By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX – The walkout in the House by more than 50 Democratic members that has caused legislative action in that chamber to grind to a halt could have an effect on the Texas Senate as well.
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, the presiding officer of the Senate, said today that he and others in the leadership had been working since this morning to identify bill that might be impacted.
"The pace of the Senate will have to pick up," said Dewhurst on the Senate floor. He said legislation including the finance bill, sunset bills and "other major legislation" will have to be addressed.
"We will all have to adjust our work schedule and work more hours to make sure the legislation we need to balance the budget and which the people of Texas expect out of the legislature, is passed."
Dewhurst then referred nearly a dozen House bills to the Finance Committee - HJR 2 and HBs 2425, 2458, 3305, 3306, 3318, 3378, 3441, 3442 and 3443. All of the bill have to do with appropriations, taxes and state financial issues.