Monthly Archives: May 2009

Statewide smoking ban still stuck

Posted on May 10, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s stuck in the Senate, which is a bit odd. The woman standing in the way of a Senate vote is Sen. Jane Nelson, a Flower Mound Republican who joined [Lance] Armstrong on the Capitol steps in February in a … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Statewide smoking ban still stuck

Voting right on climate change

Posted on May 10, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It is, of course, a good thing that President Obama has Democratic majorities in both chambers of Congress as he tries to get his agenda implemented. That doesn’t mean he’ll have smooth sailing, of course – between the weirdly ahistorical … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Ed and Maverick in District H

Posted on May 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

All the votes are in, and it’s Ed Gonzalez and Maverick Welsh in the runoff for District H. With all 13 precincts reporting and nearly 4,200 ballots cast in a district of more than 93,000 registered voters, Gonzalez had 31.4 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Vote today

Posted on May 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Today is Election Day for many places in Texas. They’re electing new Mayors in Austin and San Antonio, along with the regularly scheduled municipal elections in those cities and others. Here in Houston, it’s showtime for the District H special … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Vote today

KBH will do whatever KBH will do

Posted on May 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

You can take what Bill White said about what Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison might have said about resigning her Senate seat to run for Governor, or what her spokesperson is saying now, however you want. I still believe she will … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Post-mortem on UH-Downtown name change

Posted on May 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s safe to say that UH-Downtown will remain UH-Downtown for at least two more years, since there’s no time to get a name change bill through the Lege at this point. The Chron takes a look at how the attempt … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Updates on some criminal justice bills

Posted on May 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As Grits notes, this is the time of the session in which bills die because there’s no longer the time for them to make it through the process. Fortunately, as he writes in that post, many of the bills related … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Friday random ten: Now with more randomness

Posted on May 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Back to the well we go with ten more songs taken from the Every Song I’ve Got In iTunes pile. 1. The Boxer – Simon and Garfunkel 2. Guinness Dog – The Rogues 3. Take The “A” Train – Joe … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Friday random ten: Now with more randomness

Smith caves in to the Browns

Posted on May 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

No surprise, really. Rep. Todd Smith, the Republican chairman of the House Committee on Elections, confirmed today he’s intending to have the committee vote Monday on a voter ID plan. The twist: Smith is backing off his attempts to rewrite … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Sunsetting TxDOT

Posted on May 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Yesterday was Day One of the debate over HB300, the TxDOT sunset bill. The Lege is on Day Two now, and if you look at all the amendments they’ve gone through, you can see why this is taking so long. … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Sunsetting TxDOT

Poker bill coming to a vote

Posted on May 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

HB222, the bill that would legalize poker rooms, is on the House calendar for today, so barring a point of order or some other complication it will get a floor vote. It hadn’t looked too good for the bill’s prospects … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Projecting District H

Posted on May 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The final early vote tallies are in, and thanks to relatively busy days on Monday and Tuesday, a total of 1870 ballots have been cast by mail or in person as of the end of early voting on Tuesday. That’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Garcia’s plan to fix the jails

Posted on May 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Sheriff Adrian Garcia is off to Austin to explain how he’s going to fix problems with the Harris County jails. Garcia, who took office in January, inherited a massive downtown detention system under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department and … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Is there a Medicaid issue or not?

Posted on May 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Earlier this week, Sen. Steve Ogden and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst made the claim that Medicaid would require another $1 billion from the budget, and that this would constrain the budget reconciliation committee as it tries to fund everything that’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Is there a Medicaid issue or not?

Roger that

Posted on May 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

So about two weeks ago I got an email from a gentleman named David Smith, who is the proprietor of a website called Texans for Staubach, as well as the treasurer of a PAC by the same name, whose purpose … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Joe for Galveston

Posted on May 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

From my inbox, some good news from Joe Jaworski: Galveston matters, and the Island’s next Mayor must ensure this message is clearly understood: Galveston is more than a storm ravaged Island with a history; it is an iconic Texas coastal … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Joe for Galveston

“Houston Have Your Say” on the economy

Posted on May 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Tune in to KUHT (Houston PBS channel eight) tonight at 7 PM for another edition of Houston Have Your Say. Tonight’s topic is the economy, about which I think we can all agree there is much to be said. Ree-C … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on “Houston Have Your Say” on the economy

Perry’s poll

Posted on May 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

For your reading pleasure, a poll of Republican primary voters (PDF) by Rick Perry’s pollster Mike Baselice that shows a 45-39 lead by Kay Bailey Hutchison. You can read a poll memo to supporters that spins the results, but the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

TRCC survives sunsetting

Posted on May 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s Blogabear‘s view of HB2295, the bill to sunset the Texas Residential Construction Commission, aka the TRCC. And here’s John Coby‘s view of it. I sure hope the former is closer to the truth, because it passed, though with some … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on TRCC survives sunsetting

You kids hang up and drive!

