9 minutes and 30 seconds. That’s how long a member can ask questions of a bill author from the back mike, and that’s how long, exactly members have been asking about each and every House Local and Consent Bill this morning.
“Slow day,” said Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, as he wandered past the media desk.
It is, of course, completely coincidental that the House is supposed to be taking up the voter ID bill tomorrow (which Democrats are furious ever got out of calendars.) So far, there have been fascinating conversations about navigation commissioners in Matagorda County, the historic impact of MUDS on planning philosophy in Houston, whether there’s macadamia nuts in macadam (no, there’s not) and the the size of Rep. Rolando Guiterrez‘s uvula.
Its not a secret that this is the age-old art of chubbing (wasting time on a bill by long-winded Q&A’s) to keep voter ID off the floor. That was really blown when Rep. Norma Chavez, D-El Paso, announced that there will be barbecue off-campus and anyone could come “If you don’t have any bills up in the next hour or two.”
Conservative estimates suggest that, if this pace keeps up, that could apply to any lawmaker with no bills up before 6pm.
This article appears in May 22 • 2009.
