And Cain is what he raised yesterday at the state capital.
(Yesterday afternoon, self-described 'parliamentary guru') Rep. Briscoe Cain, the chair of the House Elections Committee made an unexpected move when he tried to replace the Senate’s priority voting bill with his own. His scheming fell short thanks to one abstention from Republican Travis Clardy and led to the bill being withdrawn, but it signals how contentious voting legislation has become.
Update 8:50 pm, April 29: The House Elections Committee passed SB 7 on a party-line vote 5-4 late Thursday night. In a committee substitute, Chairman Cain replaced the text of SB 7 with his bill, HB 6, and then proceeded without a public hearing because he argued the text of the substitute already received a hearing two weeks ago. Despite claims by Cain and Speaker Dade Phelan that the House priority voting restriction bill is very different from SB 7, they used this maneuver to move the Governor’s emergency item on election integrity faster as the session enters its final month. It also allows the two chambers to negotiate what they like (known as "conference committee") in each of their omnibus voting restriction bills to send to the Governor’s desk.
Before voting it out of committee, Democrats tried to add amendments to prevent intimidation by poll watchers and voter assistants’ mistakes from being criminalized and to collect data on the disparate racial impact of penalties in SB 7 and AG investigations opened from them. All were voted down also on party lines.
The outrage from the afternoon move couldn't even catch up to the evening's. That's how fast this House is working under Speaker Phelan's lead. Expect more of the same on the rest of their agenda.
Divided Texas Senate backs bill defining transgender medical care as child abuse https://t.co/LKHEASMPrp #TXLege
— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) April 28, 2021
Helen said in her testimony against the healthcare bills: “The idea that my parents could have been punished for accepting me and allowing me to be the person I need to be is frightening.”https://t.co/BQ8gGZbFo8#TXlege #protecttranskids
— Equality Texas (@EqualityTexas) April 29, 2021
"Reveal your child's genitals or we will do it ourselves!" #TXLege https://t.co/aygTfGIC7U
— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) April 29, 2021
Check out our Legislative Counsel @BlakeRocap on @fox7austin, explaining HB 1515/SB8's extreme provisions. #StopHB1515 #txlege https://t.co/zfTnYwaBsw
— Avow – Unapologetic Abortion Advocacy (@avowtexas) April 28, 2021
Thank you to the 300+ Texas Lawyers who signed onto this letter. #HB1515 is one of the most extreme abortion bans in the country and would allow ANYONE to sue an abortion provider and anyone who they suspect helped a person obtain an abortion. #StopHB1515 #TxLege https://t.co/GGjjwu70K2
— Planned Parenthood Texas Votes (@PPTXVotes) April 28, 2021
A Texas bill that would allow people to carry handguns without a permit or training quickly sailed out of a state Senate committee recently created to specifically hear the bill. #txlege #publicpolicy #politics #guns #2A #gunsafety #texashttps://t.co/KxNLg3MIRg
— PLCTexas (@PLC_Texas) April 30, 2021
Little Gov @DanPatrick says:
— Scott Braddock (@scottbraddock) April 30, 2021
- he doesn't bully senators on votes (lol)
- he's going to force senators to vote on permitless carry of handguns (contradicting the first statement)
- he can't guarantee it'll pass (that'll aggravate the GOP base) https://t.co/S2XpOgLWJI #TxLege pic.twitter.com/OkfCaNknRT
The @ExpressNews gets it: "Asking that a well-intentioned, law-abiding gun owner knows how to handle a firearm and is licensed to do so is not a violation of Second Amendment rights."
— TMF (@TMFtx) April 29, 2021
Saying no to #HB1927 & #PermitlessCarry is just common sense. #txlegehttps://t.co/5Nm1sYkKcF pic.twitter.com/Gd1ndZutiW
#DanPatrick #TXLege
— Disna4change (@disna4change) April 29, 2021
“You’re going to pass this bill out of committee over the 81% of Texans who oppose it. You’ve chosen the wrong side.”#StopPermitlessCarry#EndGunViolence https://t.co/TbATUp6QhF
And RoofieGate was quickly swept under the rug.
Authorities clear lobbyist of alleged #TXLege staffer drugging https://t.co/06rWcx6LMO
— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) April 29, 2021
"We have concluded that there is not enough evidence to support these allegations and that criminal charges are not appropriate," a joint statement from the Texas Department of Public Safety and Travis County district attorney's office said. https://t.co/jiynXZiWvb
— Austin Statesman (@statesman) April 29, 2021
Time and time again the message that has been made clear is that you either risk your health and safety to come to #txlege or you stay silent. #txdeservesbetter https://t.co/nqmUIgynpa
— amber mills (@amberrmills) April 29, 2021
Yeah, they just don't give a shit what anybody thinks (unless you're voting in their primary election, that is). Speaking of elections, there's several happening around the state happening tomorrow, and one in the Fort Worth area for the Congressional vacancy. There should be a runoff in that one.
