Big week for the Travis Co. Democratic delegation, as bills by local state reps finally make it to committee: Donna Howard and Eddie Rodriguez have House Bill 772 (putting State Board of Education meetings on the Internet) in House Public Education alongside HB 552, which Rodriguez co-authored and deals with disciplinary programs for at-risk students… Mark Strama took up his own enterprise project bill, HB 271, in the Technology, Economic Development & Work­force Committee, which he chairs… Elliott Naishtat gets his HB 821 e-waste recycling bill before Environmental Regulation, while HB 873 – Dawnna Dukes‘ film incentive reform bill – is in Culture, Recreation, & Tourism… Valinda Bolton has been elected vice chair of the Legislative Study Group; Naishtat remains treasurer… Senate State Affairs is considering Senate Bill 315 by Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, which would establish a bipartisan redistricting committee… House Appropriations Stimulus Subcommittee Chair Myra Crownover calls the evolving terms of the federal stimulus bill “a moving ball of wax“… AT&T has agreed to carry live footage from the Legis­lat­ure on its U-verse service… Rep. Ellen Cohen, D-Houston, has filed HB 2070 – the latest version of the so-called “Titty Tax” – even though the last version is still in the courts.

This article appears in March 6 • 2009.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.