Senate may abandon 21-vote rule to pass budget; why not CC?

[NorthTexas]

http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-pol ... 52569.html
Senators may abandon tradition to pass budget
By Kate Alexander
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Updated: 12:06 a.m. Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Published: 10:49 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, 2011

According to this article, there is a way around the 2/3rds rule (i.e., needing 21 votes to consider a bill in the Senate). Apparently, chamber operating rules say that on Wednesdays and Thursdays, a bill can be heard in the Senate without the normal 2/3rds (21-vote) support, as long as the bill in question has already passed the House. However, tradition dictates that any bills of major importance do not come up for discussion in this manner.

Senators are now considering abandoning the 2/3rds rule/tradition in order to pass a budget. If they break tradition for the budget, maybe they would also break tradition for campus carry (assuming we could get HB 750 out of Calendars and passed first). Hey, I can hope...

[RPB]

If the House Calendars committee, which contains many co-authors of HB 750 would get it on the floor Calendars
And they get it passed and sent to the Senate .... we'd just need to wait for a Wednesday or Thursday?.... IIRC, they have a Wednesday and a Thursday ALMOST every week .... unless it rains.

House Calendars Committee contact info:

viewtopic.php?f=110&t=43483#p525227" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

H Considered in Calendars 04/21/2011
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLook ... Bill=HB750" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Unless the Dems are trying to force a "Special Session" ?

[Jasonw560]

IIRC, they have a Wednesday and a Thursday ALMOST every week .... unless it rains.

And on even number years, with months that have 3 full moons and a "Q" in it...

[RPB]

UT ALERT
May 5, 2011

Around 12:45 a.m., two Hispanic males robbed one of our students at gunpoint near the Brazos garage. No one was hurt. They were headed east on MLK when last seen. The suspects are described as heavy set, one wearing a hat and red shirt, the other wearing a hat and white shirt driving a dark colored Honda Accord.

Please be aware of your surroundings and report suspicious activity to UTPD at 512-471-4441.


PLEASE GET HB 750 on the CALENDAR.

Thank you.


I just sent the above to all on House Calendars Committee... Perhaps they want a repeat of Amanda Collins first? House Calendars: viewtopic.php?f=110&t=43483#p525227" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Considered in Calendars 04/21/2011
Stop "considering" and as Nike Sportswear said ... "JUST DO IT"

[Jasonw560]

I contacted all of the members. One staffer said Rep. King was strongly in favor and is "working diligently" to get this bill scheduled for a vote.

Most of the people I talked to said they were getting many emails, faxes, and calls over the past month or two.

MOST OF THE CALLS, FAXES, AND EMAILS HAVE BEEN IN FAVOR OF THIS BILL!!!

I also encourage you to call the Calendar clerk's office....Jennifer Welch 512 463-0758.

Tell her, also. I'm sure she has Rep. Hunter's ear.

[RHenriksen]

No one at the Calendar Committee's office is answering the phone... left voicemail for Jennifer to call me. I'd rather speak to her live, if possible, than just leave a VM.

[RPB]

Wonder what Rick Perry said to the group surrounding him on the Senate Floor when they said "Members, welcome Governor Perry to the Senate Floor"

Wish they had more microphones and multiple cameras we could each select from our own computers
--------------------------
Duplicate/near duplicate bills get filed sometimes, like the 2 "guns on watercraft" bills
Wonder if someone could copy SB5, with the Amendment 8 language (no opt out for private school) and file it; (Senate bill 9,650 or whatever) then release to the Press "Democrats fight school funding bill."

Late now sooooo might need a Special Session

I mean what "sounds better" for Rick Perry? ...
Governor calls Special Session for school cost cutting, spending and funding bill (Senate bill 9,650 or whatever)

or

to get more guns on campus

[RPB]

Read the page; do the opposite

Here are three things you can do:

http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=211 ... d57fb711c8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Well ... not the opposite of:

It does not hurt to call each of these people every single day.

[NorthTexas]

Senators are now considering abandoning the 2/3rds rule/tradition in order to pass a budget.

On Wednesday, the Senate DID abandon the 2/3rds rule and passed the budget, according to an article in the Thursday Dallas Morning News. (Sorry, not providing a link because you have to be a subscriber to read online, and I'm not, I'm reading the print edition). Lt. Gov. Dewhurst was quoted as saying, "We followed our rules."

Quote from the article: "Van de Putte said she fears "every single thing that has ... clamor [and] controversy," such as abortion and concealed-weapon bills, could be rammed through with only 16 of the Senate's 31 votes. "The two-thirds rule seems to exist when it's convenient," she said."

The article also says that the 2/3rds rule has been abandoned previously to pass bills on redistricting, elections, education, and transportation.

As others have already said, please keep asking the members of the House Calendars Committee to send HB 750 to the floor; it would be one more possible avenue to pass campus carry. I'll be contacting the committee members myself shortly.