Amendment 132

Amendment 132 by Dunnam is another good one. It would bar any money from HB 1 to be used for hiring professional lobbyists including TxDOT’s $1 million-a-year-plus lobbyists. Dunnam notes there is no need to spend millions of our own tax dollars to lobby our own elected officials.

CHISUM: Whether you like it or not, you have lobbyists…for us to just drop having any lobbyists is just poor business practice.

Chisum moved to table the Dunnam amendment.

DUNNAM: We’ve only had lobbyists for the state of Texas since 2003. We’ve only had K Street lobbyists since 2003. And if you listen to the debate we just had, we’re told we’re not getting our shares. Do you really believe that we have to pay a K Street Lobbyist to get Kay Bailey Hutchison will take care of the state of Texas? Do you really believe this…this is really simple: Do you want Texas tax dollars to go to K Street?

70-59, motion to table previaled.

Lottery Amendment

Dunnam just had an amendment adopted (the 110th Amendment, actually), which prohibits any money appropriated to the Texas Lottery Commission from being used to further the sale of the lottery.

Amendment 100

Yes, folks, we’re up to 100 amendments. It’s all interesting stuff, but it’s getting a little tedious, so I’m just going to keep you updated as any major battles break out that are particularly notable.

More Session For At Least Two, Three More Hours

The House has just been advised that business will continue tonight for at least two or three more hours.

Taking Money From The Residential Construction Commission For Texas Grants

Garnet Coleman has another great amendment, which would take more than $3.5 million for each year of the biennium from the disasterous Texas Residential Construction Commission and put it toward the Texas Grants scholarship program.

This amendment would gut the Texas Residential Construction.

“Doing two good things at one time is the best way to have an amendment,” Coleman said.

He is asked about the 1,000 plus cases the TRRC has. “Do we tell them sorry they are on their own?

Coleman: Yes, because the agency hasn’t done anything for anyone anyway. This money is much better to give people a college education…

Coleman: Why don’t we ask Bob [Swift Boat] Perry for a contribution? I’m sure he can pay for the operation of the agency. It’s only seven million dollars. I think he has it.

DAMN, that was awesome.

Ruth Jones McClendon in opposition? I can’t believe it! Says $120 million was appropriated over the original amount for Texas Grants. Dunnam asks her to yield she won’t.

Jones McClendon moved to table.

Dunnam has a question.

Dunnam: My understanding is even if they find against the builder in every case they have no authority to even make the builder fix it, is that right?

McClendon: You are absoloutley right.

Says that’s why we’ve come bcak this session to give the agency more power and authority.

VOTE: 95-49 motion to table prevails.

Anchia Amendment Would Take Money From OSFR

Amendment 76 would move money from the Office of State Federal Relations (where it would be used to hire lobbyists) to the Teach For Texas program.

Chisum says it will wipe out “all of the lobbyists we have up there to lobby for good things for Texas. If this is what you want to do, we’ll be at the mercy of whatever.”

Chisum has moved to table.

Anchia is up to close…quoting Craddick, “When you’ve got the people we’ve got up there in the Senate and the House, I don’t think we benefit from having a lobbyist up there.” Now he’s mentioning that the lobbyist was the Federalist Group tied to DeLay, etc.

Record Vote:  81-65, motion to table prevailed.

Heflin Amendment Would Prohibit Private School Vouchers With State Money

It’s by Heflin who took over Laney’s seat. Amendment plus amendment to amendment.

Gallego objects to the adoption of the amendment to the amendment and asks for a record vote. This is getting quite complicated. The amendment to the amendment would allow some pre-k programs the state has with private schools to continue.

127-8, the amendment to the amendment was adopted.

Now the amendment has been temporarily withdrawn.

New Liveblogging Thread On HB 1…

The other one got large, so we’re starting another one.

8:19: 90-56, the AMENDMENT ADOPTED, TEACHERS GET A PAY RAISE. I was wondering if that long delay was for Republicans to twist arms.

8:17: Noriega is finally able to close on the amendment and says it is the simple question of whether or not teachers should get a raise.
7:52: Eissler says he’s against. Dunnam starts with questions.

7:52: Dunnam raises a parlimentary inquiery to note it should be for or against.

7:51: Eissler is up to clarify what we’re talking about in terms of incentives. Clearly the delay was so Republicans could get their ducks in a row.

7:46 p.m.: Villarreal asks what is holding up the vote as a parlimentary inquirey.

CRADDICK: I wish I knew, Mr. Villarreal. (laughter)

7:41 p.m.: Closing on the Noriega Amendment

7:40: 65-82, MOTION TO TABLE FAILS!!!!!!!7:39: Vote underway on motion to table Noriega Amendment

7:33: Villarreal back up. Talking about a school that declined to accept the money because it would create friction among teachers. “This doesn’t seem like a very collaborative program. From what I understand, it was really forced on this community school. Is there anything that would prevent this program from being imposed on a school that doesn’t want it. Kolkhorst says you don’t have to accept the money.

7:32: Kolkhorst and Bonnen try to destroy the amendment by saying that if the money goes into the Permanent School Fund in the GAA, there is no guarantee for a teacher raise and that must be done by statute. May be true, but intent is everything on something like this, and the intent is in Noriega’s amendment….

7:30 p.m.: Kolkhorst is still up and they are talking about the incentive pay.

Some CHIP Basics

This is some stuff to remember when thinking about the Harper-Brown Amendment from earlier:

Read more

How The Conservative Coalition Wants Members To Vote On Amendments

Ever wonder how the Texas Conservative Coalition wants Republicans to vote on the more than 200 appropriations amendments?

Find out here! (It’s an earlier version, though). We’ll analyze this one later.

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