When reading the journals of the Texas House and Senate for the Prayers of the State segment for January 24th, I realized that they did nothing today.
When I say nothing, let me expand a bit. In both the House and the Senate, they took note of two proclamations by the Governor as well as what the respective other body had recently done. Both bodies recognized the Capitol “Doctor of the Day”.
The House passed three resolutions. The first accepted a date for the Chief Justice to speak to the House and the Senate. The second honoring “Dionne Phillips Bagsby of Fort Worth on the occasion of her retirement from the Tarrant County Commissioners Court.” The third honoring “Texas bikers on the occasion of their legislative day at the State Capitol.” A total of 39 minutes after coming back after a nine-day break, they decide to take 23 hours and 21 minutes off until tomorrow.
The Senate was not much better. After taking care of the House report, Governor’s proclamations and the doctor of the day, the Senate passed the House Concurrent Resolution that called for the Chief Justice to speak in March. Then Senate Resolutions 12-15, 18, 20, and 23-31 were passed. Of those, all but SR 15 and 28 were “Congratulatory Resolutions”. Two Eagle Scouts, three retirements, three birthdays and a handful of random resolutions. SR 28 was a memorial resolution and SR 14 resolved that March 15, 2005 is “Brazoria County Day”.
That took an entire 29 minutes before they adjorned for afternoon tea.
My problem is not that they only spent about an hour total in session to take care of ceremonial issues. My problem is that they spent a “legislative day” doing nothing but that. Our state’s constitution allows the House and Senate to be in session for only 140 days. My new goal: figure out a way to make my classes more realistic by using the example of the Texas Senate. What do you think? Will my professors let me slip out of class after the sign-in sheet is passed around? Maybe I can turn in a paper, complete with proper fanfare, and then grab a late lunch?
When I say nothing, let me expand a bit. In both the House and the Senate, they took note of two proclamations by the Governor as well as what the respective other body had recently done. Both bodies recognized the Capitol “Doctor of the Day”.
The House passed three resolutions. The first accepted a date for the Chief Justice to speak to the House and the Senate. The second honoring “Dionne Phillips Bagsby of Fort Worth on the occasion of her retirement from the Tarrant County Commissioners Court.” The third honoring “Texas bikers on the occasion of their legislative day at the State Capitol.” A total of 39 minutes after coming back after a nine-day break, they decide to take 23 hours and 21 minutes off until tomorrow.
The Senate was not much better. After taking care of the House report, Governor’s proclamations and the doctor of the day, the Senate passed the House Concurrent Resolution that called for the Chief Justice to speak in March. Then Senate Resolutions 12-15, 18, 20, and 23-31 were passed. Of those, all but SR 15 and 28 were “Congratulatory Resolutions”. Two Eagle Scouts, three retirements, three birthdays and a handful of random resolutions. SR 28 was a memorial resolution and SR 14 resolved that March 15, 2005 is “Brazoria County Day”.
That took an entire 29 minutes before they adjorned for afternoon tea.
My problem is not that they only spent about an hour total in session to take care of ceremonial issues. My problem is that they spent a “legislative day” doing nothing but that. Our state’s constitution allows the House and Senate to be in session for only 140 days. My new goal: figure out a way to make my classes more realistic by using the example of the Texas Senate. What do you think? Will my professors let me slip out of class after the sign-in sheet is passed around? Maybe I can turn in a paper, complete with proper fanfare, and then grab a late lunch?
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