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87th Texas Legislature


StassneyHorn

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18 hours ago, Voldemort86 said:

Is there some kind of deadline the democrats in Washington DC are holding out for?  Is there a point where the legislature would have to give up on the voter suppression bill and start working on redistricting?

Redistricting is definitely one deadline.  I'm not sure what the actual deadline is, but at some point the Legislature loses control (I think Lege redistricting goes to a panel including the Gov, the Lt. Gov, the AG, the Land Comm'r, and the Speaker of the House and Congressional redistricting goes to some judicial panel).

But there's also the issue with legislative funding.  The Lege is going to run out of money on September 30 because Abbott is a dumbfuck and vetoed the legislative appropriation.  So guess what gets defunded along with every other legislative office?  The House Sergeant at Arms.  So there goes the ability to enforce the call of the House.

5 hours ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

I get the emotional why, but is there a legal why? From what more knowledgable folks have posted on this thread it seems pretty cut and dry. It sucks in this case, but it is the law, and it is there to prevent the legislature from completely abdicating themselves of any responsibility of governing. What actually sucks is that there isn't a mechanism in place to prevent its abuse.

Is there a legal why legislators can't be arrested?

My answer on that is that arrest is a judicial function.  One can only be arrested under certain circumstances (e.g., probable cause to believe the arrestee has committed a crime).  One of those circumstances is a warrant.  And arrest warrants can only be issued by the judiciary.

At English common law, Parliament could issue arrest warrants.  Those are called bills of attainder.  And they violate Article I, Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution (and would probably be extended to the States under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment).

So if a member of the Legislature actually gets arrested, s/he needs to (and almost certainly will) petition for writ of habeas corpus in federal district court here in Austin and see what Judge Yeakel or Judge Pittman has to say about it.

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1 hour ago, Ghost of LL said:

Redistricting is definitely one deadline.  I'm not sure what the actual deadline is, but at some point the Legislature loses control (I think Lege redistricting goes to a panel including the Gov, the Lt. Gov, the AG, the Land Comm'r, and the Speaker of the House and Congressional redistricting goes to some judicial panel).

But there's also the issue with legislative funding.  The Lege is going to run out of money on September 30 because Abbott is a dumbfuck and vetoed the legislative appropriation.  So guess what gets defunded along with every other legislative office?  The House Sergeant at Arms.  So there goes the ability to enforce the call of the House.

Is there a legal why legislators can't be arrested?

My answer on that is that arrest is a judicial function.  One can only be arrested under certain circumstances (e.g., probable cause to believe the arrestee has committed a crime).  One of those circumstances is a warrant.  And arrest warrants can only be issued by the judiciary.

At English common law, Parliament could issue arrest warrants.  Those are called bills of attainder.  And they violate Article I, Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution (and would probably be extended to the States under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment).

So if a member of the Legislature actually gets arrested, s/he needs to (and almost certainly will) petition for writ of habeas corpus in federal district court here in Austin and see what Judge Yeakel or Judge Pittman has to say about it.

Very good take. And unlike our elected Texas Supreme Court beholden to it’s republican donors, those particular federal judges are not going to just acquiesce to the whims of the state Republican Party. 

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As much as we think redistricting rules matter they don’t. Tom Delay.

More people in the very cool and very online crowd are saying it’s the first regular session after a census where it’s mandated. If the info came out during a special session, their argument is, it would have to wait til the next regular session.

But Republicans control everything so they’ll get what they want, when they want.

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I'm sure this is mentioned somewhere, but it's not actually...is there a deadline by which a state has to submit its federal congressional district election maps to its own Sec. of State/U.S. Congress/courts?  I would imagine we can play pinball all day long with our own state house lines, but I would think at some point, for primary purposes...somebody is gonna need some finalized lines from the Texas House?  I remember getting into the weeds on this in 2011, but it was kind of a nothing-burger compares to the current shitshow.  
 

Gonna go out on a huge limb here and guess that it'll be a showdown between Texas and Florida for who can come up with the goofiest rationale for their U.S. House maps.  

"Yeah, technically, Key West and Pensacola are adjacent and contiguous.  Via the Gulf of Mexico.  I rest my case, your honor!" 

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9 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Cowards.

The evil of the Texas GQP is exceeded only by the incompetence and spinelessness of the Texas Dems.

This state could fuck up a one car funeral.

