Posted by:
Eby
at Thu Apr 19 11:31:15 2007 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Eby ]
I’ve given myself a refresher, crash course in the Texas legislative process. There are excellent resources available online at Texas Legislature Online and the House Research Organization
Based on my new found “knowledge”, I’ve outline the following steps this bill will have to go through in order to become law. We could potentially stop it anywhere along the line. Some of the kill options listed here are more likely than others. The right influence at the right time (from a powerful politician, sympathetic TPWD official, effective lobbyist, or our collective calls and letters) is all we need.
1) Originating Committee (Culture, Recreation, and Tourism) –only IF we can get it sent back, and I don’t know if there is a way to do that.
a) Get it amended back to the original text.
b) Get it amended to include an exclusion.
c) Attach a killer amendment –risky move, the idea is to make the bill even worse so it will be more likely to get voted down.
2) Local & Consent Calendar Committee
a) Get it tabled –This will just delay it, but enough delays will kill it. This happened with 5 of 218 bills in the last month.
b) Get it transferred back to the originating committee –I don’t know if this is possible.
c) Get it transferred to the General Calendar Committee – This acts as a delay AND causes the bill to get MUCH more scrutiny. This happened with 23 of 218 bills in the last month.
3) General Calendar Committee – If we can get it sent there.
a) Get it tabled – Stall, stall, and stall some more!
4) HOUSE FLOOR
a) Get it tabled – just keep stalling & stalling.
b) Get it withdrawn –this has happened with 16 bills coming out of Local & Consent this month
c) Get it amended back to the original text.
d) Get it amended to include an exclusion.
e) Attach a killer amendment –risky move, the idea is to make the bill even worse so it will be more likely to get voted down.
5) SENATE –This bill has NOT been introduced to the Senate. If it never goes to the Senate, it will die quietly. If it does go to the Senate will have all the same opportunities to kill it there as we have in the house.
6) House and Senate Conference Committee – If it passes the House and Senate, but with different text.
a) Get it tabled –Still stalling!
b) Get it amended to some acceptable text.
c) Attach a killer amendment.
7) Governor’s Desk – If it gets this far you can start selling your flashlights!
a) Veto –Extremely unlikely.
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 Opportunities to Kill 2414 - Civics 101 - Eby, Thu Apr 19 11:31:15 2007
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