Posted on May 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Some action on the cellphones and driving front. The House tonight tentatively approved a bill restricting teens’ use of cellphones until they’re 18 and overhauling driver’s ed requirements in Texas. The bill would require all new teen drivers to have … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

You kids hang up and drive!

Posted on May 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Some action on the cellphones and driving front. The House tonight tentatively approved a bill restricting teens’ use of cellphones until they’re 18 and overhauling driver’s ed requirements in Texas. The bill would require all new teen drivers to have … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

More candidates

Posted on May 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I was just saying to someone the other day that while I thought the fields for the upcoming city races were largely set, there would certainly be a few more candidates appearing between now and the filing deadline. Lo and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

More candidates

Posted on May 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I was just saying to someone the other day that while I thought the fields for the upcoming city races were largely set, there would certainly be a few more candidates appearing between now and the filing deadline. Lo and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

No sunset for SBOE

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Well, that‘s too bad. Just yesterday the Texas House approved on second reading House Bill 710, which would have made the Texas State Board of Education subject to periodic review by the Sunset Advisory Commission. That vote was 74-68. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on No sunset for SBOE

IG for DPS

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I just have one question regarding this story. Top lawmakers voiced support for creating an inspector general at the Texas Department of Public Safety on Tuesday, a day after the sudden resignation of the agency’s director amid allegations of unprofessional … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on IG for DPS

Bell lawsuit against Perry advances

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In November of 2007, Chris Bell filed a lawsuit against Governor Rick Perry’s 2006 re-election campaign and the Republican Governor’s Association claiming they illegally hid $1 million in donations from Houston homebuilder Bob Perry. The suit alleges that the RGA … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bell lawsuit against Perry advances

Voter ID still pending

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

No hurry, fellas. Seriously, take all the time you want. Rep. Todd Smith, the Euless Republican who helms the House Committee on Elections, said today he’s still trying to gather the five committee votes he needs to send a voter … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Can’t wait to see the transcript of this one

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Speaking of appointments, the Senate Nominations Committee today will consider Governor Perry’s naming of Shanda Gillaspie (Perkins) to the Board of Pardons and Parole. You remember her – she’s the anti-sex toy activist best known for her war on dildos. … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Can’t wait to see the transcript of this one

Donations and appointments

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

A lot of the people Rick Perry has appointed to various government offices have contributed to his campaign. Who knew? Gov. Rick Perry has accepted nearly $5 million in political campaign donations from people he appointed to state boards and … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Donations and appointments

Scaling back steroid testing in the schools

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, yes, yes. House and Senate budget negotiators will decide in the coming weeks whether the [$3 million a year program to test high school student athletes for steroids] continues — and its scope and pace. “It’s not needed. House … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Cottage foods update

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

A month ago, I wrote about a website called Texas Cottage Food Law, which is working to pass a bill that would allow folks who bake bread and cakes and whatnot to sell their wares from their homes. I’m pleased … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Watch out for Medicaid

Posted on May 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

A wrench just got thrown into the budget reconciliation negotiations. Forecasts that more Texans battered by the recession will qualify for free health care under the Medicaid program will require that the program receive nearly $1 billion more in state … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Watch out for Medicaid

Interim DPS director retiring

Posted on May 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

What the hell is going on at the Department of Public Safety? he director of the Texas Department of Public Safety is resigning amid allegations that he touched women at the agency in an unprofessional way, “demonstratively” blew kisses to … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Interim DPS director retiring

Microbrewery bill passes out of committee

Posted on May 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Woo hoo! HB2094, the bill that would allow microbreweries to sell some beer on premises that I thought might be dead before getting a glimmer of hope last week, passed out of the Licensing and Administrative Procedures committee on a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment