Daily Archives: May 18, 2009

You there! Put down the Internet and slowly back away!

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Hair Balls tries to make sense of a Senate criminal justice bill that is currently in committee in the House. [The bill,] authored by Republican State Senator Florence Shapiro of Plano seems remarkably straightforward: It prohibits registered sex offenders from … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Senate TxDOT sunset bill is not the House TxDOT sunset bill

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, the massive House sunset bill for TxDOT, HB300, contained a boatload of amendments that greatly altered the original bill, including one that would make TxDOT a 15-member elected commission and one that would have outlawed red light … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Senate TxDOT sunset bill is not the House TxDOT sunset bill

Whatever Ricky wants

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s too early to say how much of Rick Perry’s self-proclaimed agenda will get enacted this session, as much of it hinges on the budget reconciliation process as well as on legislation that hasn’t been taken up by one chamber … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The fees not paid

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The battle over the dueling strip club bills in the Lege this session has mostly been over how much revenue each would collect. But the state has to actually collect that revenue for any of that to be relevant. Dozens … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Two for Timothy Cole

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

On Friday, the House concurred with Senate amendments to HB1736, the Timothy Cole Act that increases compensation to those that have been wrongly convicted. I had said on Monday that it had passed both chambers at that time, but I … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Campaign finance bill passes the House

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve had plenty of harsh things to say about House Elections Committee Chair Todd Smith this session, but he’s always been one of the good guys on campaign finance reform. Texas could start regulating how political parties use corporate and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment