“I realized that Senator Whitmire has not appeared once before this committee on one of his bills, but I suppose that’s all right. I only realized last week that I’m on his Senate Criminal Justice Committee” – Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, explaining to this morning’s meeting of the Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee why a bill sponsor wasn’t there to guard his legislative baby.
Is that the Dallas GOPer admitting to incompetence? Nope, just giving a bit of insight into how rushed the Legislature is at the moment. With committees starting as early as 7am, and others running well into the wee hours of the morning, long sessions, lots of meetings, and the countdown clock to the end of the session tick-tick-ticking ever louder, legislators are frantically trying to get as much essential business as possible done before all the paperwork must be signed (a common sight is clerks, runners, and even legislators running through the halls of the state House in desperate search of committee members, so they can be quorate.)
Guess that’s what happens when you only meet for five months every two years. Now, who’s laying odds on a special session next year?
This article appears in April 13 • 2007.
