80th Legislature: It’s May 7th…Do You Know Where Your Bills Are?

Today is the deadline for House Committees to vote out bills to the House floor for consideration during the train wreck that is the 80th Legislature.

As things wind down, we’ll see some pretty desparate lawmakers trying to either push their bills to the floor today or try to amend other bills with their unpassed bills in an attempt piggyback their stuff into law. An excellent case study in this department is Leo Berman (R-Tyler):

<!–adsense#3–>

<!–adsense#3–>

For instance, Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, has a bill to end birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants living in Texas. The bill did not get a hearing in a House committee, but Berman is trying to find legislation he can amend with his legislation.

“I don’t give up,” Berman said. “I’m just disappointed that we haven’t addressed the one subject that is probably more important to any other issue in Texas today, and that’s illegal aliens in Texas.”

I know there are a lot of people in the House, including some in the Republican leadership who are fearful of more divisive amendment votes this session, who wish Berman would give it a rest and stop beating this dead horse. It appears, however, he’s going to beat it as long as possible.