe Republican Seat A couple of counties from Bonilla's old CD 23 were added to Congressman Lamar Smith's district.  Smith still continues to represent UT-Austin, which Doggett used to represent. The district is solid red. District 15 Status:  Safe Democratic Seat Congressman Ruben Hinojosa lost a couple of counties near central Texas, and his district was compressed.  His district incorporates the northern part of Hidalgo County, which is perhaps the "bluest" county in the State.  Hinojosa, whose family owns H&H Foods, will probably not get a primary challenger. The final round of congressional redistricting is over. 2011 is just around the corner!

August 2, 2006 Wednesday 11:59:34 P.M. CST WWTJD?

All political eyes will be watching the Thornberry Building in Austin, Texas at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning to get an answer to the following question:  "What Will The Judges Do?" Of course, the question refers to the congressional redistricting map, part of which was declared unconstiutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in June.  At issue is how to fix District 23, currently represented by U.S. Congressman Henry Bonilla (R-San Antonio).  The Supremes found that the district violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which was reauthorized for another 25 years last week.  The State Defendants, the Plaintiffs, and interested congressional members submitted remedial maps for the three-judge panel to consider. However, the judges will take the maps under advisement and eventually draw a map that complies with both Sections 2 and 5 of the Voting Rights Act.   If history is a guide, the three-judge panel will take a minimalist approach in redrawing the map.  The case law allows a court to remedy the violation while at the same time respecting the policy preferences of the Texas Legislature. In all likelihood, the court will redraw the least number of districts (perhaps 4 or 5) and maintain the partisan balance that existed in the original map. Look out for the following tomorrow: We bb or Webb County The Supremes expressed concern that Webb County was split into two to create District 23.  To remedy the constitutional violation, Webb County could become whole again and adjustments could be made to the surrounding districts to address the ripple effect. "The Battle of the Henrys" Henry Bonilla v. Henry Cuellar?  This is entirely possible.  While pairing of incumbents is generally frowned upon, the court may need to draw a map that pairs the two Henrys in order to comply with the Supreme Court decision. Siete The American G.I. Forum and LULAC have advocated the creation of a 7th Latino opportunity district. The original map only had 6.  It will be interesting to see the court's reaction to this proposal. Dicing the "Fajita Strip" District 25, currently represented by U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett, stretches from Austin, Texas to the Lower Rio Grande Valley.  It looks like a long "fajita strip".  Even though the U.S. Supreme Court did not strike down the district, the justices hinted that they expected the configuration to change after District 23 is redrawn to cure the constitutional infirmities.  It is possible that the district will move up from the Valley to make it more compact. More updates forthcoming. Time to have some fun!!!!!

June 28, 2006 Wednesday 10:38:12 P.M. CST Supremes:  Map Violates Minority Voting Rights

A congressional map adopted by the Texas Legislature in 2003 contains a district that violates the voting rights of Hispanics, the U.S. Supreme Court concluded in LULAC et al. v. Perry, et al.   According to the court, Congressional District 23, currently represented by Congressman Henry Bonilla (R-San Antonio), violates Section 2 under the Voting Rights Act because it denies Hispanics the opportunity to elect the candidate of their choice. Even though the court invalidated Congressional District 23, the court noted "[t] districts in south and west Texas will have to be redrawn to remedy the violation in District 23..." Thus, more than one district will be impacted, including Congressional District 25.  Congressional District 25 adjoins Congressional District 23 and currently looks like a "fajita strip".  It is represented by Congressman Lloyd Doggett of Austin.  The "ripple effect" of changing Congressional District 23 is not known, but Congressman Bonilla told the Dallas Morning News that the effect will be "big".   The court sent the case back to the three-judge panel to address the legal infirmities in the plan.  Attorney General Greg Abbott said earlier that the procedure and timeline for curing the legal deficiencies will be addressed by the panel at a later date.  Texas Governor Rick Perry has publicly stated that it is the duty of the Texas Legislature to draw congressional lines and not a court of law.  Governor Perry has not indicated whether another special session will be called this summer to address congressional redistricting, but he did indicate that he would work with Attorney General Greg Abbott to address the legal issues raised in the map. In addition to striking Congressional District 23, the court upheld the practice of mid-decade redistricting and also ruled that the map was not politically gerrymandered. A detailed Q&A on the opinion will be available later at TexasRedistricting.com.

