We’re liveblogging the debate in the House right now. Updates below the jump; hit refresh frequently.
12:14 p.m.: We’re on Amendment 1 right now. We’ll summarize each one as they come up. This is all technical corrections.
12:39 p.m.: We briefly lost live feed but should have it back soon.
12:41 p.m.: House in recess until 12:45 p.m.
2:08 p.m. : Debate on Martinez Fisher amendment prohibiting the Enterprise Fund or Emerging Tech Fund from giving money to any company that got TARP bailout money. A point of order has been called claiming the amendment creates new law.
2:12 p.m.: Awaiting ruling on point of order. I expect we’ll be waiting a while. It is a complicated issue. Personally, I don’t believe it creates new law, it is just a restrictive rider.
2:16 p.m.: Amendment and PO/O (point of order) temp. withdrawn.
2:18 p.m.: Amendment by Marquez. This rider prohibits the awarding of bonuses to firms that laid off 25 or more employees while paying additional compensation above an executive’s base salary in excess of 1 percent of the executive’s base salary.
2:19 p.m.: Marquez withdraws her amendment (I suspect the R’s had similar concerns that prompted their PO/O on the Martinez Fisher amendment).
2:21 p.m.: Amendment by Moody. This rider prohibits awarding of appropriated amounts in the strategy to any firm of whose officers or directors have made a political contribution to the governor, lieutenant governor, or speaker of the House in the preceding two years.
Riddle calls point of order against amendment under Rule 8 Sec 4 of House Rules as it changes general law.
My suspicion is that the amendment would be unconstitutional anyway b/c of free speech issues.
2:22 p.m. PO/O sustained. Hopson has an amendment to add money to prevent & prosecute drug trafficing. Acceptable to author and is duly adopted.
2:23 p.m.: Amendment on Page 21 is withdrawn. WHAT THE HELL WAS IT????? No clue.
2:26 p.m.: Nothing is happening. The house floor is a sea of blue notebooks and the gallery looks like someone with BO scared everyone else off.
2:27 p.m. King has an introduction, students from Pasadena. Oh, I’m quite sure those kids are bored to tears with this debate.
2:28 p.m.: OMG, there is a “student congress” competition? There should be a “student Texas House” competition.
2:31 p.m. Republicans going nuts over Martinez Fisher amendment that the Employees Retirement System to make a good faith effort to hire minority investment fund managers.
2:33 p.m. Amendment to the Amendment.
April 18, 2009 at 4:41 pm
budget, slaps Perry. Here’s how he wraps up his post. All in all, it was a pretty good day. There were some more goodies and the requisite amount of silliness, as one would expect for an 18-hour marathon. I recommend you read Vince’sexhaustiveliveblogging to get a feel for that. In the meantime, the budget now goes to the conference committee so that the differences between the House and Senate versions can be ironed out. Burka things the Senate has the advantage in that, so who knows how much of what the Hou
April 18, 2009 at 8:52 am
[...] of silliness, as one would expect for an 18-hour marathon. I recommend you read Vince’s exhaustive liveblogging to get a feel for that. In the meantime, the budget now goes to the conference [...]
April 18, 2009 at 12:05 pm
[...] amount of silliness, as one would expect for an 18-hour marathon. I recommend you read Vince’s exhaustive liveblogging to get a feel for that. In the meantime, the budget now goes to the conference [...]