The HPV conference commitee did its work in short order, and now HB1098 is on its way to Governor Perry’s desk.
There was no word on what Perry would do about House Bill 1098. He has 10 days from the date the bill reaches his desk, excluding Sundays, to decide whether to sign it into law, let it become law without his signature or veto it.
“The constitution provides the governor 10 days from receipt to make a decision. And he’ll take those days and announce his decision when he believes it is appropriate,” spokeswoman Krista Moody said.
Perry was traveling to Eagle Pass to assess the aftermath of deadly tornadoes there when the House agreed to changes in the bill made by the Senate, including one that would require lawmakers to reconsider in January 2011 whether the vaccine should be required for school enrollment.
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Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, the bill’s author, has said he hopes Perry won’t veto the bill.
Both the House and Senate passed the bill with the necessary two-thirds majorities to override a veto.
The Senate sponsor, Sen. Glenn Hegar, R-Katy, said lawmakers should reconsider the safety and effectiveness of the HPV vaccine in four years. Merck’s Gardasil was approved for sale in June.
When Janet Elliott blogged this story, she thought Perry would let the bill become law without his signature. I think the odds slightly favor a veto, as one last defiant show of power by Perry. The votes are there to override, and I daresay it’d happen easily enough, but I think he may make them do it. I could be wrong – Elliott’s scenario makes a lot of sense. I just think he’ll be stubborn about it. We’ll see.