02/19/2021 – Texas Legislature – Austin, TX
As of Wednesday, the 87th Texas Legislature has been in session for 38 days out of their 140-day session, which occurs just once every two years. Within those 38 days, House Representatives have gaveled in for a grand total of 7 hours and 48 minutes… less than one day. The Senate is even more feckless having met for just 4 hours and 32 minutes.
Perhaps even more disturbing is the fact that this process of stalling to run out the clock on legislation actually has a name … “Chubbing.”
The Texas Constitution in Article 3 specifically states “When convened in regular Session, the first thirty days thereof shall be devoted to the introduction of bills and resolutions, acting upon emergency appropriations, passing upon the confirmation of the recess appointees of the Governor and such emergency matters as may be submitted by the Governor in special messages to the Legislature. During the succeeding thirty days of the regular session of the Legislature the various committees of each House shall hold hearings to consider all bills and resolutions and other matters then pending; and such emergency matters as may be submitted by the Governor.”
Governor Greg Abbot has done his part. He has offered up 6 items for “Emergency Matters” that the Legislature should be considering. His priorities are:
- expanding broadband internet access,
- punishing local governments that “defund the police” as he defines it,
- changing the bail system,
- ensuring what he described as “election integrity”,
- providing civil liability protections for businesses that were open during the pandemic, and
- Reform to ERCOT. This comes after the complete failure of our electrical grid due to the incompetence of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).
How Items #1 – #3 of Abbott’s list qualifies as an “emergency” is a question we can’t answer.
Evidently, what is not an emergency according to Abbott is HB 1359, The Texas Independence Referendum Act, more commonly known as the “Let Texas Vote” act proposed by Representative Kyle Biedermann.
It seems clear that by delaying the start of a discussion on Abbott’s “Emergency Matters” the legislature is running out the clock on all other legislation. To be sure, Abbott will get his priorities accomplished but the stage is already being set for the excuses to follow … “there just wasn’t enough time to accomplish all that we wanted”, said every state representative and senator in about 100 days from now.
At the Texit Times, we urge the People of Texas to get involved and call their representatives to demand they stop chubbing and get to work. And while you have them on the phone, demand that they support HB 1359 because you deserve the right to decide for yourself if you want Texas to secede … and not let politicians decide for you.
You can find out who represents you at the links below:
House Representative = https://house.texas.gov/members/find-your-representative/
Senate = https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/home