Dems gonna get railroaded quickly. Fucking idiots 

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1 minute ago, Js1 said:

Dems gonna get railroaded quickly. Fucking idiots 

I'm sure they can just rely on the bipartisan spirit, general goodwill, and dedication to serving the genuine needs of the people of Texas on the part of the GQP, and all will go well.

 

 

laughing-too-funny.gif

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So is the play here, "we're back to provide additional resources for schools and . . . oh, you only want to pass voter-suppression laws? Then we're back out"?
Because if that's the play, then it's not a terrible one.

Is COVID even on the agenda ?

GQP just wants this shit pushed through so they can move on to their next reaction/crisis
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17 hours ago, Updawg said:


Is COVID even on the agenda ?

GQP just wants this shit pushed through so they can move on to their next reaction/crisis

Yeah, it is.  Because the first thing the GQP wants to bring up is a bill to take away local governmental entities' power to compel masks, social distancing, or any number of other public-health and safety measures during a pandemic.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here a a few nuggets from HB  3979. It’s worse than I thought:

             (5)  No teacher, administrator, or other employee in 
  any state agency, school district, campus, open-enrollment charter 
  school, or school administration shall be required to engage in 
  training, orientation, or therapy that presents any form of race or 
 

sex stereotyping or blame on the basis of race or sex.

               (6)  No teacher, administrator, or other employee in 
  any state agency, school district, campus, open-enrollment charter 
  school, or school administration shall shall require, or make part 
  of a course the following concepts: (1) one race or sex is 
  inherently superior to another race or sex; (2) an individual, by 
  virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or 
  oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously; (3) an 
  individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse 
  treatment solely or partly because of his or her race or sex; (4) 
  members of one race or sex cannot and should not attempt to treat 
  others without respect to race or sex; (5) an individual's moral 
  character is necessarily determined by his or her race or sex; (6) 
  an individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, bears 
  responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members 
 

of the same race or sex;

(7) any individual should feel discomfort, 

  guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on 
 

account of his or her race or sex; or

(8) meritocracy or traits such 

  as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist, or were created by a 
  members of a particular race to oppress members of another race.

 

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6 minutes ago, Satchel said:

Here a a few nuggets from HB  3979. It’s worse than I thought:

Can't teach this then

https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ref/abouttx/secession/2feb1861.html

DECLARATION OF CAUSES: February 2, 1861
A declaration of the causes which impel the State of Texas to secede from the Federal Union.

Quote

The government of the United States, by certain joint resolutions, bearing date the 1st day of March, in the year A.D. 1845, proposed to the Republic of Texas, then a free, sovereign and independent nation, the annexation of the latter to the former as one of the co-equal States thereof,

The people of Texas, by deputies in convention assembled, on the fourth day of July of the same year, assented to and accepted said proposals and formed a constitution for the proposed State, upon which on the 29th day of December in the same year, said State was formally admitted into the Confederated Union.

"Texas abandoned her separate national existence and consented to become one of the Confederated States to promote her welfare, insure domestic tranquility [sic] and secure more substantially the blessings of peace and liberty to her people. She was received into the confederacy with her own constitution, under the guarantee of the federal constitution and the compact of annexation, that she should enjoy these blessings. She was received as a commonwealth holding, maintaining and protecting the institution known as negro slavery--the servitude of the African to the white race within her limits--a relation that had existed from the first settlement of her wilderness by the white race, and which her people intended should exist in all future time. Her institutions and geographical position established the strongest ties between her and other slave-holding States of the confederacy. Those ties have been strengthened by association. But what has been the course of the government of the United States, and of the people and authorities of the non-slave-holding States, since our connection with them?"

Edited by atomheartbevo
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  • 3 weeks later...

Looks like we have 10 pre-announced retirements for 2022 in the Texas House:

HD9 - Paddie (R)
HD13 - Leman (R)
HD19 - White (R)
HD50 - Israel (D)
HD63 - Parker (R)
HD65 - Beckley (R)
HD70 - Sanford (R)
HD93 - Krause (R)
HD114 - J. Turner (D)
HD133 - Murphy (R)

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Well half of those are running for something larger (mayor, state senate, and U.S. Congress, and possibly 1 or 2 statewide executive branch/judiciary) spots in that mix.  That  should tell you part of what is coming out soon in terms of district redraws.  

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Special Election on Tuesday in San Antonio for a D seat that Republicans are turning up the heat for in HD-118.

Also, Sen. Lucio continuing to be butt buddies with Dan Patrick as he enters self preservation mode and probably hoping for a more conservative district after his runoff last cycle.

