Capitol Annex’s Robert Rauschenberg Challenge

Somehow, last week, I missed that Robert Rauschenberg had passed away.

This, of course,  got us to wondering if the Texas House (the same one that, in 1934, declared the writings of Lord Byron to be unfit for students at the University of Texas) has ever honored Rauschenberg with a proclamation as they do national championship football teams, war heroes, school teachers, and other worthy Texans.

Based on our searching of the Texas Legislature Online website, we couldn’t manage to find one that had been authored since 1995. Perhaps it got lost in the shuffle last year when State Rep. Norma Chavez (D-El Paso) had honorary resolutions honoring all 58,208 precinct chairs in El Paso County on the last day of the 80th Texas Legislature. We suspect there may have been one done when Mr. Rauschenberg was roasted by the Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce some years back.

Since we know we have so many readers in the Capitol, we thought we’d issue a special challenge to our Capitol Annex readers who enjoy spending their days in the Texas State Archives and Legislative Reference Library (and, let’s face it, isn’t that everybody’s idea of how to spend a great afternoon in Austin?):  If you can find and email us a .pdf of a resolution passed by the House or Senate (or both) honoring Robert Rauschenberg, for an entire week, we’ll donate ad space on Capitol Annex (between the posts and in the blog’s masthead) to the charity of your choice (if you happen to be a Republican, please be advised that the Tom DeLay Legal Defense Fund does not count). The deadline is Friday, May 23 at midnight, and the first entry mailed to pressroom@capitolannex.com will be declared the winner.

If there happens not to have ever been such a resolution passed, we’ll up the ante: if some enterprising state legislator decides to author one (since this can be done in the “off-season” so to speak), Capitol Annex will give the first legislator to do so guest blogging privileges for a week to promote the charity of their choice (again, the Tom DeLay Legal Defense Fund doesn’t count).

Right Wing Texas Legislators Want To Make Immigration An Issue In 81st Texas Legislature

If you happened to be sitting around wondering just how important it really is to have a Democratic House and Democratic Speaker during the 81st Texas Legislature, consider this:

Conservative Texas legislators made it clear Monday that they’ll again push for strict state laws to crack down on illegal immigration when lawmakers convene in January.

A chief area they’re likely to concentrate on is encouraging local police departments to work with U.S. officials to enforce federal immigration laws, which the House State Affairs Committee is studying.

Believe it or not, we only barely avoided paralyzing the Texas House with a boat-load of anti-immigrant bills last session–everything from denying immigrant children education plus more–thanks to some behind-the-scenes maneuvering and a lack of desire to make the legislative process ten times more contentious than it already was.

Read more

Berman Asks AG For Opinion On Teacher’s Union Payroll Deductions

State Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler) is at it again. This time, he’s raising hell with teacher’s unions, claiming that their payroll deductions (allowed, mind you, by the Texas Legislature, are unlawful. From Berman’s hometown paper:

State Rep. Leo Berman has requested an attorney general’s opinion on whether it’s lawful for teachers unions to use payroll deductions to fund political campaigns.

The Tyler Republican and chairman of the House Elections Committee says it’s a direct challenge to the Texas State Teachers Association Political Action Committee, which tends to contribute to more Democrats than Republicans.

The payroll deductions are voluntary, but Berman says it takes state time and resources to administrate the deduction system - and that’s what he objects to.

“The Democrats have raised a lot of their money through the teachers’ unions,” Berman says. “So through using the payroll deduction process, they’re using state funds, state equipment and state time to raise political money. That doesn’t fit with Texas state law.”

It’s pretty clear that Berman’s request was more politically motivated than anything related to his duties as Chair of the House Elections Committee.

Typical with most idiocy that springs from Berman’s office, he gets quickly put in his place. Here is what TSTA’s Richard Kouri had to say about Berman’s idiocy:

Read more

Van De Putte To Deliver Spanish Language State Of The Union Address

[Via Press Release]

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced today that Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas will deliver the Democratic Address on the State of the Union following the President’s speech to Congress on Monday, January 28.  Texas State Senator Leticia Van de Putte, immediate past president of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), will deliver the Spanish language address.

