Special Session Announced Today

Relevant bills filed and their status

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BrianSW99
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Special Session Announced Today

#1

Post by BrianSW99 »

And it looks like the parking lot bill is not in it:

(From the Governors website at http://governor.state.tx.us/news/proclamation/12758/)
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME:

WHEREAS, the legislature adjourned the 81st Regular Legislative Session without enacting sunset legislation for several state agencies that were subject to sunset review by the 81st Legislature; and

WHEREAS, without legislative action, the state's Sunset Act, Chapter 325, Government Code, in conjunction with statutory law applicable to those agencies, abolishes the agencies on September 1, 2009, and requires each of the agencies to begin on that date a wind-down process that will culminate in the termination and cessation of all activities of each agency on September 1, 2010; and

WHEREAS, the Sunset Advisory Commission, in its report presented to the legislature and the governor at the 81st Regular Legislative Session, recommended that the agencies be continued in existence; and

WHEREAS, the continuation of the existence of the agencies is crucial for the operation of state governmental activities; and

WHEREAS, passage of enabling legislation to implement the authority granted in Article III, Section 49-p, of the Texas Constitution to issue general obligation bonds for highway improvement projects is necessary to assist in providing adequate financing for future transportation infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, the general statutory authority to enter into comprehensive development agreements expires in August 2009, and, with limited means of funding transportation projects, comprehensive development agreements are a necessary tool for providing financing for future transportation infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, the people have placed the constitutional power to call and convene the legislature into special session in the hands of the Chief Executive Officer of the State;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICK PERRY, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, by the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 8, of the Texas Constitution, do hereby call an extraordinary session of the 81st Legislature, to be convened in the City of Austin, commencing at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, the 1st day of July 2009, for the following purposes:

To consider legislation that provides for extending the existence of several state agencies that were subject to sunset review by the 81st Legislature and will be abolished without legislative action under the state's Sunset Act, that changes the review schedule for certain state agencies to balance the workload of the Sunset Advisory Commission.

To consider legislation relating to the issuance by the Texas Transportation Commission, pursuant to Article III, Section 49-p, of the Texas Constitution, of general obligation bonds for highway improvement projects, and to the creation, administration, financing and use of a Texas Transportation Revolving Fund to provide financial assistance for transportation projects.

To consider legislation relating to the date on which the authority of the Texas Department of Transportation and a regional mobility authority to enter into a comprehensive development agreement expires.

The Secretary of State will take notice of this action and will notify the members of the legislature of my action.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have signed my name officially and caused the Seal of the State to be affixed hereto at Austin, this the 19th day of June, 2009.

RICK PERRY
Governor of Texas

ATTESTED BY:
COBY SHORTER, III
Deputy Secretary of State
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bpet
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Re: Special Session Announced Today

#2

Post by bpet »

I must admit I'm ignorant on what can be introduced in special session once convened.

Does the Governor's letter limit what is to be considered or can addition agenda items be introduced?

B :???:
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Re: Special Session Announced Today

#3

Post by Douva »

bpet wrote:I must admit I'm ignorant on what can be introduced in special session once convened.

Does the Governor's letter limit what is to be considered or can addition agenda items be introduced?

B :???:
Section 40 of Article 3 of the state constitution reads in applicable part:
When the Legislature shall be convened in special session, there
shall be no legislation upon subjects other than those designated in
the proclamation of the Governor calling such session, or presented to
them by the Governor.
During a called session, the governor can present the legislature with additional issues not included in the proclamation calling the session.

I've only been in the politics game for about two years, so hopefully Charles or someone else who's seen a few special sessions come and go can give better insight into this, but in my opinion, it would have been a very poor political move for Governor Perry to include ANY other issues in the proclamation.

Nobody in the legislature is happy about the special session. They're losing income by not being at their day jobs, and their giving up their 4th of July vacations. Plus, taxpayers must foot a seven-figure bill to call the legislators back to Austin for thirty days.

If Perry were to include anything superfluous in the proclamation, his critics would attack him for wasting taxpayer money and prioritizing his own issues ahead of more pressing concerns. If, on the other hand, he lets the legislature attack the sunset bills and highway bond bills first, he can then present the legislature with a handful of unrelated issues and hopefully catch a lot less flack from his opponents and the media.

I may be off-base, but that's my analysis.
Last edited by Douva on Thu Jun 25, 2009 1:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Special Session Announced Today

#4

Post by BrianSW99 »

That would be great if he can still add to it. I was thinking it had to be declared in the initial call, but I don't really know how the process works with special sessions.
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Re: Special Session Announced Today

#5

Post by Vic303 »

Well we can always hope...

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Re: Special Session Announced Today

#6

Post by BrianSW99 »

This blog entry at the Austin Statesman doesn't sound very hopeful:

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/ ... ssion.html
Gov. Rick Perry said today that even though he’s called lawmakers back into special session next week, he doesn’t expect the special session to last more than three or four days.

Perry will call lawmakers back into special session at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 1, to address what he called a “tightly crafted” set of issues.

Missing from that list is the voter ID bill that caused a standoff between legislators during the final week of the legislative session.

“We’re not going to take a chance on any legislative mischief from some other piece of legislation,” Perry said.

The governor said the purpose of the special session was to address issues that involve “people’s lives and livelihoods,” including tackling legislation that would allow the state’s transportation department and insurance agencies to continue operating. He also plans to ask lawmakers to authorize the Texas Department of Transportation to issue $2 billion in voter approved bonds for highway improvement projects.

Perry said even if the issues he specifically listed are wrapped up, he won’t expand the scope of the special session to include voter ID.

These comments came after a speech Perry gave to the Real Estate Council of Austin Thursday. In that speech he said he was proud of the progress legislators made in this session and the growth taking place in Texas.
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Re: Special Session Announced Today

#7

Post by Keith B »

.....the special session was to address issues that involve “people’s lives and livelihoods,”.....
Well, the parking lot bill could save my life and will allow me to keep my livelihood if I am found with a gun in the vehicle on company property (against company policy today.) :thumbs2:
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Re: Special Session Announced Today

#8

Post by boomerang »

Douva wrote:Plus, taxpayers must foot a seven-figure bill to call the legislators back to Austin for thirty days.
Over a million dollars flushed down the drain because of chubbing.

They need to get voted out!
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Re: Special Session Announced Today

#9

Post by Douva »

boomerang wrote:
Douva wrote:Plus, taxpayers must foot a seven-figure bill to call the legislators back to Austin for thirty days.
Over a million dollars flushed down the drain because of chubbing.

They need to get voted out!
It looks like Perry is going to try to keep the session very short, so they may actually keep the cost relatively low. Of course, that also means we won't see any gun bills in the special session. I guess we can keep our fingers crossed that he'll call another special session next spring, as some have suggested.

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Re: Special Session Announced Today

#10

Post by Originalist »

Unfortunately I think he would be spending far more political capital then it is worth to include our bills in any special session. I thoroughly do not agree with this but I am a realist and know that is how politics work. Unfortunately, until we get a few real good politicians to change things..... real changes (not empty promises). Then again they probably would not get much accomplished because they most likely will not get re-elected. Again, not saying I agree with it... Just being a realist. What was that quote about liberty needing to be replenished with the blood of patriots and tyrants? Anyway, I think we need to reorganize and stack the deck for the 82nd Legislature. BTW, I hope you have contacted your Federal Representatives to Denounce and voice your displeasure with the Cap and Trade Tax being voted on today.

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Re: Special Session Announced Today

#11

Post by stevie_d_64 »

quote]The governor said the purpose of the special session was to address issues that involve “people’s lives and livelihoods,” including tackling legislation that would allow the state’s transportation department and insurance agencies to continue operating. He also plans to ask lawmakers to authorize the Texas Department of Transportation to issue $2 billion in voter approved bonds for highway improvement projects.[/quote]

Yeah, and what the majority of Texans wanted to be done... :grumble
Perry said even if the issues he specifically listed are wrapped up, he won’t expand the scope of the special session to include voter ID.
Yeah, would not be a good idea to hack off a chunk of your voting base...
These comments came after a speech Perry gave to the Real Estate Council of Austin Thursday. In that speech he said he was proud of the progress legislators made in this session and the growth taking place in Texas.
"progress" :headscratch

But this is ok...That next election is going to be a real challenge for him, so some face saving with state agencies will make sure the naysayers can't say nothing' got done, right???

/sarcasm

Boy, are we going to get it done in 2011!!! That's fer sure, thats fer dang sure!!! ;-)
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Re: Special Session Announced Today

#12

Post by stevie_d_64 »

BTW, there are some things we can do to protect this state when it comes to this special session...It may not be gun related, but the ammo we use will clear up a few things...

I know we are all dissapointed in the results of this regular legislative session...What was done to "chub" state business overall was orchestrated (obviously)...

So if the Govenor wants to handcuff this session into finding a way to fund TxDOT until they get back together in 2011, fine...

A little background info...And I have no reason to not believe what I have seen and been told...

Remember that thing called the Trans Texas Corridor??? Well I had thought we killed that thing back in 2007...Nope...It was removed (died), and renamed something obscure and with little project form and substance...Well the folks at TxDOT, and those supporting the TTC have these things called CDA's (Community/Comprehensive Development Agreements) to continue funding and work as obscure and under the radar as can be done to keep the project alive...

Well, my theory is this...If the legislative branch had problems getting state business done because all our stuff was getting in the way...Well, I say we might want to call or write our guys and gals that go to Austin every two years and tell them to neuter TxDOT and amend/remove these CDA's from the TxDOT funding...

The savings alone would be prudent for a project that everyone I know of outside of government doesn't want in this state...So why continue to fund what was supposed to be publically known as a dead project???

Just my opinion...And since we have time to get to them before the conviene at 10am on July 1st, we just might head this off at the pass...(I hate that Cliche'!) ;-)

Ohhh, and there are some things called PPA's (Public/Private Agreements) I saw that probably need to have the "public" side of the deal neutered as well...Some of those are tied into this deal as well...

I believe this is important to look into for all of us...Don't take the toys out of the sandbox just yet...Plenty of playtime left...
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