So over the weekend, TV viewers may have seen Gov. Rick Perry singing the praises of jury duty on their TV set. Look's like something that may have come from the Attorney General's office, right? Wrong-o. So who are Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse of Central Texas, the outfit paying for this ad time? While it sounds grassroots, CALATX is pure astroturf. It's one of the 50 state-based operations, originally backed by the American Tort Reform Association and funded by Altria Group (better known as Philip Morris), fighting to de-fang lawsuits from the victims of bad business practices. And who's website are people pointed to at the end of the ad? Why, CALATX's, of course! So when Perry says that juries "determine who's right, who pays damages," the emphasis may really be on the back-end of that statement.

The opening weeks of the House of Representatives are usually pretty slow affairs, taken up with the normal slate of tip-of-the-hat resolutions. But there's some big business, like House Resolution 2, better known as the House Rules, filed this morning by Rep. Burt Solomons, R-Carrolton. As widely rumored, the House of Straus will cut down on the number of committees, but increase the membership of the remaining bodies to balance the appointments. The headline statistic is that, out of last session's 40 committees, five get merged with another, one goes completely, and there's one new body. The big changes are:
– Government Reform merges into State Affairs
– Local Government Ways and Means merges into Ways and Means
– Judiciary merges into Civil Jurisprudence
– Law Enforcement merges with Criminal Jurisprudence, becomes Criminal Jurisprudence and Law Enforcement
– Pensions and Investments merges into Financial Services and Pensions. The proposals break down what have often been seen as false divisions in justice and governance, created solely to create more chairmanships. But the biggest news may be at the bottom of the list: If the rules are adopted, Regulated Industries will be completely disbanded and its responsibilities scattered to the four winds (well, five committees.) Why's that so big? Because Chair Phil King, R-Weatherford, has long been seen as a roadblock to environmental regulation. Meanwhile, one new committee is proposed, called Technology and Workforce Training. Anyone want to bet that'll be nicknamed the Green Collar Committee?

With the House meeting for about a micro-second on Thursday while the rules were worked on, and Senate closed for business until today, what have legislators been up to? Local state Reps. Dawnna Dukes, Donna Howard and Diana Maldonado attended the inauguration of President Barack Obama (as one wag at the Travis County Democratic Party's Farewell to Bush bash at Antone's on Tuesday put it, "Donna, Dawnna and Diana went to D.C. Say that five times fast.) Reps. Elliott Naishtat and Valinda Bolton made it to Antone's, along with Democratic House Caucus Chair Jim Dunnam, D-Waco. He had to: His band, the Bad Precedents, were part of the entertainment. It was a busy time for Rep. Patrick Rose, D-Dripping Springs. He spent lunchtime on Wednesday with Bolton and Rep. Eddie Rodriguez at the Real Estate Council of Austin's monthly shindig. Later he joined Reps. Edmund Kuempel, Doug Miller and Bill Callegari, along with Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's launch of their new water documentary (coming to PBS on Feb. 12.) The biggest gathering so far has probably been the Texas Public Policy Foundation's Seventh Annual Policy Orientation, and the speeches by possible 2010 gubernatorial opponents Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Gov. Rick Perry. Beware reading too much into the list of attendees: A free lunch is, even on legislator pay, a free lunch (Announced attendees are listed after the jump.)

Nothing happens in the Texas House of Representatives without it going through committee first. In the last two sessions, former speaker Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland, made his committee appointments in the last week of January, but the smart money is on Speaker Joe Straus giving the established order of things a good shake-up. His staff confirmed that he's working towards a Feb. 1 announcement, while other well-placed sources say that Straus wants the right decisions, not just quick ones. But that hasn't stopped Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, putting out this press release at close of business on Friday.

[It] is unknown whether I will remain in my position as Chairman of the Public Education Committee. I have very much enjoyed this responsibility, and hope to be selected again. Once committees have been announced, I will inform all of you, as my constituents, as soon as possible.

Cautious pitch for his old seat, or does Eisler know something no-one else does?

Agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration raided the Holistic Solutions medi-pot dispensary in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., on Jan. 22 -- just two days after President Barack Obama was sworn in, making this the first federal medi-pot raid under the new administration. Obama has said that he does not support federal raids on medi-pot patients using the drug in compliance with state laws ("You know, its really not a good use of Justice Department resources," he told New Hampshire Democrats in 2007), but he has not yet named a new head of the DEA, meaning Bush's acting DEA administrator Michele Leonhart is still running the show. (Leonhart earlier this month ended the years long stall in the Lyle Craker case, turning down his bid to grow a research pot crop, prompting some to argue that the DEA is trying to squeeze in as many pinches of medi-pot patients as possible before Obama changes the agency guard.) "Whether or not this unconscionable raid on a medical marijuana provider is the fault of federal officials from the previous administration, President Obama has an opportunity to change this harmful and outdated policy," Caren Woodson, director of government affairs for the medi-pot advocacy group Americans for Safe Access, said in a press statement Thursday. "We are hopeful that these are the last remnants of the Bush regime and that...Obama will quickly develop a more compassionate policy toward our most vulnerable citizens." (ASA is asking folks to call the White House to voice opposition to this latest raid.) According to ASA, the DEA raided more than 100 California medi-pot dispensaries during Bush's time in office. In last week's raid, the DEA seized cash and pot, but made no arrests.

Although it seems like a long time ago now, Tuesday was obviously a big day for Democrats, what with the inauguration. The Chronicle was there to catch the Texans for Obama watch party at Scholz Garten, but also the Farewell to Bush Party at Antone's in the evening. The high point of the night for Legislature watchers was an appearance by the famous The Bad Precedents, the (official band of the 80th Legislature) that draws its lineup from state legislators, policy wonks and campaign pros. [video-1] Yes, that is Democratic Caucus Chair Jim Dunnam, D-Waco, on keyboards (this being a partisan event, drummer Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Greenville, got the night off.)

What's campaign season without free nachos and sausage slices on a cocktail stick? Bill Spelman had his official return-to-council campaign kick-off last night down at Scholz Garten. So far, the LBJ School of Public Affairs professor is the only person running for Mayor Pro Tem Brewster McCracken's Place 5 seat, which Spelman held from 1997 to 2003. Attendees for the bash included an array of familiar local political names, including Mark Yznaga, Tim Mahoney, Jack Kirfman and Margot Clarke (who had her own unsuccessful shot at Place 5 in 2003.) Back in 1997, the Chronicle gave a joint endorsement to Spelman and his opponent Bobbie Enriquez. Spelman received some criticism for breaking what some saw as the "gentleman's agreement" that Place 5 was the 'reserved' Hispanic seat on the council, but soon gained a reputation as an guiding voice on council on controlled development and departmental accountability.) For those interested in political launches in local iconic eateries, Place 1 candidate Chris Riley will be having his campaign kick-off at Threadgill’s World Headquarters, 301 W. Riverside at 6pm tonight, Jan. 23.

Just how close is Texas’ educational system to becoming a laughingstock like that of Kansas? Only a vote or two away. Over the past three days, the State Board of Education’s meeting room Downtown has been the site of a bruising battle between scientists advocating for the theory of evolution versus supporters of intelligent design (aka creationism). The fight centered around the recommendation of scientific and education professionals to remove a requirement that the theory’s “strengths and weaknesses” be taught in Texas high schools, in favor of language requiring that students “evaluate and analyze” evolution. Scientists wanted the language changed for two reasons: One, they argue, the theory has no real weaknesses and is as sound as the theory of gravity; two, “intelligent design” groups such as Seattle’s Discovery Institute in recent years have seized upon the “strengths and weaknesses” language as a wedge to push creationism into the classroom, or at the very least to cast doubts in youngsters’ minds about evolution.

Trains remain pretty much the safest way to travel, but there will always be the dangers associated with living near a railroad track. So with testing of the Capital MetroRail system starting on Feb. 12, Austin ISD, Leander ISD and Capital Metro are joining forces to launch a new rail safety campaign. As part of the Stay off the Tracks! program, they want local kids to help them by designing a new rail safety poster. The competition is open to grades K-12 at schools within half a mile of the new rail tracks The three grand prize winning posters will be distributed to all public schools in the Austin, Leander, Pflugerville and Round Rock ISDs within two miles of the track, as well as private schools and local libraries. See after the break for the full press release, including entry and prize details. Of course, they could just borrow this nightmarish PSA from Britain's Network Rail: Seriously. Stay away from the tracks.