June 22, 2006 Thursday 5:35:22 A.M. CST Redistricting Hurricane Coming to Texas

Brace yourself.  It's coming and FEMA cannot help! The current term of the U.S. Supreme Court ends next week, and the Supremes coud be issuing evacuation orders for some or all members of the Texas congressional delegation.  Or they may issue no orders at all. Traditionally, the U.S. Supreme Court waits until the last week to issue its most controversial decisions, including redistricting.  For example, the last three major Texas cases that dealt with the Ten Commandments display on the Capitol grounds (upheld), homosexual sodomy (struck down), and high school prayer (struck down) were all issued during the last week.   The Texas redistricting case will be closely watched because it will set a precedent for the next round of redistricting, which is four years away.  Coincidentally, the U.S. House of Representatives delayed reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act yesterday because the Texas congressional delegation wants changes made, especially those pertaining to redistricting.  The U.S. Supreme Court's decision will undoubtedly influence how the U.S. House of Representatives proceeds on the Voting Rights Act. The Texas redistricting case is a complex one.  One of the key issues that will be decided is whether mid-decade redistricting is constitutional.  If the court allows mid-decade redistricting, then the new congressional plan, spearheaded by former Majority Leader Tom Delay could stand, with some exceptions.  The two congressional districts that caused some judicial heartburn were the ones created for U.S. Congressmen Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin)  and Henry Bonilla (R-San Antonio).  Congressman Doggett's distrtict looks like a "fajita strip".  It stretches from the rich neighborhoods in Austin to the poor communities in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.  Justice Kennedy, a key swing vote, expressed serious doubts about this district because it was packed with Hispanic voters.  Thousands of Hispanic voters were moved from Congressman Bonilla's disrict to create Congressman Doggett's district.  To redistricting observers, the removal of minority voters from Congressman Henry Bonilla's district is the "Achilles' Heel" of the map.   If one or both of these districts is struck down, there will be a major ripple effect that would require the redrawing of some districts by either the Texas Legislature (Yes, another possible session this summer!) or a court of law.  On the other hand, if the U.S. Supreme Court rules that the elimination of former Representative Martin Frost's district in Dallas was illegal, the entire map may have to be redrawn. Stay tuned. More detailed analysis will be available at TexasRedistricting.com.

May 16, 2006 Tuesday 9:50:34 A.M. CST Sine Die, Adios, See You Later!
They came, they worked, they succeeded. See you in January!

May 11, 2006 Thursday 8:27:10 A.M. CST All Eyes on the Texas House

In a unanimous vote, the Texas Senate passed CSHB 1 late last night.  The property tax cut/education reform bill now goes to the Texas House for concurrence.   The Texas Senate also passed CSHB 5, which will generate approximately $750 million in new tobacco taxes.  It too was sent to the Texas House. Legislative insiders anticipate that the Texas House may concur on both bills and send them to Governor Rick Perry this weekend or early next week. Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst said last night that Governor Perry will expand the call today to include tuition revenue bonds for universities.  Committee meetings have already been scheduled in the Texas Senate.

