SB 17 about to go to the Senate Floor - Amendments?

[steveincowtown]

Seems like that may be a rule worth looking at changing. Especially when they start whining they didn't have enough time to do their jobs.

They have plenty of time to pass the legislation they want passed. Look at a list of bills passed last session.

No bill fails by lack of time unless designed that way.

So why do they keep saying they don't have time to deliberate the bills on the floor and vote for them? I'm just making a suggestion that would take that excuse of the table.

By the way, it's not the number of bills that's passed that indicates how busy they are. It's how many bills get committee and floor time.

There is plenty of time either way.

Here is a link to video of the Texas house for all meetings during the 2013 session.

I'll point out 2 important things.

#1> Look at how many days they were actually in session and how long the were actually in session during the days they were there.

http://www.house.state.tx.us/video-audio/chamber/83/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

#2> The useless resolutions continue way into the session. Look at this video from July 18, 2013. Including the VERY important business of one Representative formally recognizing a friend who was in the audience.

http://tlchouse.granicus.com/MediaPlaye ... ip_id=5141" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I fully understand that this is how politics work, but IMHO there has never been, nor ever will be, not enough time to pass bills that the TX Leg wants to pass.

[Charles L. Cotton]

Seems like that may be a rule worth looking at changing. Especially when they start whining they didn't have enough time to do their jobs.

I disagree. We really don't want an efficient state legislature. As things stand now, it takes a deliberate and concentrated effort to get anything passed. That's a very good thing for any level of gov't.

Absolutely right!!!

Chas.

[mojo84]

I disagree as I think it can still require deliberate concentrated effort to get a bill passed while eliminating inefficiency. No where did i indicate i want to make it easier to pass a bill. What's the purpose of not being able to debate a bill and vote on it until weeks has passed since it was referred from committee? A week to two is plenty of time for the legislators to get up to speed on the bills that make it to the floor. I believe bad bills would continue to die in committee or be voted down on the floor whether the legislators spend weeks grandstanding, congratulating one another and passing resolutions or not.

If they have too much time in session, then let's shorten the session. If we are relying on inefficiency to protect us from bad bills being passed, we have bigger problems than I realize.

Heaven forbid we eliminate government waste and inefficiency.

[MeMelYup]

I disagree as I think it can still require deliberate concentrated effort to get a bill passed while eliminating inefficiency. No where did i indicate i want to make it easier to pass a bill. What's the purpose of not being able to debate a bill and vote on it until weeks has passed since it was referred from committee? A week to two is plenty of time for the legislators to get up to speed on the bills that make it to the floor. I believe bad bills would continue to die in committee or be voted down on the floor whether the legislators spend weeks grandstanding, congratulating one another and passing resolutions or not.

If they have too much time in session, then let's shorten the session. If we are relying on inefficiency to protect us from bad bills being passed, we have bigger problems than I realize.

Heaven forbid we eliminate government waste and inefficiency.

You cannot eliminate waste no mater how efficient something runs. An electric motor has wasted motion. With people there is individual thoughts. Each person has individual thinking process and with that their minds stray. I would not want to live in a world where all thoughts were pinpointed and individuals worked the same way, it would stagnate.

[mojo84]

Interesting how far some reach in order to argue and debate.

[joelamosobadiah]

I disagree as I think it can still require deliberate concentrated effort to get a bill passed while eliminating inefficiency. No where did i indicate i want to make it easier to pass a bill. What's the purpose of not being able to debate a bill and vote on it until weeks has passed since it was referred from committee? A week to two is plenty of time for the legislators to get up to speed on the bills that make it to the floor. I believe bad bills would continue to die in committee or be voted down on the floor whether the legislators spend weeks grandstanding, congratulating one another and passing resolutions or not.

If they have too much time in session, then let's shorten the session. If we are relying on inefficiency to protect us from bad bills being passed, we have bigger problems than I realize.

Heaven forbid we eliminate government waste and inefficiency.

