Creeping Statism Watch

How much of this is necessary?

Lawmakers filed more than 800 bills Friday, the deadline for legislators to propose changes in state law. Ideas ranged from tying university tuition to family income to tripling the tax on French wines.

"It's a brisk pace," said House chief clerk Robert Haney. From Monday through Thursday, almost 1,600 bills were filed. Although the pace of bill filing was initially slow this session, lawmakers set a record Friday, filing more bills at the last minute than in previous sessions. A total of 3,550 bills and 100 joint resolutions were filed in the House, with 615 bills streaming in Friday. In the Senate, 1,859 bills were filed along with 62 joint resolutions. Joint resolutions are proposals to amend the Texas Constitution.

Some observers attributed the initial slow pace of bill filing to the large number of new members. Of 181 members in the House and Senate this year, 42 are freshmen.

Others pointed to the lack of money. The state is facing a $9.9 billion gap between expected revenue and the money needed to maintain services. Any bill carrying a large price tag probably does not have a high hope of passing, Gov. Rick Perry said. Taxes, insurance and higher education accounted for a large share of the bills filed this session. More than 460 bills sought to make changes to the state's tax code, and more than 470 were aimed at correcting insurance ills. About 315 bills addressed higher education.

tik-tik-tik

Like a hen pecking away at her food.

Among the tax bills filed Friday was House Bill 3437, a proposal by Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin, to adopt a state personal income tax and abolish the corporate franchise tax and the share-the-wealth plan Texas uses to finance public schools.

Under House Bill 2570, filed Thursday by Rep. Paul Moreno, D-El Paso, Texans who earn more than $100,000 a year would pay a 4 percent income tax.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst laughed when told about the filing of an income tax bill.

"I absolutely do not think the people of Texas want to see increased tax burdens, and I think a state income tax is dead on arrival," he said.

Good for him. It's the last thing Texas needs.

The crush ofproposals introduced as the bill filing deadline loomed included the usual complement of measures that could be deemed less than pivotal.

Rep. Chente Quintanilla, D-Tornillo, on Thursday filed House Concurrent Resolution 92 to designate the sopaipilla as the state's official pastry. Concurrent resolutions are honorary in nature and do not have the force of law.

"The sopaipilla stands out among Texas pastries because of its historic origins and universal appeal," the resolution says.

Sen. Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, on Thursday filed Senate Concurrent Resolution 26, which would designate Round Rock the "Daffodil Capital of Texas."

The longest bill, filed Thursday, was House Bill 2922, a revision by Rep. Kenny Marchant, R-Carrollton, of the state's insurance code. The 1,261-page bill describes the changes as "non-substantive."

At least two proposals dealt with license plates.

This is what we pay these jackasses for? To introduce dumb shit like this? You'd think the actual voting and bill-authoring record of our lawmakers and lawmaker-wannabes would be part of the reason why we reject or endorse them. Crap like this never gets talked about. And it never gets the attention it deserves.

Posted by Drizzten at March 17, 2003 09:58 AM