May 10, 2006 Wednesday 6:38:22 A.M. CST Day of Deliverance

A lawmaker's worst enemy during a special session is time. With May 16 around the corner, the Texas Senate is hoping to finally bring HB 1, the property tax cut bill, up for consideration today.  Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst is confident that the bill will garner two-thirds support.  However, as of yesterday evening, there was still no consensus among senators on how to solve the controversy over Amendment 4A, the Duncan/Staples amendment that increases equity between property-poor and property-rich school districts.  Several education groups have endorsed the amendment, but not HB 1 in its entirety.   For the last two days, Senator Florence Shapiro of Plano has had the procedural advantage by garnering 11 votes to keep the bill from coming up for consideration.  Under the Texas Senate's traditional "Two Thirds Rule", eleven senators can block a motion to suspend the regular order of business in order to prevent a bill from being considered.  However, there is an exception to that rule.  Procedurally, House bills may be considered on Wednesdays without regard to the "Two-Thirds Rule."  Thus, the bill may come up today irrespective of Senator Shapiro's support to block the bill.   Ignoring the "Two Thirds Rule" tradition in the Texas Senate may facilitate the passage of controversial legislation, but it may also harbor ill feelings among members. If HB 1 is debated today and floor amendments are added as expected, the bill will go to a conference committee to resolve the differences between the original version of HB 1, commonly referred to as the "Get Outta Dodge Bill," and the new substitute.  To capitol insiders, it is in the conference committee where Texas laws are really made.  Depending on the disputes between House and Senate members, resolving the differences in conference may take longer than May 16, the last day of the session.  Speaker Tom Craddick has said that he would prefer to have a bill that the House can concur on instead of going to conference. Besides HB 1, the tobacco tax increase bill, HB 5, has also been mired in controversy.  The votes to bring it to the floor for consideration are also lacking. If the exception to the "Two Thirds Rule" is used, the bill may also be debated today. The Texas Senate convenes today at 11 a.m.  Barring any last minute surprises, today would be a good day to watch the lawmaking process in Texas. You can view the Texas Senate's proceedings by clicking on the following link.

May 9, 2006 Tuesday 6:52:10 A.M. CST Tick Tock, Tick Tock

HB 1, the property tax cut bill that needs to pass this special session, hit a procedural roadblock yesterday when it was not considered in the Texas Senate.  Senator Florence Shapiro, the sponsor of the bill, has told members that she has the necessary 11 votes to block the bill from coming up for consideration. Senators are still trying to negotiate a compromise to soften the effects of the Duncan/Staples amendment, an amendment that would increase equity between property-rich and property-poor school districts.  Both Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst and Speaker Tom Craddick are concerned about the costs of the amendment.  But Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst believes that a deal can be struck.  Speaker Craddick hopes that a compromise can be reached so that the Texas House could concur on the Senate amendments and avoid a conference committee, which may not be able to reach a compromise before May 16, the last day of the special session.   "One of the problems we have is that we've got too much time remaining," Dewhurst told the Houston Chronicle. "When we get closer to a deadline, people work faster." Legislative insiders expected Governor Rick Perry to expand the call of the special session yesterday to consider other issues such as tuition revenue bonds.  However, no announcement was made.  Without any significant progress on HB 1, it is unlikely that the governor would add additional items to the call. Besides HB 1, HB 5 and HB 2 are still awaiting Senate approval.  HB 5 would generate approximately $750 million in new tobacco taxes.  The bill passed out of committee last Friday, but it, too, may also lack the necessary notes to bring it up for consideration in the Texas Senate.  HB 2 was sent back to the Texas Senate last week because of a technical effect.   On a brighter note, the Texas Senate and Texas House approved the conference committee report to HB 4, a bill that relates to the valuation of used-car vehicles and the "liars affidavit".  It has been sent to Governor Perry for his signature. The Senate Finance Committee will meet today to consider Senate Bill 6, a bill that would amend HB 3, the reform franchise tax bill currently awaiting the governor's signature.  Speaker Craddick has already said that the bill is unconstitutional and will not be considered in the Texas House.  Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst disagrees.  If the Senate passes SB 6, the bill may enter a procedural blackhole in the Texas House and never see the light of day. Stay tuned.

