By Adam Russell
Posted: Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Tyler Morning Telegraph
Local House members have high hopes for bills that made the cut before Monday’s midnight deadline as another deadline looms.
As of midnight Monday, House bills that had not passed out of committee and did not make the final daily calendar effectively died as the 83rd legislative session draws near the end. The final deadline that will dash hopes for thousands of stagnant bills is Thursday. The 140-day session ends May 27.
Some bills with high priority for local representatives were lost in the scheduling shuffle, but others were given life with a place on the House calendar.
Freshman Rep. Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler, said debating and discussing policy has been an enjoyable experience but watching bills die in committee without explanation can be frustrating.
Schaefer authored or co-authored 20 bills in his first session and is hoping to see a few of them survive the deadline.
“The whole system is designed for very few bills to get through,” he said. “It’s not fun to see a bill get held up after working hard for it.”
Bills, including one authored to allow professionals, such as engineers, to teach vocational or technical classes made the calendar, but Schaefer isn’t relying on the House schedule. He will have other options, such as attaching bills to other legislation related to education if the bill gets pushed beyond midnight Thursday.
Schaefer said he was happy to have aided Rep. James White, R-Woodville, in passage of a bill that would make secure overseas online voting for troops on front lines. He said he had first-hand experience while voting in the 2010 Tyler elections while in Afghanistan.
Rep. David Simpson, R-Longview, succeeded in passing a high priority bill to exempt sales tax on certain precious metals and coins for purchases under $1,000 recently. Other bills, such as a 2013 version of a controversial bill to prevent inappropriate searches by federal agents, never made it out of committee. In 2011, Simpson gained national attention when he filed a bill to make it a Class A misdemeanor for a public servant to touch a person inappropriately during security screenings – even through clothing.
The bill became known as an affront to the Transportation Security Administration’s screening process, which had come under public scrutiny. The bill was high enough on Gov. Rick Perry’s conservative agenda to be listed among legislation up for consideration during 2011’s special session. It didn’t go anywhere then or now.
“HB 80 was held hostage for several weeks (in committee) even though I had the votes (to get it out),” he said.
Another bill, House Bill 1382, which would lessen regulation on produce, including fruits, vegetables and meats, sold directly by farmers at farmers’ markets made the deadline and will likely be heard today. If the bill becomes law, farmers would still be subject to state health and safety laws, but the bill would make it easier for customers to try and buy produce on site.
The bill is considered part of the “farm-to-table movement” and is supported by the House Farm to Table Caucus, a bi-partisan group of members seeking options and solutions to address food safety and education, childhood obesity and hunger.
Rep. Dan Flynn, R-Van, was pleased a group of bills designed to create more transparency regarding gifts or donations for supplemental pay to state staffers and other reforms is still moving.
Flynn said a bill designed to allow milk producers direct access to customers stalled but is hopeful others, including one that would legalize a Texas courtesy – pulling onto the shoulder to allow faster traffic to pass.
Department of Public Safety officials asked Flynn to author the bill because they believe allowing drivers to use paved shoulders will create safer traffic flow.
“It’s always been a rural courtesy, but it’s not legal,” he said. “I do it, and (DPS) officials believe it will be safer for drivers.”
Dozens of bills from legislative members are expected to be heard on the House floor over the next two days.
“On Thursday, we have until midnight and I am expecting we’ll be on the floor until then,” he said.
