Tag Archives: constitutional amendments

More in support of Prop 4

Posted on October 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Many groups and individuals are supporting Proposition 4, which is the constitutional amendment to help create more Tier One universities in Texas. One local group in favor of Prop 4 is the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. I had a … Continue reading →

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The Chron on Prop 9

Posted on October 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Proposition 9 on the ballot would make Texas’ Open Beaches Act of 1959 and add it to the state constitution. This Chron story is an overview of it. “People who use the beach think of it as a public park,” … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: At Large

Posted on October 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Having dispatched with the District Council races yesterday, the Chron continues with the schedule I’d hoped they’d follow by making their endorsements in the At Large races. As I thought, they went with incumbents Sue Lovell in #2 and Jolanda … Continue reading →

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Opposition to Prop 4

Posted on October 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Prop 4, the Tier 1 Universities constitutional amendment, has gotten a lot of support across the spectrum. Any high-profile amendment will always have some opposition, however, and Prop 4 no exception. A proposed constitutional amendment to help the University of … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Seven of eight

Posted on October 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I didn’t get around to this yesterday, but the Chron endorsed nearly all of the remaining Constitutional amendments by giving its thumbs-up to propositions 2, 3, and 5 and 1, 6, 7, and 8. From the former: Proposition 2 would … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Takings

Posted on October 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses Prop 11, which is the constitutional amendment to limit eminent domain takings that were allowed by the Supreme Court’s 2005 Kelo ruling. [It] would prohibit “the taking, damaging, or destroying of private property” for purposes of economic … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: The Chron goes Green

Posted on October 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In their first endorsement for an elected office on the ballot this November, the Chronicle endorsed Council Member Ronald Green for Controller. A practicing attorney with a master’s in business administration from the University of Houston, Green chaired the Council … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Prop 4

Posted on October 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron begins its warmups for endorsement season by giving its nod to Prop 4, the easiest call on the ballot. The ballot language is impenetrable, in the way that our constitutional amendments always are. But the plan itself is … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Getting in under the wire

Posted on October 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s getting a little late in the game to be making endorsements, but a number of them have come out in the past week or so. Here’s a roundup of the ones that I’m aware of. First, from the Harris … Continue reading →

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The amendments on the ballot

Posted on October 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In addition to everything else, you will be voting on eleven proposed Constitutional amendments this November. State Rep. Scott Hochberg, as he has done every other year, provides a list of the amendments, some basic information about what they would … Continue reading →

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One step closer to expanded gambling in Texas?

Posted on September 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe, though I’m not sure how much closer this really gets us. [The] Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma is poised to take possession of an existing horse racing track in Grand Prairie. The tribe runs one of the biggest Indian casinos … Continue reading →

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Election tidbits for 9/23

Posted on September 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

– KTRK has another round of candidate videos, this time answering the question “How can you help Houstonians get to work?” – Peter Brown sends out another mailer, this one all about his blueprint for an “Even Better Houston”. You … Continue reading →

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Projecting turnout for the Mayor’s race

Posted on September 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Prof. Murray surveys the scene and comes up with a turnout projection for November: These considerations lead me to conclude that turnout in 2009 will be significantly below our 300,000 voters in 2003. How much lower? I think in the … Continue reading →

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The gambling industry never sleeps

Posted on August 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I confess, I hadn’t realized the Chron had a Horse Racing Notebook column, but they do and this one wants to tell you just how awesome slot machines would be at the racetracks if only we’d let them have them. … Continue reading →

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Ellis asks for AG opinion on Cole pardon

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

You remember Timothy Cole, the wrongly-convicted man who died in prison ten years ago and has since been exonerated in a court of inquiry. The Lege passed a bill named for him to increase compensation to those who have been … Continue reading →

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Adding Tim Cole amendment to the call

Posted on July 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As you saw from the Senate’s pre-filed bills, there are a number of items being pushed by legislators that aren’t a part of the call for the special session. If one believes Governor Perry, it’s unlikely that anything else will … Continue reading →

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Commissioners Court approves ethics measures

Posted on June 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s something. The Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved a slate of ethics reforms, placing new controls on money and influence in government for the first time in years. After months of infighting and setbacks, the court unanimously and … Continue reading →

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Open beaches

Posted on June 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Got the following email from a colleague and thought it was worth mentioning: Very late Sunday night a “deal” was made in the Texas legislature to make an exemption in the Texas Open Beaches Act – the law that guarantees … Continue reading →

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Poker bill dies

Posted on May 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Last night at midnight was the first major deadline in the House. Any bill that had not been passed on second reading was officially dead for the session, though some may get reincarnated as amendments to already-approved bills. About three … Continue reading →

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Tuesday Lege roundup

Posted on May 12, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Some more notes about what has been happening in the Lege… – It looks like the program to test high school athletes for steroids will be scaled back. Texas lawmakers have reached a deal to slash steroid testing of public … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The poll tax

Posted on May 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Sometimes it’s hard to remember what century we’re in. Rep. Alma Allen’s joint resolution to post-ratify the 24th amendment to the U.S. Constitution passed the House on second reading this afternoon. The 24th amendment is the one prohibiting states from … Continue reading →

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Omnibus gambling bill gets committee approval

Posted on May 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Brandi Grissom reports. State Rep. Norma Chavez, D-El Paso, said today the House Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee approved the omnibus gambling measure that contains language that would allow the Tigua tribe in El Paso to resume gambling at Speaking … Continue reading →

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The Mayorals and gambling

Posted on April 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

What the Mayoral hopefuls think about expanded gambling in Texas, in particular for the Houston area, is an interesting question, but I’m not sure it’s a relevant one. Three candidates for Houston mayor bobbed and weaved today as they were … Continue reading →

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Funding the state cancer research initiative

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Very interesting. In 2007, Texans voted to give their scientists as much as $3 billion over 10 years to conduct groundbreaking cancer research. The money is supposed to start flowing to researchers this fall. But scientists say the cancer research … Continue reading →

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No Tigua casinos

Posted on April 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We may still get some form of expanded gambling in Texas, but at least one form of it is off the table for this session. The Tiguas hopes to restart lucrative gambling operations on their reservation are dead for this … Continue reading →

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CLC gambling update

Posted on April 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Today there will be committee hearings on various gambling-related bills. I am reprinting here an email sent by Suzii Paynter of the Christian Life Coalition, which is one of the leading organizations that are fighting the expansion of gambling in … Continue reading →

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House passes veto override resolution

Posted on April 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’m a little surprised that this got taken up so (relatively) quickly, but not at all surprised that it passed. The House today passed a measure that would allow Texas voters to decide whether to allow the Legislature to override … Continue reading →

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More on the AG and the LRB

Posted on March 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, in the aftermath of the Senate pajama party on voter ID last week, State Rep. Mark Homer touted HJR 53, which he had filed earlier in the session, which would replace the Attorney General on the Legislative … Continue reading →

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