By the time you read this, sine die should have been proclaimed at the Capitol, so barring any more “special” sessions, we’re done until 2007. Lots of bills died at the end there, most justifiably so. HB2702 managed to squeak through, but who knows if it’ll get signed. The CPS overhaul bill passed on Friday, but thankfully Robert Talton’s hateful anti-gay foster parent provision was stripped out.
I’m sure we’ll figure out what did and didn’t go through shortly, and I’m sure we’ll find out that something hideous which was hiding in an obscure provision somewhere is now law. Hopefully, that’ll be nothing as bad as HB2292 or HB3588 from last session.
So what did our heroes in Austin accomplish? In some sense, the exact opposite of what Congress has done lately. In DC, it’s been all tax cuts all the time, but no actual progress on the so-called “moral values” agenda. No anti-gay marriage amendment, not much in the way of new abortion restrictions, that sort of thing. In Austin, they Double Secret Illegalized gay marriage and passed a parental consent law, but failed to deliver on their promises of property tax reductions. For my readers who vote Republican, I’m just curious: If you had to choose between the two, which would you have preferred to get done this session? If you didn’t get the one you wanted (and I’m guessing that’s the case), what if anything will you do about it?
Finally, a little humor to end things. Check out the Loco and Dissent Calendar that Kimberly passed along. A couple of my favorites:
HB 76 Woolley
Relating to asking Speaker Tommy Craddick if she could wear his letterjacket AND his class ring.HR 82 Goolsby
Relating to the rules for the Garnett Coleman drinking game: take a shot every time he says something is “for the children”.HR 83 Goolsby
Relating to the rules for the Debbie Riddle drinking game: take a shot every time she says some societal problem is linked to “illegal immigrants”.HB 2112 Kid ‘n’ Play
Relating to wanting their haircut back from Eddie Rodriguez…HB 2789 Governor Perry
Relating to the acquisition of Katie Holmes as a girlfriend to improve my public image.
You get the idea. Enjoy what’s left of the weekend!