May 8, 2006 Monday 6:54:56 A.M. CST Special Session Lowdown

Whew! With just over a week left before the end of the Third Called Special Session, the Texas Senate plans to debate HB 1 (property tax cuts) and HB 5 (tobacco increases) this week.  It has set both bills on today's regular calendar. The Senate already passed an unamended version of HB 3 (reform franchise tax), and that bill is awaiting Governor Rick Perry's signature.  HB 2 (dedication of future tax revenues) and HB 4 (vehicle sales taxes) are still pending.  Last week, Speaker Tom Craddick sent HB 2 back to the Texas Senate after he sustained a "point of order" because the bill violated House rules.  According to an article in the Dallas Morning News, Craddick consulted his horoscope before sustaining the point of order. All eyes will be on HB 1 today, which experienced a temporary flatline last week when its bill sponsor, Senator Florence Shapiro, walked out of the Senate Finance Committee after she was not recognized to pull down her committee substitute to HB 1.  A withdrawal of the substitute would have been the death knell of the special session.  When the chairman of the committee, Senator Steve Ogden, refused to recognize her, five other GOP senators joined the walkout to protest what some considered a "hijacking" of her bill.   Shapiro's main concern was an amendment that was offered by Senator Robert Duncan that equalizes the wealth level in enrichment pennies between property-rich and property-poor school districts.  The amendment was added on Friday afternoon after a contentious debate in committee.  HB 1 eventually passed out of committee, even though some members voted against it or voted present-not voting. According to Senator Odgen, HB 1 is the only bill that must pass this session because it would address the concerns raised by the Texas Supreme Court in the West Orange-Cove lawsuit.  In short, it could provide school districts with "meaningful discretion" and take the state out of the courtroom.  Shapiro's substitute uses some of the surplus to lower property taxes, increases teacher pay raises, and also implements educational reforms.   However, after Friday's intraparty committee squabble, the fate of HB 1 is uncertain.  Senator Shapiro has said that she will not bring up the bill for consideration this week on the Senate floor.  Additionally, if someone else tries to bring up the bill for consideration, she has publicly stated that she has the necessary 11 votes to block the suspension of the regular order of business under the Texas Senate's traditional "Two-Thirds Rule".   If she indeed has the votes to delay the bill, there may not be enough time this special session to get the bill passed.   Even if the bill were to pass the Texas Senate early this week, it would be sent back to the Texas House for a concurrence on the Senate Amendments.  If the bill's author, Representative Warren Chisum, does not concur, then a conference committee will be appointed to iron out the differences. Sending the bill to conference would create more uncertainty. The current special session ends on May 16.

April 18, 2006 Tuesday 5:03:12 A.M. CST Madla to Resign from Texas Senate

Texas Senator Frank Madla (D-San Antonio), who was recently defeated in the Democratic Primary by State Representative Carlos Uresti (D-San Antonio), has informed Texas Governor Rick Perry that he is resigning from the Texas Senate effective May 31.   "After many hours of thoughtful consideration and reflection, I ultimately decided that after 33 years of prioritizing public service, it was time to put my family first," Madla told Perry in the letter. Perry does not plan to call a special election to fill the seat.

April 18, 2006 Tuesday 5:02:45 A.M. CST Perry Calls for More Property Tax Relief

After Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn announced yesterday that Texas has an $8.2 billion surplus, Texas Governor Rick Perry said that he would like to see more property tax relief. The governor's office released the following statement: "The news that Texas has $8.2 billion in surplus funds means the economy has prospered under Gov. Perry's leadership and the legislature's wise fiscal stewardship. With the comptrollers announcement today that the surplus has nearly doubled in just two months, the governor's preference would be for legislators to use a portion of the additional surplus to lower taxes even more under the Perry–Sharp plan."

April 3, 2006 Monday 10:53:41 P.M. CST Tom Delay to Resign from Congress
In a surprising announcement, Tom Delay told his Republican colleagues tonight that he will be resigning from Congress later this spring. To read more about this story, click here.

March 28, 2006 Tuesday 7:33:04 A.M. CST White House Bombshell:  Andrew Card Resigns
Andrew Card, President Bush's Chief of Staff and confidante of the Bush family, has resigned.  Josh  Bolten, the current budget director, will replace him. Stay tuned for more developments.

