86th Texas Legislative Session 01/08/19 - 05/27/19 thread of fail

[elfenix 34238]

14 minutes ago, Larry T. Spider said:

Property taxes. There will be a specific increase for voters to approve.

so those taxes are now going to repay stadium bonds, rather than being spent in the classroom.  the district has some limit on its ability to raise taxes/obtain credit, so that represents a diversion. 

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4976]

No. The property taxes that go to education are set. Taxpayers can vote to increase taxes to get special projects. That increase is completely seperate from education expenses. It would be the same as voting for an increase to pay for better roads or something.

[Larry T. Spider 1746]

9 minutes ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

No. The property taxes that go to education are set. Taxpayers can vote to increase taxes to get special projects. That increase is completely seperate from education expenses. It would be the same as voting for an increase to pay for better roads or something.

This

[Voldemort86 2259]

I can’t believe how dumb our state politicians are.

 

colorado has full legalization. Oklahoma has a very lenient medical marijuana program. Arkansas has medicinal. New Mexico has decriminalized it, and Mexico will go fully legal this year. I’m not sure about Louisiana, but all of our neighbors are further along on this then us. 

States with bigger populations are usually more open minded and less resistant to change. What a fucking joke. 

[Brisketexan 105125]

1 minute ago, Voldemort86 said:

What a fucking joke. 

...which happens to be our new state motto, so....yeah.

[elfenix 34238]

18 minutes ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

No. The property taxes that go to education are set. Taxpayers can vote to increase taxes to get special projects. That increase is completely seperate from education expenses. It would be the same as voting for an increase to pay for better roads or something.

TIL

[ChuckNorrisActionJeans 2670]

20 hours ago, Larry T. Spider said:

This year AISD was forced to reduce custodians per campus and did away with lunch monitors all together. Teacher salaries have stagnated for years and are far behind the other metro areas. 10 years and a masters degree will not crack 50k/yr.

La Joys ISD on the border just built a water park. The current system is such trash that it should be scrapped altogether. My goal for this cycle is just for funding to increase enough that some of my teachers can give up their second job.

What do you think the odds are that AISD gets some real relief from the recapture to help fund its own needs? (Considering the lege's motto is "shit on Austin because why not")?

I don't mind paying out the ass in property taxes to fund education, and I surely do, but with half of kids here on reduced/free lunch and all the other shortfalls in resources and salary, it is absolute horseshit to be sending that much money away. 

[Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand 13585]

Protesting an oil company declaring eminent domain to seize private property for their pipelines to export oil/gas out of the country? You could be charged with a crime on par with attempted murder.

 

https://www.texasobserver.org/pipeline-protesters-could-face-20-years-in-prison-under-bill-in-texas-house/

[Larry T. Spider 1746]

2 hours ago, ChuckNorrisActionJeans said:

What do you think the odds are that AISD gets some real relief from the recapture to help fund its own needs? (Considering the lege's motto is "shit on Austin because why not")?

I don't mind paying out the ass in property taxes to fund education, and I surely do, but with half of kids here on reduced/free lunch and all the other shortfalls in resources and salary, it is absolute horseshit to be sending that much money away. 

The per student allotment should go up either way, which will help. The senate bill funds schools based on achievement with low income students weighted more. There are some unintended consequences with this but I think it would work out significantly better for AISD. Basically anything but the current system would be an improvement. 

[Voldemort86 2259]

Any update on getting rid of daylight savings time?  Letting our farmers grow hemp in accordance with the federal law?

 

sorry I don’t follow the legislature closely.

[Message Board User 12395]

6 minutes ago, Voldemort86 said:

Any update on getting rid of daylight savings time?  Letting our farmers grow hemp in accordance with the federal law?

 

sorry I don’t follow the legislature closely.

https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2019-05-03/lege-lineswhat-time-is-it-in-texas/

The House is good with voters deciding whether to keep daylight saving time, advancing legislation (HJR 117 and HB 3784) to scrap the annual clock reset.

"I want to stop changing time twice a year," said author Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio. "Let voters choose how they want to chronicle time." Should the measure win Senate approval before the sun sets on the session May 27, Texans will get to choose either daylight or standard time – the status quo not being an option – on this November's ballot. If voters choose all-year-long daylight saving time, the state would require federal approval.

[bolverk 29671]

25 minutes ago, Message Board User said:

https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2019-05-03/lege-lineswhat-time-is-it-in-texas/

The House is good with voters deciding whether to keep daylight saving time, advancing legislation (HJR 117 and HB 3784) to scrap the annual clock reset.

"I want to stop changing time twice a year," said author Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio. "Let voters choose how they want to chronicle time." Should the measure win Senate approval before the sun sets on the session May 27, Texans will get to choose either daylight or standard time – the status quo not being an option – on this November's ballot. If voters choose all-year-long daylight saving time, the state would require federal approval.

There's absolutely no way the feds would allow Texas to stick with Daylight Saving Time year-round. If that were the case, Texas would be on Eastern Time during the winter. Think about that for a second... Texas would be one hour ahead of our eastern neighbor Louisiana and two hours ahead of New Mexico from November through March. Going the other direction, I think they might give us a pass to be on Mountain Time during the summer like how Arizona goes to Pacific Time.

[Voldemort86 2259]

1 hour ago, bolverk said:

There's absolutely no way the feds would allow Texas to stick with Daylight Saving Time year-round. If that were the case, Texas would be on Eastern Time during the winter. Think about that for a second... Texas would be one hour ahead of our eastern neighbor Louisiana and two hours ahead of New Mexico from November through March. Going the other direction, I think they might give us a pass to be on Mountain Time during the summer like how Arizona goes to Pacific Time.

What do you think would win the vote?

 

id pick standard time, but if left up to me I’d leave DST in place.

Edited May 3, 2019 by Voldemort86

[bolverk 29671]

23 minutes ago, Voldemort86 said:

What do you think would win the vote?

 

id pick standard time, but if left up to me I’d leave DST in place.

I'm conflicted. While I hate the time change and would love to do away with it, I'd rather that happen at the national level so that we're not some cockeyed outlier that has a fucked up relationship for timing vis-a-vis the rest of the country that causes all sorts of confusion for individuals and businesses trying to coordinate activities outside the state.

That said if I had to choose between Standard or Saving time, like you, I'd go with Standard but I think the majority would likely vote for Saving by default without a concerted campaign educating the voting public about the ridiculousness of the scenario I described in my previous post.

[Brisketexan 105125]

I'm conflicted. While I hate the time change and would love to do away with it, I'd rather that happen at the national level so that we're not some cockeyed outlier that has a fucked up relationship for timing vis-a-vis the rest of the country that causes all sorts of confusion for individuals and businesses trying to coordinate activities outside the state.
That said if I had to choose between Standard or Saving time, like you, I'd go with Standard but I think the majority would likely vote for Saving by default without a concerted campaign educating the voting public about the ridiculousness of the scenario I described in my previous post.

This.

I would be happy to pick one, but being an outlier will be such a fucking pain for any of us who regularly work with people in other time zones.

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4976]

2 hours ago, bolverk said:

There's absolutely no way the feds would allow Texas to stick with Daylight Saving Time year-round. If that were the case, Texas would be on Eastern Time during the winter. Think about that for a second... Texas would be one hour ahead of our eastern neighbor Louisiana and two hours ahead of New Mexico from November through March. Going the other direction, I think they might give us a pass to be on Mountain Time during the summer like how Arizona goes to Pacific Time.

Well they can keep all their federal government offices operating the way they do now. So the time changes any time you enter a federal government building. If they don't like it they can go take dick sucking lessons from Bob Stoops. Somebody's got to lead the charge to change this. Y'all want that somebody to be oklahoma or Louisiana? 

[Voldemort86 2259]

11 minutes ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

Well they can keep all their federal government offices operating the way they do now. So the time changes any time you enter a federal government building. If they don't like it they can go take dick sucking lessons from Bob Stoops. Somebody's got to lead the charge to change this. Y'all want that somebody to be oklahoma or Louisiana? 

We’re already last at pretty much everything anyway. Might as well take a backseat.

 

we don’t even have casinos or legal weed yet.

