Senate Recap

Here is something to sleep on, HB3 passed final reading today and is headed to the Governor’s desk. No big deal, right? Just a procedural vote, right?

Wrong.

The buzz is that Senator Mike Jackson voted with the Democrats the first time so he could pick up some favors in Congressional District 22. The quid pro quo of the Texas legislature.

After losing the vote to suspend the rules, Lt Gov Dewhurst called for a “brief” at ease call and asked the Senate reconveneene at 2:15. The second that happened Jackson was dragged to the Governor’s office so that leadership could talk some loyalty into him. Not the silliest thing I have hear, but this is.

Around 5pm, the Senate got back to work, and one Senator was nowhere to be seen and Jackson had a change of heart.

The journal isn’t up yet and the vote isn’t recorded, but the Senate archive is up. It is interesting to watch Jackson announce his discomfort in the business tax right after he suspended the rules and voted for it. This is one of the shining examples of politics not done well. Next up, Jackson will show us how to make sausages!

The Quorum Report has a few more details on the rest of the votes taken today and the plans for the rest of the week.

Senators on Tuesday also gave final approval to two other pieces of the overall tax package. Passed on third reading were HB 2, the property tax relief fund, and HB 4, the liar’s affidavit tax.

Senators plan to discuss HB 1, next year’s property tax relief bill, and HB 5, the increased cigarette tax, tomorrow in Senate Finance.