Actor #CharlieSheen sues #Texas mayoral candidate over legal fees related to dispute over employment as Sheen's bodyguard
— ChickenFriedPolitics (@ChkFriPolitics) April 27, 2021
-Southern politics are always on the menu at ChickenFriedPolitics.com-https://t.co/TzDHarGeTP
Several Dallas City Council candidates are activists who want to make an impact not just through protests, but by shaping policy inside city hall.https://t.co/emksZSKhEO pic.twitter.com/dsEcMU2IEA
— KERA News (@keranews) April 27, 2021
San Antonio activists ‘cannot in good faith’ support this year’s mayoral candidates https://t.co/Akyh4a9sCR #SATX
— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) April 30, 2021
Tomorrow's special election in Texas is the Democrats' best House hope in 2021 #TX06 #TX6 #txlegehttps://t.co/xfjGdYfwme
— Mark P. Jones (@MarkPJonesTX) April 30, 2021
Some Texas Democrats were giddy, some more practical after Biden's speech Wednesday night, and the announcements previously that two Texans are heading to Washington to serve the president.
White House nominates Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez to lead ICE https://t.co/kEUaP0KD1E
— Ben Wermund (@BenjaminEW) April 27, 2021
Biden taps Gina Ortiz Jones of San Antonio for Air Force undersecretary https://t.co/PeipAGBMNJ
— San Antonio Express-News (@ExpressNews) April 27, 2021
Not all good news for Team Donkey, though.
Before elected in 2016 (and re-elected in 2020), Judge Fredericka Phillips was a vice chair for the Texas Democratic Party. #hounews https://t.co/B6eSAvCOpr
— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) April 29, 2021
With respect to Gonzalez and ICE, I've already done all the pushing back on Twitter I'll be doing for now. Will wait to see what he does before commenting further, but don't have much in the way of expectations on reforms. ACAB.
DWN is eager to see immediate shifts in ICE’s culture and operations under the leadership of Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, but the racist underpinnings of ICE will continue regardless of who is in charge.
— Detention Watch (DWN) (@DetentionWatch) April 27, 2021
Read our statement on the new ICE director: https://t.co/4wD2P0Ts1g pic.twitter.com/5i6lEt5nEv
I'll dedicate the rest of this post to catching up on topics I've neglected for awhile, so first up: environmental news.
Texas Fisherwoman Diane Wilson Holds Hunger Strike to Stop Dredging for Oil Exports https://t.co/Fk76IXiJqU
— Democracy Now! (@democracynow) April 28, 2021
Lone Star State's super-polluters revealed in wake of #TexasFreeze https://t.co/ZLQ43tWDzs #txlege
— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) April 29, 2021
Your takeaway from the poll below? Eleven percent of self-identified Texas Democrats either do not think -- or are unsure -- that climate change is happening.
Is #ClimateChange Happening? Texas responses from March 2021 @TxPolProject poll, by party identification.
— Jim Henson (@jamesrhenson) April 29, 2021
Dems: 88% yes, 3% no, 8% not sure.
GOP: 30% yes, 45% no, 25% not surehttps://t.co/fe77XjmJQN #txlege pic.twitter.com/ZWcAYgErpF
'Not as bad as the TXGOP' is a bar too low, y'all. Do better.
3 Texas refineries continue to emit cancer-causing benzene above federal limits https://t.co/y864MtdakH #SETX #HouNews
— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) April 28, 2021
Texas enabled the worst carbon monoxide poisoning catastrophe in recent U.S. history https://t.co/b2HQhrq9IZ #TXLege #TexasFreeze
— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) April 29, 2021
And yes, we still have to fight our legislators to stop rewarding the oil companies and punishing the greens for trying to fix things.
#txlege attempts to kneecap renewables hurt TX communities and our economy.