[bolverk 29671]

28 minutes ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

Well they can keep all their federal government offices operating the way they do now. So the time changes any time you enter a federal government building. If they don't like it they can go take dick sucking lessons from Bob Stoops. Somebody's got to lead the charge to change this. Y'all want that somebody to be oklahoma or Louisiana? 

This goes far beyond the workings of federal government employees' "on the clock" activities.

[elfenix 34238]

much of the state is already in the wrong time zone (austin, san antonio, north texas west of 820, and the valley west of the bridge in brownsville should be in mountain time, geographically speaking), so why not just fuck it up more?

Edited May 3, 2019 by elfenix

[Bookman 4639]

13 hours ago, Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand said:

Protesting an oil company declaring eminent domain to seize private property for their pipelines to export oil/gas out of the country? You could be charged with a crime on par with attempted murder.

 

https://www.texasobserver.org/pipeline-protesters-could-face-20-years-in-prison-under-bill-in-texas-house/

Oil companies don't have the power of eminent domain.

[relapse98 634]

1 hour ago, Bookman said:

Oil companies don't have the power of eminent domain.

If that your feeling or based in law? Because I guarantee you that in Texas pipelines have the power of eminent domain.

[Bookman 4639]

Based on law. Common carriers have the power of eminent domain under Texas Natural Resources Code ss 111.002 and 111.019. Gas utilities have the power of eminent domain under Texas Utilities Code s 181.004. Oil companies don’t have the power of eminent domain.

[relapse98 634]

21 minutes ago, Bookman said:

Based on law. Common carriers have the power of eminent domain under Texas Natural Resources Code ss 111.002 and 111.019. Gas utilities have the power of eminent domain under Texas Utilities Code s 181.004. Oil companies don’t have the power of eminent domain.

In regards to "oil company", are you talking about a pipeline operator? Because they most certainly do have the power of eminent domain.

Quote

Sec. 111.002. COMMON CARRIERS UNDER CHAPTER. A person is a common carrier subject to the provisions of this chapter if it:

(1) owns, operates, or manages a pipeline or any part of a pipeline in the State of Texas for the transportation of crude petroleum to or for the public for hire, or engages in the business of transporting crude petroleum by pipeline;

Quote

Sec. 111.019.  RIGHT OF EMINENT DOMAIN.  (a)  Common carriers have the right and power of eminent domain.

 

Since you replied to a post that said "Protesting an oil company declaring eminent domain to seize private property for their pipelines to export oil/gas out of the country?" then I would assume you are talking about pipelines, as the post you replied to was talking about pipelines.

Edited May 3, 2019 by relapse98

[Bookman 4639]

Oil companies — i.e. exploration and production companies — generally have the power to install and operate pipelines to transport production from their lease pursuant to an agreement with the landowner or as lessee of an oil and gas lease. They have no power of eminent domain, and to the extent they’re transporting off-lease production they need an agreement with the surface owner. A pipeline company transporting crude oil must qualify as a common carrier in order to have the power of eminent domain.

Edited May 3, 2019 by Bookman

[Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand 13585]

...so basically I should have said "pipeline company" instead of "oil company". Well, guess this bill doesn't sound unreasonable at all now.

[Voldemort86 2259]

I read that the house is going to vote on expanding our medical marijuana program ( if you want to call it that) on Monday. I can’t wait until it passes in the house overwhelmingly, the vast majority of Texans nod their heads in agreement, Abbott spits on the bill, and potty Patrick kills it.

 

abbott / Patrick are terrible leaders. Denying the people what they want.

[Guest Lobo]

Wait, are some of you suggesting that upstream and midstream are two different parts of an industry?  Obviously cattle ranchers, and truck drivers, and HEB are all one industry with the same land power.  Don't get me started on craft brewers, liquor distributors, and liquor stores.  Texas is limited government!  Why can't you people understand that?  What the hell is the matter with you people?!?  

[RPM 26320]

[bolverk 29671]

13 hours ago, Lobo said:

Wait, are some of you suggesting that upstream and midstream are two different parts of an industry?  Obviously cattle ranchers, and truck drivers, and HEB are all one industry with the same land power.  Don't get me started on craft brewers, liquor distributors, and liquor stores.  Texas is limited government!  Why can't you people understand that?  What the hell is the matter with you people?!?  

