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The MAJOR CALENDAR items have priority over GENERAL CALENDAR items.

SB730 and SB729 are items number 1 and 3 on the GENERAL CALENDAR. That in and of itself looks pretty good but it could all be set back for a continuation of yesterday's business...and there was a LOT of unfinished business yesterday due to the 'chubbing' delays to prevent SB362 (voter ID) from coming before the house.


All that being said, everything could change for better or worse. The members can suspend the rules, change the order, withdraw bills from consideration, and do any number of things to speed up or delay further the activities of the house.

Unfortunately we do not have (except Charles and Alice Tripp) a direct line to the floor to see know exactly what is going on. While the Charles/Alice link is important to us, I am sure they are bound to silence of any inside info they may have so as not to spill any beans and thereby potentially negating an opportunity we may have...or not have.

It is called "chubbing".

For example, house rules state that when a member puts a bill before the House for consideration, members can have at least 10 to ask questions on the bill and the member sponsoring the bill can take up to 3 minutes in laying out the bill. That means that those wanting to stall can require the House to spend at least 10 minutes on each reading of the bill and it the bill's sponsor is on the same side they can kill at least 13 minutes on each bill...even on Local and Consent Calendar bills which normally zip through so fast you cannot understand the words said over them. What they do not finish tonight they will carry over to foul up Saturday's calendar as well. As was said, it may be the death of the entire General Calendar, of which SB730 and SB729 were formerly early prospects for consderation tomorrow.

It also sets up the most boring, inane and embarrassingly stupid comments from the floor as they try to fill the full 10 minutes stalling a bill with which they might actually agree. Reference "aircraft carriers" in an "air carrier" bill dealing with TxDOT.

SB729 is a very good bill which makes it a defense to prosecution if a CHL carries into a 51% establishment and there is no proper posting of the 51% sign. It hasn't gotten to recognition of SB730 (parking lot) or SB1164 (campus carry), but it would help if someone happend into the wrong place.

Defense to prosecution means that you might still be arrested if you were detected, but at trial it could prevent conviction. On the other hand, if an officer KNOWS that it is a defense to prosecution and knows that the sign was not properly posted, it might deter an arrest. Either way it is a better situation than currently exists since there is no real penalty for businesses who do not post the 51% sign as required.

I just looked at the House Calendar for Saturday, 5-23-09.

There are seven items for consideration on the MAJOR Clender.

There are twenty-eight items for consideration on the General Calendar. For what it is worth, SB730 is the FIRST ITEM on the General Calendar list.

Here is the link:

http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81 ... 090523.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is there a proceedure for moving a bill from General Caledar (ie.SB730) to Major Calendar?

If so, how is it done and who could get it done?

Thanks