— EDF Texas (@EDFtx) April 27, 2021
Per @HoustonChron, renewable energy projects paid more than $380M in state/local taxes and provided landowners nearly $250M in lease payments. https://t.co/LhBBzzW3xf
And yet, the Texas Senate just passed a bill imposing new fees on renewables. It is now in the House. Tell your state representative to vote no on new fees for wind and solar: https://t.co/secw2uPegh #TXLege #TexasFreeze https://t.co/TiC5qmGPeB
— One Breath Partnership (@OneBreathHOU) April 28, 2021
WHY would Texas PENALIZE #ElectricVehicle Drivers by charging them more than TWICE what fossil-fuel vehicle owners pay? #txenergy, #EVs #txlege https://t.co/JP2KBMYvct pic.twitter.com/TLmPnLNhq4
— Texas Electric Transportation Resources Alliance (@TxETRA_TX) April 28, 2021
This story by @abc7amarillo was a great explainer of what's going on. Great quotes from Republican Senator Kel Seliger and @ACORE president Greg Wetstone. #txenergy #txlege https://t.co/xZhOE1Kv44
— Doug Lewin (@douglewinenergy) April 27, 2021
"Even with one hand tied behind his back, County Attorney Menefee socked them pretty good," @lukemetzger said. "But to put an end to chemical disasters, we need the legislature to strengthen enforcement to it no longer pays to pollute." #txlege https://t.co/3gvPhT4QZu
— Matthew Tresaugue (@mtresaugue) April 28, 2021
A few COVID updates:
After months of not having enough COVID-19 vaccines to meet demand, Texas suddenly appears to have plenty of shots but not as many people lining up to receive them — though 75% of Texans still aren’t fully vaccinatedhttps://t.co/as33hcOya6
— Alfons López Tena (@alfonslopeztena) April 28, 2021
Two thoughts:
— Matt Schwartz (@SchwartzChron) April 29, 2021
1. Because getting vaccinated against a highly contagious and potentially fatal disease is not enough?
2. Could this money be better spent taking the vax to underserved transportation-challenged communities? https://t.co/HqeSyNREwq
This isn’t remotely how herd immunity works, so Austin’s SInclair-owned CBS Austin (KEYE) is either genuinely confused by science or they’re playing a more sinister and dangerous political long game suggesting to viewers the pandemic is over. Either way, Austin deserves better. pic.twitter.com/T5d0VcRjQ2
— Andy Langer (@Andylanger) April 27, 2021
And some criminal and social justice developments.
Texas Senate adopts SCR 29, urging federal officials to approve name changes for Texas places containing the word 'Negro.' Sen. Miles, D, gives heartfelt thanks to all senators for signing on as co-authors.
— Chuck Lindell (@chucklindell) April 28, 2021
Next stop is the House.
Background: https://t.co/vYLO0p40sh
Real talk: As long as Charles Schwertner is a committee chair in the senate, another enhancement isn't going to make anyone believe the #txlege has really transcended these attitudes. He either harassed a student or covered up for her harasser. https://t.co/ZWTvdWDkMH pic.twitter.com/KaeTHV7g2Y
— Grits for Breakfast (@Grits4Breakfast) April 29, 2021
Austin PD released video of police fatally shooting a man in front of his child after a traffic dispute where they claim he flashed a gun.
— AJ+ (@ajplus) April 29, 2021
Police fired 10x as #AlexGonzales walked to the back of his car, lawyers say to check on the baby.
Video does not show Gonzales with a gun. pic.twitter.com/oWGVHSN3Il
Reminder: she went into his apartment and murdered him in his own home. https://t.co/y1DdH69YOu
— Read Mutual Aid by Dean Spade (@JoshuaPotash) April 28, 2021
Context in this on today's debate on officer discipline which would limit appeals - From 2006-2017, 70% of San Antonio fired police officers were reinstated.https://t.co/R6KhT9cxMO #txlege https://t.co/3tNlqcr67f
— Jolie McCullough (@jsmccullou) April 29, 2021
Dallas didn’t invest in the communities you see until Black people were removed from Freedman’s town and Latinx people were displaced from Little Mexico. Both of these communities were combined to form Uptown, and the rest is a new whitewashed gentrification history. https://t.co/kd9pJqLfhO
— Jerry Hawkins (@JerryLEADS) April 28, 2021
Landlords filed more than 2,000 evictions in the city of Houston and judges continued hearing thousands of cases during a six-week "grace period" when Mayor Turner claimed evictions were on hold.https://t.co/vsBXJY26D0
— Jen Rice (@jen_rice_) April 27, 2021
I'll wrap this Wrangle with the latest from Boca Chica, or Starbase, or whatever they're calling it.
"Many things merge in this part of Texas: land and sea, the Rio Grande and the Gulf, Mexico and the United States, big business and the federal government, and now Earth and space. The relationships are complicated, and so is SpaceX's with the Rio Grande Valley."
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) April 27, 2021
— @Brandlingle
And a few soothers.
Motels were once a reliable respite for budget-conscious road warriors or transitory locals, but today's motel owners are seeking a younger generation of travelers who have more cash to spend.https://t.co/DnJAEarkaI
— Texas Monthly (@TexasMonthly) April 27, 2021
Gary Larson here, casually summing up Twitter in The Far Side. pic.twitter.com/Nx2hwQDz8J
— Gary Wigglesworth (@gpwigglesworth) April 28, 2021
*With all apologies to Levon Helm and Robbie Robertson.