The terminology I was taught twenty-something years ago was that while they are distinct industries, they are part of a larger "industry cluster" per the Milken Institute who I think originated the term. To be clear, I'm not disagreeing with your characterization of the matter. For example, upstream E&P companies, midstream pipelines, and downstream petrochemical producers are all discrete industry sectors, but they all form a greater cluster of industries who are reliant on the same resource stock.

I'm just throwing this out there so that posters can have a common language when discussing the eminent domain powers of companies in Texas so that the conversation can move forward.

[Texas73 420]

On 5/2/2019 at 4:09 PM, Voldemort86 said:

I can’t believe how dumb our state politicians are.

 

colorado has full legalization. Oklahoma has a very lenient medical marijuana program. Arkansas has medicinal. New Mexico has decriminalized it, and Mexico will go fully legal this year. I’m not sure about Louisiana, but all of our neighbors are further along on this then us. 

States with bigger populations are usually more open minded and less resistant to change. What a fucking joke. 

Too many aggys. The rural parts of the state have bought the propaganda of Fox and the far right hook line and sinker. When people believe that a baby is born and they wrap it in a nice blanket and then the mother and doctor decide whether to kill it is true and that all demorats are thrilled that can be done we are fucked. 

[Larry T. Spider 1746]

17 minutes ago, Texas73 said:

Too many aggys. The rural parts of the state have bought the propaganda of Fox and the far right hook line and sinker. When people believe that a baby is born and they wrap it in a nice blanket and then the mother and doctor decide whether to kill it is true and that all demorats are thrilled that can be done we are fucked. 

These people aren’t receptive to new information and will never change their mind. All you can do it beat them at the ballot box enough to minimize their influence. It’s already happening in the Texas House.

[Voldemort86 2259]

I saw that the Texas house voted overwhelmingly to expand medical marijuana access to patients with cancer, aids, epilepsy, PTSD, and so on. I’d like to see potty Patrick try and kill this bill. At least he would get all the blame for it. If you vote republican, please skip this guy. Texas deserves better than this ugly closed minded douchebag.

Edited May 7, 2019 by Voldemort86

[relapse98 634]

5 hours ago, Voldemort86 said:

I’d like to see potty Patrick try and kill this bill.

He will.

Quote

At least he would get all the blame for it.

He won't. Because...

Quote

If you vote republican, please skip this guy.

They won't. They see R next to name. It's like a monkey with a lever.


It's crazy that we changed from Straus to Bonnen and the House just keeps rolling along, acting like the adult side for the most part. Which is 100% backwards of how it is supposed to be. I bet there will be an uproar from Goeb's fans that Bonnen is yet another RINO in charge of the House.

Edited May 7, 2019 by relapse98

[Voldemort86 2259]

2 hours ago, relapse98 said:

He will.

He won't. Because...

They won't. They see R next to name. It's like a monkey with a lever.


It's crazy that we changed from Straus to Bonnen and the House just keeps rolling along, acting like the adult side for the most part. Which is 100% backwards of how it is supposed to be. I bet there will be an uproar from Goeb's fans that Bonnen is yet another RINO in charge of the House.

I was a Big fan of Strauss, but Bonnen has been nothing short of amazing.  I never thought I’d see actual votes on marijuana reform in Texas during my lifetime. Now we just gotta get rid of potty Patrick and Abbott somehow......

Edited May 7, 2019 by Voldemort86

[Nice Guy Eddie 13512]

7 hours ago, Voldemort86 said:

I saw that the Texas house voted overwhelmingly to expand medical marijuana access to patients with cancer, aids, epilepsy, PTSD, and so on. I’d like to see potty Patrick try and kill this bill. At least he would get all the blame for it. If you vote republican, please skip this guy. Texas deserves better than this ugly closed minded douchebag.

Maybe this is how marijuana is ultimately legalized by chipping away at it, but I find medical marijuana bills to be a waste. They ultimately leave it up to the doctor to prescribe for whatever reason they see fit. The details of this bill sound like it can be prescribed for nausea.  Claim that you suffer from motion sickness while in a car, and find a a doctor that wants his $100 for the script.

Just cut to the chase and legalize it so we can worry about more important issues like bathroom usage.

