View from the floor: At least the big bag of candy on Rep. Harper-Brown's desk is back to sweeten things up

Another morning on the House floor begins and it’s not looking good for a three-day session.

Here’s what seem to be the situation. House Bill 2, the Sunset rescheduling bill, will go through on the nod. The Prop. 12 bonds part of HB 1 seems to be going through fine, but there have been some railside discussions about the Texas Transportation Revolving Fund and whether the state should pick up the financial slack for municipalities and localities. There are also some concerns that the language may allow the Texas Department of Transportation to effectively order borrowers to raise taxes to cover debts

But the comprehensive development agreements in HB 3 seem to be the real sticking point, as libertarian groups and anti-toll roaders are already claiming a premature victory.

The muttered options on the table are

1) Pass HB1 and HB2, then let HB3 quietly die and go home, or

2) Pass HB1 and HB2, go home today, then wait to see if the leadership (ie Gov. Rick Perry) has the stomach to get everyone back on Monday.

Either option seems plausible at this stage. When House Transportation Committee Chair Joe Pickett, D-El Paso, was asked whether HB3 could ever get to the floor, he shrugged and said, “Well, we’ve got 30 days.”

This article appears in June 26 • 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.