By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX – The much-anticipated beginning of the Third Called Session in the Texas Senate came off without a hitch today - other than that little parking space skirmish.
A quorum was established when Democratic Sen. John Whitmire of Houston was on the floor for the roll call with fellow Democrat Ken Armbrister of Victoria. Armbrister is the only Democrat who did not join the 'Texas 11' in fleeing the state for the Second Called Session. Whitmire, one of the 'Texas 11,' told his fellow Democrats last week he would return to the Senate to do battle against the congressional redistricting bill on the Senate floor instead of from New Mexico. With Armbrister and Whitmire on the floor with the remaining Republican senators, a quorum was established.
Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo), long known for arriving at the capitol even before the birds get up, parked her personal vehicle in her usual parking space outside the east door of the capitol. Among the sanctions imposed on the Democrats by their GOP counterparts was denying the Democrats and their staffs their reserved parking at the capitol.
Zaffirini ignored the sanctions, parked her vehicle in her assigned spot, only to find out later that a towing notice had been placed on the front windshield, apparently by Senate officials. Undeterred, Zaffirini left her vehicle in her spot. It was not towed. Word from the lieutenant governor's office was that the paper on Zaffirini's vehicle citing her violation of a Texas Senate rule was just a "warning," and that the Democrats' vehicles might be towed tomorrow if they are parked in their spots again.
The Senate convened only briefly, calling roll to ensure a quorum was established, referring bills and then adjourning until 10 a.m. Tuesday. Some speculated that the action went quickly as a means of curbing a large contingency in the gallery that was prepared to cheer the Democrats if they took the Senate floor.
Among the bills referred was SB 1, the congressional redistricting bill by Sen. Todd Staples. Hearing for the bill has been set for Wednesday at 1 p.m. in the Senate Jurisprudence Committee.