HJR6 in the Senate

Despite there being a letter from 11 Senators stating opposition to the Double Secret Illegal anti-gay marriage HJR6, the measure was "debated" in the Senate yesterday. I put "debated" in quotes because as In the Pink documents, what took place would hardly seem to merit that designation. Be that as it may, Lt. Gov. Dewhurst thinks he can push this through regardless.

Eleven senators, if all hold firm, could kill the measure. The Senate's operating procedure also requires a two-thirds parliamentary vote to debate any legislation.

Dewhurst said he received a letter from 11 senators, asking that the same-sex marriage ban not be brought to the Senate floor.

"But I talked to several of the senators, and we'll see," he added.

"I believe that we probably will have the votes," he said.

Dewhurst didn't identify the 11 senators or release copies of their letter.

Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, who earlier this week used a parliamentary "tag" to delay the committee hearing on the controversial proposal, said he was one of the signers.

But he also declined to identify the others or say whether they included Democrats and Republicans.

Sen. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen, said he also was among the 11 opponents. He called the proposal "a misguided solution for a problem that doesn't even exist."

Kudos to Sens. Ellis and Hinojosa for their stance. PinkDome and the LGRL have more.

Call me crazy here, but maybe if the Senate spent less time on working to ban something that's already illegal, they might be able to muster the resources to pass a budget that doesn't have to rely on a granny tax to balance. Y'all know that there's only ten days left, right? I hope those 11 Senators reiterate their resolve to Dewhurst so he can cut his losses and move on to matters of actual importance.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on May 20, 2005 to That's our Lege | TrackBack