Suspending Constitution Not Substantive Enough For Two Third’s Rule?
Vince Leibowitz | Feb 14, 2007 | Comments 0
Evidently, suspending the Texas Constitution isn’t substantive enough to deserve the protection of the two-thirds rule. Via QR:
Dewhurst rules resolution busting budget cap is non-substantive and therefore not subject to 2/3s rule
The Senate passed its spending cap resolution this afternoon but the larger question coming out of today’s action is this: Did Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in his zeal to act quickly on a spending cap put another nail in the coffin of the two-thirds rule?
After working to round up the 21 votes needed to pass a constitutional amendment, Dewhurst instead ruled from the dais that a spending cap resolution submitted by Sen. Steve Ogden (R-Bryan) could bypass the committee process and be subject only to a straight up majority floor vote.
During a lengthy parliamentary inquiry from Sen. Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio), Dewhurst said he considered the Ogden resolution “non-substantive,” which allowed for the lower vote threshold. Van de Putte questioned how a vote to override a provision in the Texas Constitution could be non-substantive.
Amazing.
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Filed Under: 80th Legislature
