By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX – Theme song for the Texas House during the 78th Legislature?
How about "Another One Bites the Dust?"
This time the one that bit the dust - one in a long line of major bills - as a result of yet another point of order, was HB 2.
The bill, by Rep. David Swinford, provides for sweeping changes in state agencies aimed at streamlining state government and making it more effective and efficient - and saving a few bucks along the way. The state could use a few bucks...it's $9 billion in the hole as lawmakers attempt to write the budget for the upcoming biennium.
Armed with visual aids, Swinford took to the front microphone in the House chamber Saturday afternoon to explain HB 2. He didn't get his mouth open before Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) told the speaker, "Can we call a point of order early?"
Thompson alleged in her point of order that the committee that heard HB 2 never called roll the day the bill was kicked out. "And I don't think they had a quorum when they voted the bill out," she said.
There was little discussion of the point of order before Thompson agreed to temporarily withdraw it. But she promised she had others tucked away just in case.
"You've got a big ole nasty bill laying on your desks," Swinford told members as he began to explain his bill. He described what he called "strange happenings" the legislature faced when it got to Austin for the opening of the legislative session. Swinford said when the session began, the Legislative Budget Board's proposed budget was "removed because of the influence the economy had on the state." Then Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn dropped the $9 billion bomb.
Swinford said the state leadership then met and issued its zero-based budget. That was followed by the House Appropriations Committee beginning its building blocks budget.
"Now House Bill 2 comes along," he said, "and sort of nets out everything that has been done."
Swinford said the Comptroller had certified the funds in HB 2 and those funds would "heal up some of the wounds" caused by budget shortfalls. He said the bill includes $7.23 million in general revenue funds and $8.71 million in all funds. He said the net, with existing amendments, would be $691 million to go to the conference committee on HB 1 in new money and savings.
He said HB 2 was charged with "gathering up money," and some of its provisions would not be popular.
Apparently NONE of the provisions were too popular with Rep. Yvonne Davis, who offered a point of order shortly after Swinford began bringing other members forward to explain portions of the bill. Her point of order, which alleged that the bill granted rulemaking authority not described in the bill analysis, was sustained by the House Speaker, and debate ended.
HB 2 will have to wait until next week.
Another one bites the dust...