Details of exactly what’s happening with the First Special Session of the 81st Legislature are starting to trickle in, so here’s a quick primer:
When does it start? 10am, July 1
When will it end? Gov. Rick Perry and Speaker Joe Straus are publicly banking on getting gone by close of business on July 3, but since a special can last up to 30 days, don’t count on it.
Do all the legislators know it’s happening? Talking to the Speaker’s Office this afternoon, they’ve been in contact with every members’ offices, so they’re pretty sure they must all know by now. Fingers crossed.
What’s in the call? Due to unfinished business, there’s a handful of issues Perry wants fixing. Top of the list: The failure to pass the Sunset bills for five agencies and the enabling legislation to release $1 billion a year, starting 2010, in Proposition 12 transportation bonds.
We already knew they’d be there. What else? Perry also wants to set up the Texas Transportation Revolving Fund, plus there are some comprehensive development agreements (read: Toll road construction deals) that need their new toll road moratorium waivers extending.
What are the bills? There will be Senate and House versions of all three issues, to speed up the process. At the moment, the bonds and the fund are Senate Bill 1/House Bill 1; Sunset is SB 2/ HB 2; And the CDAs are in SB 3/HB 3, which are yet to be filed.
Where will they go? Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst plans to send all three bills to Senate Finance, but Straus will be splitting responsibilities. The prop 12 bonds bill will go to the House Appropriations Committee: The CDAs go to Transportation; And State Affairs gets Sunset.
Anything else on the agenda? Apart from a lot of thumb-twiddling while the Calendar is sorted, probably not. That’s not stopped some state reps and senators from valiantly filing bills to bring back eminent domain enhancement, CHIP extension and other benefit reforms.
Will they be debated? Unless Perry extends the call, no chance.
What about resolutions? Of course. As of 5pm June 29, the total is 12: All filed by Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland, all relating to the birthdays/anniversaries/spelling bee involvement of his Midland constituents.
This article appears in June 26 • 2009.
