San Antonio Young Democrats

Friday, November 16, 2007

Legislative Update

By Clifton Walker

On November 6th, a mere 9% of registered Texas voters voted to change the Texas constitution sixteen times, and to authorize the issuance of $9.75 billion in general obligation bonds. In fact, in spite of a well-promoted proposition that would fund cancer research to the tune of $3 billion, statewide turnout was only half that from two years ago, when the constitutional ban on gay marriage was the most hyped item on the ballot. Total votes to ban gay marriage: 1,723,782 (76.25% of total turnout). Total votes for cancer research: 668,543 (62.73% of total turnout). Riddle me this: does this mean that Texans fear gay marriage more than they do cancer?

Also almost unnoticed was a proposition authorizing the extension of $500 million to finance student loans. Our state will now issue $5 billion in bonds to pay for highway improvements which could very well go towards the new third rail of Texas politics - toll roads. Next legislative session, our state lawmakers will now have to cast record votes upon final passage of a bill. Disabled veterans will now see a drop in their property tax bill, depending on the degree they are rated disabled by the Veterans Administration.

We passed a record number of bonds – nearly ten billion dollars in IOUs that our generation will be responsible for fulfilling. Why so much? One local Democratic state representative called these bonds “the new fees” – the technique used by lawmakers last session to sneak by what are essentially tax increases. With so many Republicans pledged to never creating a new tax or raising an existing one, lawmakers are pushed to find creative, if not deceptive, ways to fund government. Makes you wonder what they’ll do to avoid meddling with taxes next session, however fair and sensible the tax adjustment. Bake sales at your local Medicaid office? Perhaps, ‘Supersize’ opportunities for a little extra justice when you pay your court fees? How about toll booths at the gates of state universities?

Finally, the date that most bills passed last session took effect was September 1. If you aren’t a member of the lobby or a special interest group that cares about bills dealing with particular issues, you probably don’t hear much about new laws (over 1400 this year). For your edification and reading enjoyment, here are a just few of the laws that govern your life, and some that almost did.

These passed:

Dog owners are now considered criminally negligent if they fail to secure a dog that causes serious bodily injury to someone off the owner’s property. (HB 1355 by Gattis-R)
No more roadside snake hunting. (HB 12 by Hildebrand-R)
Shoot first, ask questions later – you can shoot to kill with a “presumption of reasonableness” at your home, your workplace, and in your car (SB 378 by Wentworth-R)

Some failed proposals:

Interest rate caps for payday lenders lending to servicemembers and their families (HB 2048 by Farias-D)
The creation of a Texas Innocence Commission to correct wrongful convictions (SB 263 by Ellis-D)
Repeal of the nearly 50 year ban on the sale of horsemeat (HB 2476 by Miller-R)
Voter registration and election day obstacles, like the presentation of multiple identification. Of course, while meant to prevent illegal immigrants from voting (a phenomenon that no one can prove really exists), it would effectively disenfranchise plenty of minorities, the elderly, the disabled and the poor. What a coincidence. Special thanks to Senator Mario Gallegos (D-H) for risking his life to stay near the Senate where Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst threatened to revive this stinker at any given moment.

This is why we need more Democrats in the Legislature.