Amendment 1 to HR 4
HR 4, (no link yet) but it is by Villarreal.
Says he brings the amendment that is a responsible compromise. Outlines a set of topics that are vital importance that will have immediate impact and puts those at the top of the agenda. If other ideas are worthy and brought to the floor, suspend the rules one at a time.
Amendment would suspend only on: Residential homestead exemption, fully or partially restoring to CHIP, increasing allocation of sporting goods tax for state and local parks, ethics reform, increased disclosure and transparancy in property taxes and appraisal, and legislation authorizing reduction of ad velorem taxes on resident homestead of elderly (public school taxes, the Berman bill).
Swinford has a question: Do you believe in Democracy?
Villarreal:Yes
Swinford: I was curious because you are giving 30 members all of the rights…
Villarreal: I am not doing anything the constitution doesn’t allow. I believe the constitution is telling us we need to find common ground in order to suspend this very important part of our constitution.
Swinford: Your amendment is allowing 30 people to decide what we do.
Villarreal: What I am trying to do is live out a lesson I have learned over the last two sessions…the lesson is this…you should negotiate from your true position of power. And, when you do negotiate, negotiate on tangible changes to public policy and…have the give and take intertwined, not give something over in the hopes of receiving something intangible in the future. By asking us for a blank check to hand over our current power to influence the agenda in the first 60 days…in exchange for what? NOthing! That is very unreasonable.
Time expired.
Amendment to the amendment now….
Popularity: 3% [?]
Do you know that you can 