Reid and Pelosi praised state Senator Van de Putte as an effective state and national leader. “As the first Latina to head NCSL and chair her caucus in the Texas Senate, Senator Van de Putte has demonstrated tremendous leadership and a commitment to improving the lives of all Americans,  Reid and Pelosi said. “As a national Hispanic leader for nearly 20 years, she has a proven record of advocating for Latino families.  Senator Van de Putte is uniquely positioned to articulate the Democrats’ leadership on issues affecting the Hispanic community.”

Senator Van de Putte said:  “Latinos in this country share all Americans’ anxiety about the direction of our nation.  We want responsive government and committed leaders.  We want opportunities for our communities to grow and prosper.  We want a brighter future for our children.  I am especially honored to be able to share these sentiments in response to our President’s State of the Union Address.”

Lucio Receives ‘Rural Partner Of The Year’ Award From ARCIT

State Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville), has been awared the Texas Senate Rural Partner of the Year Award from the Association of Rural Communities in Texas.

More info from the press release sent out by Sen. Lucio’s office is below:

Read more

Technorati Tags Eddie Lucio

Law Enforcement Agencies Don’t Have Time To Check ‘Meth’ Pharmacy Records

It would not have taken a genius to tell you, a few years ago when this law was passed, that nobody would bother to ever cull through the tremendous amount of data collected to try and see who was buying up cold medication to make Meth. More via KHOU.

Eltife Says TV Station Took His Condom Comments Out Of Context

A new Tyler-based blog is reporting that comments by State Senator Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler) about condom distribution by the University of Texas at Tyler’s University Health Clinic were taken out of context by ultra-conservative television station KLTV last month.

Blogger Ramsey Williams reports this following a call from Eltife after Williams earlier published a post about the story:

Read more

State Senator Kevin Eltife Wants Texas Legislature To Discuss Regulation Of Condoms On College Campuses

[Updated to include video!]

With the state’s juvenile prison system mired in controversy, transportation in a near-crisis state, and countless other issues facing Texas lawmakers, State Sen. Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler) would like to add another item to legislators’ to-do lists: regulation of condoms on college campuses.

Capitol Annex Video: [Experiencing technical & server difficulties--will replace with YouTube clips ASAP]

In an interview with KLTV, Tyler’s ABC affiliate which aired Tuesday night, Eltife said he was concerned about free condoms being distributed by the student health clinic at the University of Texas at Tyler, especially that some may have been paid for with tax dollars, since the University Health Clinic at UT-Tyler is operated by the University of Texas Health Center at Tyler:

Read more

Can You Say “Irony?” Conservative Coalition Creates “Election Integrity Task Force”

If you need a laugh on this early Friday evening, then think about the fact that the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute has created an “Election Integrity Task Force.”

If you aren’t doubled over laughing yet, then try this on for size: Voter ID shrew Rep. Betty Brown (R-Terrell) is chair of the task force!

Once you pick yourself off the floor and get back in your chair, read from her weekly “Austin Update:”

Read more

Rep. Cohen: Bush SCHIP Veto A Huge Step Backward

State Rep. Ellen Cohen (D-Houston) has joined the chorus of numerous Texas’ leaders denouncing President Bush’s SCHIP Veto. Here is her statement:

Texas has the highest rate of uninsured children in the nation. The President’s veto of this bipartisan legislation is frustrating for those of us committed to improving coverage for children. I am personally disappointed, but do appreciate those members of both parties who worked together on this bill. Obviously, we will continue to search for solutions to expanding healthcare coverage, which is costing families in Texas $11,000 per year for private insurance. This is beyond the reach of many Texas families who work hard and play by the rules but simply cannot afford coverage. The President has certainly let Texas children down. This is a huge step backwards for the children of working parents.

« Previous Page — Next Page »