You cannot eliminate waste no mater how efficient something runs. An electric motor has wasted motion. With people there is individual thoughts. Each person has individual thinking process and with that their minds stray. I would not want to live in a world where all thoughts were pinpointed and individuals worked the same way, it would stagnate.

So replace eliminate with reduce... I don't think he truly meant to eliminate all traces of inefficiency...

I spent 7 years in federal civilian service, and a couple of those years put large amount of time in DC working on improving our agency, crafting new rules and procedures, etc. The level of inefficiency that is built into the very foundation of our government is completely mind-blowing. I always found jokes about the government humorous because they contain a small amount of truth in them. I now find them repulsive because even the jokes that seem to be grossly exaggerated barely scratch the surface of how completely ingrained the waste and inefficiency is into the system.

So I agree. The system is very, very broken and needs some major work, however, all things considered, the Texas legislature seems to work pretty well to accomplish the most important items and not be too overbearing.

[mojo84]

I disagree as I think it can still require deliberate concentrated effort to get a bill passed while eliminating inefficiency. No where did i indicate i want to make it easier to pass a bill. What's the purpose of not being able to debate a bill and vote on it until weeks has passed since it was referred from committee? A week to two is plenty of time for the legislators to get up to speed on the bills that make it to the floor. I believe bad bills would continue to die in committee or be voted down on the floor whether the legislators spend weeks grandstanding, congratulating one another and passing resolutions or not.

If they have too much time in session, then let's shorten the session. If we are relying on inefficiency to protect us from bad bills being passed, we have bigger problems than I realize.

Heaven forbid we eliminate government waste and inefficiency.

You cannot eliminate waste no mater how efficient something runs. An electric motor has wasted motion. With people there is individual thoughts. Each person has individual thinking process and with that their minds stray. I would not want to live in a world where all thoughts were pinpointed and individuals worked the same way, it would stagnate.

So replace eliminate with reduce... I don't think he truly meant to eliminate all traces of inefficiency...

I spent 7 years in federal civilian service, and a couple of those years put large amount of time in DC working on improving our agency, crafting new rules and procedures, etc. The level of inefficiency that is built into the very foundation of our government is completely mind-blowing. I always found jokes about the government humorous because they contain a small amount of truth in them. I now find them repulsive because even the jokes that seem to be grossly exaggerated barely scratch the surface of how completely ingrained the waste and inefficiency is into the system.

So I agree. The system is very, very broken and needs some major work, however, all things considered, the Texas legislature seems to work pretty well to accomplish the most important items and not be too overbearing.

That's exactly right!! If the goal is to eliminate government waste and inefficiency, mitigation will be the result. Taking the comments to the the literal extreme is just a tactic to pick an argument and make a debate out of something that shouldn't need debating.

The scary part is, many that are entrenched in the government and politics loves the status quo of inefficiency and quagmire. It helps keep them relevant and produces income and revenue. The examples of this is endless. There is too much behind the scenes tit for tat and guid pro quo that goes on behind the scenes. More of the process needs to be public with open debate and recorded votes.

I also agree the Texas legislative process is probably one of the best among the states. I just don't have enough intimate knowledge to say it is the best. I do have enough knowledge of it to know it is not perfect. Anyone that claims improvement is not needed or possible loses a certain amount of credibility.

[joe817]

Well, it seems the Senate if finally getting off top dead center.

Both SB11 & SB17 are on today's Senate Regular Order of Business for the second reading, starting at 2:00 pm.

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/ ... 150309.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ruark]

Well, it seems the Senate if finally getting off top dead center.

Both SB11 & SB17 are on today's Senate Regular Order of Business for the second reading, starting at 2:00 pm.

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/ ... 150309.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Watching......

Sheesh. They met about 5 minutes. Had one recognition (some kids from somewhere), announced a meeting, and that's it. Adjourned until tomorrow.

[joe817]

DOH! Missed the first 30 min.

[joe817]

Watched the Senate floor action for a little while.

Watched the House floor action for a little while:

Watched the Senate Committee on State Affairs for a little while:

Hope tomorrow is more interesting.