By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX –
Jane Nelson is not a happy camper - or senator.
Camp "Sunset" is not the happy place it used to be.
Nelson (R-Lewisville), a member of the Sunset Advisory Commission, is watching Sunset legislation become the proverbial "Christmas tree" legislation, where everything imaginable is being tacked on to Sunset bills that are likely to pass.
Case in point is the Public Utility Commission (PUC) Sunset bill (SB 408), which earlier this week had the language of Rep. Phil King's HB 3179 added in that would establish a statewide franchise authorizing a cable or video service provider to offer service in Texas.
What does that have to do with the Sunset Commission recommendations relating to the PUC?
Absolutely nothing.
And that's why Nelson is not happy.
"These are policy issues, not Sunset issues," she said, noting that adding language from bills in danger of not passing into a Sunset bill is "appropriate in a legislative package, not in a Sunset bill."
Nelson said that even if she agreed with what legislation tacked onto Sunset bills would do, it is not something that was discussed in the Sunset process, which she noted took months and sometimes years.
She said in the Senate, the attempt was to keep Sunset bills directed at Sunset recommendations for state agencies, not to add policy issues.
"We kept it pure," she said. In fact, she and Sen. Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay) had an agreement that policy issue bills would come under his jurisdiction. "For 18 months, we resisted that process from being corrupted."
"Over there," said Nelson, speaking of the other chamber of the capitol, "on the PUC bill they got policy issues put on." She said now she and Fraser will "stand strong and say no" to those bills, "whether they are legitimate issues or not."
She said the PUC bill being a "Christmas tree" bill is just one Sunset bill being loaded down with policy issues. "That's just one example, and I feel really strongly about that - keeping this process pure."
Sen. Mike Jackson (R-LaPorte) noted that the Texas Education Agency Sunset bill was "terminated in a very violent way" in the House this week - killed on a point of order when an attempt was made to add a school choice (voucher) provision in the bill.