March 1, 2006 Wednesday 10:41:33 P.M. CST Kennedy Holds Key to Texas Redistricting Battle

Congressional District 25, currently represented by Congressman Lloyd Doggett of Austin, has been called a "fajita strip," "bacon strip", "land bridge" and a "long walking stick" because it stretches from Austin to the Mexican border.  But to Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy the district is more than a geographical anomaly.  It represents an "affront and an insult" on the voting rights of minorities in South Texas.  In short, Kennedy noted that the district was a "serious Shaw violation", referring to Shaw v. Reno (1993), which allows challenges of racial gerrymandering if a district appears odd or "bizarre." Kennedy's comments were perhaps the harshest words exchanged today at the U.S. Supreme Court, where the State of Texas argued that the map created in 2003 is constitutional.  Opponents argued that the map was an example of excessive political gerrymandering and illegal because it was done mid-decade and violated the voting rights of minorities in South Texas. Various press reports indicate that the justices were not completely convinced that mid-decade redistricting should never occur or that the map was excessively partisan.  However, what raised eyebrows was Justice Kennedy's questions regarding the new Congressional District 25 that was created by removing 100,000 minority voters from Congressional District 23, currently represented by Congressman Henry Bonilla.  Kennedy did not view the Texas Legislature's decision to move 100,000 minority voters to District 25 to help Congressman Henry Bonilla, a Republican, get reelected as a legitimate exercise.  Instead, he found it insulting and probably illegal.   Kennedy's comments could be indicative that he may vote with the other four liberal justices to invalidate certain districts, as opposed to invalidating the entire map.  If Districts 23 and 25 are found to be illegal, the March primary results could be nullified and a federal court or the Texas Legislature may have to correct the legal deficiencies identified in the map. Yes, it is possible that another contentious special session may occur on congressional redistricting. Correcting a redistricting map will not be easy because of the "ripple effect" that will occur when modifications are made.  Changing Congressional Districts 23 and 25 may actually bring about changes to more than 15 districts.  If Congressional District 25 is eliminated and Congressional District 23 is redrawn Congressman Henry Bonilla may be challenging Congressman Henry Cuellar in a future election.  The "Battle of the Henrys" may prove to be very interesting.  More importantly, any changes to Congressional District 23, may relegate the newly created "Midland District," which was strongly supported by Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick, to a footnote in redistricting history. A decision on the case is expected in June. For more information, go to texasredistricting.com.

February 22, 2006 Wednesday 7:00:03 P.M. CST HELL NO!

President Bush likes straight shooters - people who get to the point. Today, Congresswoman Sue Myrick (R- North Carolina) let the President know how she felt about the deal to transfer six U.S. ports to a company controlled by the United Arab Emirates. Dear Mr. President: In regards to selling ports to the United Arab Emirates, not just NO - but HELL NO! Ouch! To read the original letter, click here.

February 22, 2006 Wednesday 6:26:03 A.M. CST Bush to Congress:  Bring it On!

The multi-billion dollar deal to transfer authority to Dubai Ports World to manage six major ports in the United States has created an unprecedented bipartisan political firestorm.  President Bush has already approved the deal and has threatened to veto any legislation to derail the transfer.  President Bush issued his veto threat after Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tennessee) told reporters that he would introduce legislation to delay or scuttle the deal because it raises national security concerns.  Several Democratic senators have also indicated that they will file emergency legislation.   President Bush was baffled by the uproar since the ports had been previously controlled by a British company.  Opponents note that Dubai Ports World is based in the United Arab Emirates, which was the home of two of the 9/11 terrorists. To read more, click here.

February 22, 2006 Tuesday 6:09:43 A.M. CST Perry and Strayhorn Clash on Education
Texas Governor Rick Perry and Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn sent out dueling press releases detailing the status of public education in Texas.   Perry said that Texas has made major gains.  Stayhorn, an independent candidate challenging Perry, countered that the state of education in Texas is abysmal.  Perry later challenged Strayhorn's statements.

February 22, 2006 Tuesday 6:01:27 A.M. CST Dewhurst Appoints Commission Members

Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst announced appointments to the Study Commission on Transportation Financing.  Dewhurst appointed Senator John Carona (R-Dallas) as Joint Chairman, and Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville) and Michael Stevens of Houston as members of the commission. "The members I have appointed are all strong leaders representing diverse parts of the state, and they will help the committee research and make recommendations on how to better finance our state's highway system," Dewhurst said. "I look forward to working with each of them as we prepare for future transportation funding needs." Dewhurst appoints three of the nine members on the committee, including two senators and one general public representative.

February 22, 2006 Tuesday 5:56:33 A.M. CST Craddick Makes Committee Assignments