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% [?]

Smithee has moved to postpone further debate until Monday at 3 p.m.
Popularity: 4% [?]

Popularity: 4% [?]

Two more points of order overruled. Now on to voting.
88-49, motion to table prevails.
Popularity: 4% [?]

Popularity: 4% [?]

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% [?]

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% [?]

It is SB 1000. More in-depth analysis will follow this evening.
Popularity: 4% [?]

Popularity: 4% [?]

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% [?]

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% [?]

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% [?]

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% [?]