By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX –
"We're close," said Rep. Jim Keffer (R-Eastland) as the Conference Committee on HB 3 met this morning. "There's still some things we need to do."
Keffer said he heard reports that there is a compromise deal on HB 2, the school reform bill, but said the HB 3 conferees are still "trying to look at unintended consequences" of anything they might make a part of HB 3.
During a Senate Administration Committee meeting this morning, Sen. Florence Shapiro (R-Plano) said the Senate conferees on HB 2 are simply awaiting word from the House to see if the latest Senate proposal, offered at approximately 2 a.m. today, will be acceptable.
Although Sen. Steve Ogden (R-Bryan) was called away for an emergency and was not at the HB 3 hearing this morning, Sen. Ken Armbrister (D-Victoria) said the conference committee had "agreed on the need for these 10 people (conferees) to get together." He said the conferees, too, had heard rumors of another special session, of filibusters, etc. "All we can control is what we can agree upon."
Armbrister said the conferees on HB 3 are "fairly close" to an agreement, noting the logjam is "not on merits or assessment but on implementation of logistics...when the timing of various proposals takes effect."
He said the conferees are "pretty close" and "pretty much on the same page" regarding context and merit and are working on "logistical details."
Most of the work now is "technical in nature," he said. "Hopefully, we will have something pretty soon - today."
Keffer said the conferees will continue to work on the bill. "We hope to be getting back together for a meeting very soon. He said the committee is "that close," and thus wants to continue its efforts.