 

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On 9/3/2021 at 2:18 PM, Satchel said:

Here a a few nuggets from HB  3979. It’s worse than I thought:

             (5)  No teacher, administrator, or other employee in 
  any state agency, school district, campus, open-enrollment charter 
  school, or school administration shall be required to engage in 
  training, orientation, or therapy that presents any form of race or 
 

sex stereotyping or blame on the basis of race or sex.

               (6)  No teacher, administrator, or other employee in 
  any state agency, school district, campus, open-enrollment charter 
  school, or school administration shall shall require, or make part 
  of a course the following concepts: (1) one race or sex is 
  inherently superior to another race or sex; (2) an individual, by 
  virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or 
  oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously; (3) an 
  individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse 
  treatment solely or partly because of his or her race or sex; (4) 
  members of one race or sex cannot and should not attempt to treat 
  others without respect to race or sex; (5) an individual's moral 
  character is necessarily determined by his or her race or sex; (6) 
  an individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, bears 
  responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members 
 

of the same race or sex;

(7) any individual should feel discomfort, 

  guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on 
 

account of his or her race or sex; or

(8) meritocracy or traits such 

  as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist, or were created by a 
  members of a particular race to oppress members of another race.

 

CRT isn't about individuals, it's about systems.  if people talking about systems being racist makes you think they're talking about you being racist, well ...

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Interesting to see how much this will costs munis, who have less access to competition...stupid legislation gas stupid consequences 

Quote

The legislation, Senate Bill 19, requires that governments receive a written verification from companies that they do not have a practice, policy, guidance or directive that “discriminates against a firearm entity or firearm trade association.” They also have to verify that they will not do so during the term of the contract.

 

Quote

The legislation has also sown some consternation among local officials concerned that limiting the number of banks at work could affect their ability to raise money or leave them paying higher costs.

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bofa-citi-jpmorgan-see-texas-181026434.html

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32 minutes ago, pacman said:

Unfortunately, it seems "Are you brain dead?" is the first question on the candidacy forms?

It's literally the entire platform of our governing party.  Seriously.  It's a party whose national platform was literally "whatever Donald Trump wants, you better do it."  Could anyone have imagined such a batshit insane party platform in the United States?  And now we're living it, and it's every bit as gut-numbingly stupid as you imagined it could be.

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Cross-posting.  Our state continues to aim at Mississippi and Florida as being the dumbest.  SECSECSEC

https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-politics/texas-lawmakers-call-for-special-session-action-on-anti-vaccine-mandate-bills/

Quote

A handful of Republican state lawmakers are calling for action on anti-vaccine mandate legislation during the current third special legislative session.

The group Guardians of Medical choice is scheduled to hold a news conference at 1 p.m. at the state Capitol. Expected speakers include Republican representatives Steve Toth, Briscoe Cain, Mayes Middleton, and Senator Bob Hall.

All have filed legislation that would either limit government or employer actions when it comes to vaccination mandates or allow for exemptions for religious reasons or “reasons of conscience.”

 

 

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2 minutes ago, mchookem said:

people of color make up 95% of Texas' growth so we're gonna redistrict to reduce the number of congressional seats representing them because we are giant evil shitbags. sorry not sorry.

White supremacy (literally translated as "white people having outsized power over everyone else, and using it") -- a feature, not a bug, of Texas.

Gotta tell ya....I was naive.  I really did not see the GQP just shamelessly and nakedly going full-on, say the quiet part out loud, white supremacist.  I was, like, SUPER-wrong about that.

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3 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

White supremacy (literally translated as "white people having outsized power over everyone else, and using it") -- a feature, not a bug, of Texas.

Gotta tell ya....I was naive.  I really did not see the GQP just shamelessly and nakedly going full-on, say the quiet part out loud, white supremacist.  I was, like, SUPER-wrong about that.

The spasmodic glee with which they listened to the former President and others campaigning and then joined in--the cries of Hoooooosane (Barack Obama), Poooooocahontas (Warren), Wooooooohan, and so on were the white-robed id roaring to life, freed from it's constraint in the psyche. Why wouldn't the GOP run with that? That type of opportunity knocks, they are going to open the door wide and put the kettle on.

 

 

 

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55 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

White supremacy (literally translated as "white people having outsized power over everyone else, and using it") -- a feature, not a bug, of Texas.

Gotta tell ya....I was naive.  I really did not see the GQP just shamelessly and nakedly going full-on, say the quiet part out loud, white supremacist.  I was, like, SUPER-wrong about that.

lisa simpson episode 23 GIF

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