By Vince Leibowitz on Feb 28, 2007 in 80th Legislature | 0 Comments
Sen. Florence Shapiro (R-Plano), along with 10 co-sponsors, today filed Senate Bill 1000, the much-anticipated and highly controversial autism scholarship (voucher) bill. It would create the “Autism Services Accessibility Program” and would allow students with autism to transfer within a particular school district, to a public school in another school district, or to an accredited [...]
Popularity: 6% [?]
By Vince Leibowitz on Feb 28, 2007 in 80th Legislature | 0 Comments
Smithee has moved to postpone further debate until Monday at 3 p.m.
Popularity: 4% [?]
Popularity: 4% [?]
By Vince Leibowitz on Feb 28, 2007 in 80th Legislature | 0 Comments
Two more points of order overruled. Now on to voting.
88-49, motion to table prevails.
Popularity: 4% [?]
Popularity: 4% [?]
By Vince Leibowitz on Feb 28, 2007 in 80th Legislature | 0 Comments
Immediately after her first three points of order were overruled after a lengthy pause in House floor activity, Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) raised an additional point of order.
The point of order is that it is a bill on two different subjects. It has been taken to the parlimentarian and we await a ruling.
This could be [...]
Popularity: 4% [?]
By Vince Leibowitz on Feb 28, 2007 in 80th Legislature | 0 Comments
The three points of order (on minutes, bill analysis, and committee report) raised by Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) have been overruled.
Popularity: 4% [?]
Popularity: 4% [?]
By Vince Leibowitz on Feb 28, 2007 in 80th Legislature | 0 Comments
It is SB 1000. More in-depth analysis will follow this evening.
Popularity: 4% [?]
Popularity: 4% [?]
By Vince Leibowitz on Feb 28, 2007 in Uncategorized | 0 Comments
Exchange between Villarreal and Riddle:
Then why would you take away the deterrant of murder by allowing for the death penalty in cases of non murder…you provide a powerful incentive to kill the victim…to kill the victim! Because, the consequence is not any different. By killing the victim, you eleminate the key eye witness.
Riddle: You are [...]
Popularity: 6% [?]
By Vince Leibowitz on Feb 28, 2007 in 80th Legislature | 0 Comments
Villarreal is now asking a question of Dutton on Amendment 4. He says child advocacy groups in his district don’t want the death penalty because they fear that it creates incentive for molesters to kill children.
Lots of questions on this amdnement. Among other things, Duttom is noting that counties are going to be looking at [...]
Popularity: 5% [?]
By Vince Leibowitz on Feb 28, 2007 in 80th Legislature | 0 Comments
Rep. Debbie Riddle (R-Tomball) is presently up and introducing House Bill 8.
She notes there are four major components: extending the statute of limitations for sexual assault offenses, mandates GPS tracking of civilly committed offenders, denies parole on first sexually violent offense on a person younger than 14, makes second conviction of sexually violent offense for [...]
Popularity: 5% [?]
By Vince Leibowitz on Feb 28, 2007 in Texas News, Texas Public Policy & Taxation | 0 Comments
From U.S. Senator John Kerry’s office:
WASHINGTON, DC – Following the historic announcement that TXU – the largest utility in Texas – would abandon plans to build 8 of 11 new coal plants in the state, Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) today announced that he will convene a hearing to examine the key factors in TXU’s decision [...]
Popularity: 8% [?]