Texas Legislative Watch: Voting on Resolutions and Filing Bills

by: liberaltexan

Mon Feb 02, 2009 at 08:42 PM CST

The recent election and inauguration of Barack H. Obama as the 44th president of the United States of America is of great historical significance;
...As President Obama begins his term, it is fitting that the Texas Legislature send its regards congratulating him on his election.

SCR 9 was unanimously passed by voice vote.

Below: Notable Bills Filed Today in the Texas State House of Representatives

A park subject to this subchapter must have a wheelchair-accessible surface wide enough for two wheelchairs to pass that connects the parking area to each playground in the park.

HB 975 was introduced by Representative Ken Legler requiring school districts to administer drug test to "professional employees of the district."

(2) require at least one scheduled drug test for each prospective professional employee of a district;
(3) authorize random, unannounced drug testing once each year for not fewer than 10 percent of the professional employees of a district

This is a violation of the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution:

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause."

In discriminatory urine analysis testing is unfair and unnecessary; it is a violation of an employee's 4th Amendment rights to be forced to prove their innocence when their job performance is satisfactory and they are not suspected of using and drugs.

Senate Committee Assignments:
The members of the Senate have been committee assignments, and this is how Vince from Capitol Annex characterized one committee assignment:

How is Deshurst catering to his party's right wing? He appointed State Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston), the ultraconservative talk radio host who is by far the most right wing member of the Senate as vice chair of both the Public Education Committee and the Higher Education Committee.

Patrick, one of the least senior members of the Senate, is an anti-tax wingnut who would just as soon see public schools suffer as his wealthy buddies pay another dime in taxes, yet he is the second most powerful person overseeing the Senate Committee on Public Education. That's a travesty.

Full List of Senate Committees and Members

Political and social thought...
to the Left of College Station