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Close to end of session, feeling blue - are you also??
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 8:53 pm
by TexCHLFan
With less than a month to go in the regular session, we have nothing that is done and ready to go to the Governor's desk. Nothing of a substantial nature at least.
Some postings on this site say there is a standoff between the Lt. Governor and the Speaker.
Other postings indicate that the Open Carry early discussions put a damper on discussions.
Other postings put blame on the calendar's committee (or Strauss putting his control on it).
There is hardly any discussion at all anymore about Campus Carry - - that seems to have died (at least in the discussion on this board).
Are you starting to get worried, as I am, that we will wind up with nothing of real significance out of this session regarding our 2nd Amendment Rights? I'm not trying to diminish the importance of some of the bills such as HB2999, HB4061, SB1110, and a few others.
But, we came into this session with a lot of excitement. A lot of people on this forum worked hard over the last year to give the Republicans a significant majority in both the Senate and the House. And yet we seem to be getting real close to getting nothing of significance for the effort.
And after the session, if nothing of substance gets done, they will all point fingers and claim that they did everything they could do, but the other guys would not get on board. Blah, blah blah.
I have tremendous trust and faith in Charles Cotton, and I know he would issue a call-to-action if he thinks there is a chance to get something over the finish line. So we all need to check back everyday to see if he thinks there is a chance and issues such a call, and then we all have work to do.
But here we are this close to the end and I'm not feeling very confident we will get any substantive bill this session. 
Are others feeling the same?
I'm not looking to assign blame - - - - that is for someone else's posting - - - please - - - -
I'm just wondering if others are starting to feel like we may end this session with nothing major.
Looking forward to seeing if I am alone or in good company!
Re: Close to end of session, feeling blue - are you also??
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 9:01 pm
by TexasJohnBoy
Up until I saw that sb11 and sb17 got referred to committee finally in the house. I'm not about to declare victory by any means, but I was getting ready to finish watching general appropriations take the rest of the session and I saw this bit of movement. That and hb308 was reported favorably, but still needs a floor vote and the senate to take it up.
Short answer, I was in your frame of mind until 5:30 today. I'm still close to that frame of mind but not quite as dire as three and a half hours ago.
Re: Close to end of session, feeling blue - are you also??
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 9:10 pm
by Beiruty
If we do not get what we wanted (Pro gun bills) after we got GOP 60%+ majority in both chambers, why are we then voting for them anyways? If Pro bills die this session, I feel my vote and wife vote were a waste.
As Charles said, there is still time for action on the bills.
Re: Close to end of session, feeling blue - are you also??
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 9:10 pm
by v7a
I am optimistic. I'll only start to worry if we hit May 15th and don't see anything that looks like a plan in motion.
Re: Close to end of session, feeling blue - are you also??
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 10:51 pm
by joe817
Patience grasshopper, patience. Good things happen to those who wait for them.
Like many highly contested bills, there are delays that seem to take forever, yet they prevail. Like the original CHL statutes. There's no reason to believe that the bills that are most important to us will wither on the vine. It's just politics. Charles has said to "look to the horizon". I'm willing to do that.
It's a waiting game, to see who blinks first. I'm not going to blink. Are you?
Re: Close to end of session, feeling blue - are you also??
Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 5:50 am
by TexasCajun
It seems to me that the last month of the session is usually when everything starts to really move. I've maintained that we should be cautiously optimistic, and continue to do so. Yes, there's a log jam in both chambers. But that will have to break soon. It's too early to panic and definitely too early to concede defeat.
Re: Close to end of session, feeling blue - are you also??
Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 10:20 am
by TexCHLFan
Well, despite the optimism of the first 4 or 5 replies after I wrote about the disappointment in the status of things, I now see in other postings that frustrations are now reaching the same level I felt last week.
I appreciate the words that Charles wrote in another thread that indicated we are dealing with people who are acting like junior high schoolchildren (in the legislature).
I've come to the opinion that Strauss isn't the only problem. This session has shed light on the fact that we have a LOT of problems that must be addressed.
I'll keep up hope that they pull a rabbit out of the hat - - - - but with each passing day that rabbit is looking more and more like he is on life support!
Re: Close to end of session, feeling blue - are you also??
Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 11:28 am
by safety1
TexasCajun wrote:It seems to me that the last month of the session is usually when everything starts to really move. I've maintained that we should be cautiously optimistic, and continue to do so. Yes, there's a log jam in both chambers. But that will have to break soon. It's too early to panic and definitely too early to concede defeat.
I hope you are right!
Re: Close to end of session, feeling blue - are you also??
Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 12:23 pm
by OldCannon
Patience is a virtue. Ain't nothing over until the fat lady sings, and she hasn't even started warming up yet.
Re: Close to end of session, feeling blue - are you also??
Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 2:37 pm
by K5GU
I wanted to get an approximate measure of what they've done so far so I compiled a quick list from data both on LegisScan and the TLO. The following is as-of today around 1 pm. You can decide the "trend" for yourselves.
Immediate Legislation, HOUSE = 0,
SENATE = 4 (Funds & royalties, Advalorem Taxes, Health & Human Svcs)
Sent to Governor:
HOUSE Bills = 14
Breakdown - Category/(Qty)
Utility Districts (4)
Groundwater/Water Develop. (3)
Commerce (1)
Animals (2)
Info. Systems (1)
Funeral Directors (1)
Charitable Raffles (1)
Oil/Gas Regs (1)
SENATE = 44
Breakdown - Category/(Qty)
Elections (1)
Alcohol (serving age) (1)
Indigent Defense (1)
Commerce (5)
Agriculture (3)
Shools/High Educ. (4)
Workers Comp. (1)
Family (2)
Insurance (5)
License Plates (2)
Info. Systems (1)
Oil/Gas Regs.- labor (1)
Aviation Towers (1)
Crimes against minors. (1)
Crimes military (fraud. ID) (1)
Highways - Renaming (5)
Highways - Regs. (1)
Taxes (1)
Waterways (1)
Utility Rates (2)
Health Svcs (1)
Lawyers (1)
Indigent Defense (1)
Charitable Healthcare (1)
Re: Close to end of session, feeling blue - are you also??
Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 2:44 pm
by K5GU
And as of Sunday there were 1,821 House Resolutions introduced and 749 Senate Resolutions, discussed on the floor, and/or passed , confirming that they spend tons of time preparing, introducing and voting on Resolutions!
Re: Close to end of session, feeling blue - are you also??
Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 2:48 pm
by TexCHLFan
K5GU wrote:I wanted to get an approximate measure of what they've done so far so I compiled a quick list from data both on LegisScan and the TLO. The following is as-of today around 1 pm. You can decide the "trend" for yourselves.
Immediate Legislation, HOUSE = 0,
SENATE = 4 (Funds & royalties, Advalorem Taxes, Health & Human Svcs)
Sent to Governor:
HOUSE Bills = 14
Breakdown - Category/(Qty)
Utility Districts (4)
Groundwater/Water Develop. (3)
Commerce (1)
Animals (2)
Info. Systems (1)
Funeral Directors (1)
Charitable Raffles (1)
Oil/Gas Regs (1)
SENATE = 44
Breakdown - Category/(Qty)
Elections (1)
Alcohol (serving age) (1)
Indigent Defense (1)
Commerce (5)
Agriculture (3)
Shools/High Educ. (4)
Workers Comp. (1)
Family (2)
Insurance (5)
License Plates (2)
Info. Systems (1)
Oil/Gas Regs.- labor (1)
Aviation Towers (1)
Crimes against minors. (1)
Crimes military (fraud. ID) (1)
Highways - Renaming (5)
Highways - Regs. (1)
Taxes (1)
Waterways (1)
Utility Rates (2)
Health Svcs (1)
Lawyers (1)
Indigent Defense (1)
Charitable Healthcare (1)
Wow, quite enlightening! Thanks for putting this list together.
Speaks volumes.
Re: Close to end of session, feeling blue - are you also??
Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 2:51 pm
by The Annoyed Man
TexCHLFan wrote:K5GU wrote:I wanted to get an approximate measure of what they've done so far so I compiled a quick list from data both on LegisScan and the TLO. The following is as-of today around 1 pm. You can decide the "trend" for yourselves.
Immediate Legislation, HOUSE = 0,
SENATE = 4 (Funds & royalties, Advalorem Taxes, Health & Human Svcs)
Sent to Governor:
HOUSE Bills = 14
Breakdown - Category/(Qty)
Utility Districts (4)
Groundwater/Water Develop. (3)
Commerce (1)
Animals (2)
Info. Systems (1)
Funeral Directors (1)
Charitable Raffles (1)
Oil/Gas Regs (1)
SENATE = 44
Breakdown - Category/(Qty)
Elections (1)
Alcohol (serving age) (1)
Indigent Defense (1)
Commerce (5)
Agriculture (3)
Shools/High Educ. (4)
Workers Comp. (1)
Family (2)
Insurance (5)
License Plates (2)
Info. Systems (1)
Oil/Gas Regs.- labor (1)
Aviation Towers (1)
Crimes against minors. (1)
Crimes military (fraud. ID) (1)
Highways - Renaming (5)
Highways - Regs. (1)
Taxes (1)
Waterways (1)
Utility Rates (2)
Health Svcs (1)
Lawyers (1)
Indigent Defense (1)
Charitable Healthcare (1)
Wow, quite enlightening! Thanks for putting this list together.
Speaks volumes.
And no gun bills in the list.
Re: Close to end of session, feeling blue - are you also??
Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 2:52 pm
by K5GU
The Annoyed Man wrote:TexCHLFan wrote:K5GU wrote:I wanted to get an approximate measure of what they've done so far so I compiled a quick list from data both on LegisScan and the TLO. The following is as-of today around 1 pm. You can decide the "trend" for yourselves.
Immediate Legislation, HOUSE = 0,
SENATE = 4 (Funds & royalties, Advalorem Taxes, Health & Human Svcs)
Sent to Governor:
HOUSE Bills = 14
Breakdown - Category/(Qty)
Utility Districts (4)
Groundwater/Water Develop. (3)
Commerce (1)
Animals (2)
Info. Systems (1)
Funeral Directors (1)
Charitable Raffles (1)
Oil/Gas Regs (1)
SENATE = 44
Breakdown - Category/(Qty)
Elections (1)
Alcohol (serving age) (1)
Indigent Defense (1)
Commerce (5)
Agriculture (3)
Shools/High Educ. (4)
Workers Comp. (1)
Family (2)
Insurance (5)
License Plates (2)
Info. Systems (1)
Oil/Gas Regs.- labor (1)
Aviation Towers (1)
Crimes against minors. (1)
Crimes military (fraud. ID) (1)
Highways - Renaming (5)
Highways - Regs. (1)
Taxes (1)
Waterways (1)
Utility Rates (2)
Health Svcs (1)
Lawyers (1)
Indigent Defense (1)
Charitable Healthcare (1)
Wow, quite enlightening! Thanks for putting this list together.
Speaks volumes.
And no gun bills in the list.
Thanks for keeping me On Topic!
Re: Close to end of session, feeling blue - are you also??
Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 3:06 pm
by baseballguy2001
Nice work compiling all that data.
Confirms what I've been thinking all session long -- see you in 2017.