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With the number of bills that wind up expiring in committee or never making it to committee or any number of other issues is it time for the Legislature to increase their session? By no means should they go 24/7/365 like the national but is it time to maybe add a week or three to the current schedule to get through more of what they should?

Absolutely not! The more time you give them, the more laws they will pass. Short sessions force them to prioritize and restrict the damage they can do.

baldeagle wrote:Absolutely not! The more time you give them, the more laws they will pass. Short sessions force them to prioritize and restrict the damage they can do.

1000%

Anything critical that doesn't get done in regular session can be done in special sessions.

There are entirely too many laws and they often overlap. It's not unusual to see a singular violation generate multiple charges that are often used to extort a plea deal.

Allowing politicians more time in-session to deal with expanding slates of bills is somewhat akin to allowing the fox more time in the hen-house to chase down and catch the ornery rooster who's too old to eat. The rooster won't be the only bird killed, you like those hens, and the fox might decide the rooster's too tough anyway.

LDB415 wrote:With the number of bills that wind up expiring in committee or never making it to committee or any number of other issues is it time for the Legislature to increase their session? By no means should they go 24/7/365 like the national but is it time to maybe add a week or three to the current schedule to get through more of what they should?

More time would just give the legislature more opportunity to make things worse.

"No man's life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session." Samuel Langhorne Clemens

"expiring in committee" is actually something they count on. The Legs can file a bill they know their constituents want but has no chance of going anywhere and then say "it didn't get out of committee".

baldeagle wrote:Absolutely not! The more time you give them, the more laws they will pass. Short sessions force them to prioritize and restrict the damage they can do.

IMHO we have consensus and find widespread support for the old adage "when the Texas Legislature is in session no one is safe".

You ask this assuming that they will accomplish more given more time. Look at our full-time politicians in DC...they can't accomplish anything and it's their full time gig.

The Texas Legislature could meet once every ten years and I would be happy.