[relapse98 634]

7 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

 I find medical marijuana bills to be a waste.

I'm sort of the same way with decriminalization, as was done in HB63. Get caught with less than an ounce, you no longer get arrested but would still get put on deferred adjudication probation. Complete that and no more than 1 offense in a year, expunged. But you still have to deal with cops. You still have to go to court. You still have to deal with a lot of the bullshit.

Possession of more than an ounce to two ounces - class b misdemeanor.. year in jail and/or 2000 fine.

I mean, it's not as bad as before, but still. And then anyone selling weed is still going to be doing it illegally unless the entire supply chain is operating 1 ounce at a time.

 

And there's still that pesky illegally federally issue.

[Ichabod 184]

22 minutes ago, relapse98 said:

I'm sort of the same way with decriminalization, as was done in HB63. Get caught with less than an ounce, you no longer get arrested but would still get put on deferred adjudication probation. Complete that and no more than 1 offense in a year, expunged. But you still have to deal with cops. You still have to go to court. You still have to deal with a lot of the bullshit.

Possession of more than an ounce to two ounces - class b misdemeanor.. year in jail and/or 2000 fine.

I mean, it's not as bad as before, but still. And then anyone selling weed is still going to be doing it illegally unless the entire supply chain is operating 1 ounce at a time.

 

And there's still that pesky illegally federally issue.

Harris County already decriminalized 4 ounces of marijuana and less two years ago. 

[relapse98 634]

4 minutes ago, Ichabod said:

Harris County already decriminalized 4 ounces of marijuana and less two years ago. 

So I wonder how that works. I would assume one could still be arrested in Harris by a department that doesn't follow Harris County's polite asking of LEO not to arrest or ticket.. say maybe DPS or Game Wardens. So - they've sorta, kinda decriminalized marijuana, as long as the officer belongs to a department that follows what the DA asks.

[Foosters 17856]

On 5/2/2019 at 4:05 PM, Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand said:

Protesting an oil company declaring eminent domain to seize private property for their pipelines to export oil/gas out of the country? You could be charged with a crime on par with attempted murder.

 

https://www.texasobserver.org/pipeline-protesters-could-face-20-years-in-prison-under-bill-in-texas-house/

JohnnySack just came in his pants (very expensive pants)

[Voldemort86 2259]

7 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Maybe this is how marijuana is ultimately legalized by chipping away at it, but I find medical marijuana bills to be a waste. They ultimately leave it up to the doctor to prescribe for whatever reason they see fit. The details of this bill sound like it can be prescribed for nausea.  Claim that you suffer from motion sickness while in a car, and find a a doctor that wants his $100 for the script.

Just cut to the chase and legalize it so we can worry about more important issues like bathroom usage.

Actually lots of people view medical marijuana as a good way to “get in” to closed minded states. Oklahoma is a good example, last summer they had a ballot initiative for a very liberal medical marijuana law. The politicians, oil industry, law enforcement, churches pretty much all teamed up to oppose it and tried to brain the wash the voters into voting it down. Thankfully, it passed by a close to 60-40% margin.  

It turns out the powerful people in Oklahoma are so dumb that they don’t know what’s good for them. The marijuana industry is expanding so fast in that state and they are going to make a lot of tax dollars off it. A state that can’t even hold onto its own teachers and their leaders fought against a cheap and easy way to increase tax revenue. What a bunch of idiots. I’m glad the people of Oklahoma saw right through it tho.

[Chooky 13307]

5 hours ago, Voldemort86 said:

Actually lots of people view medical marijuana as a good way to “get in” to closed minded states. Oklahoma is a good example, last summer they had a ballot initiative for a very liberal medical marijuana law. The politicians, oil industry, law enforcement, churches pretty much all teamed up to oppose it and tried to brain the wash the voters into voting it down. Thankfully, it passed by a close to 60-40% margin.  

It turns out the powerful people in Oklahoma are so dumb that they don’t know what’s good for them. The marijuana industry is expanding so fast in that state and they are going to make a lot of tax dollars off it. A state that can’t even hold onto its own teachers and their leaders fought against a cheap and easy way to increase tax revenue. What a bunch of idiots. I’m glad the people of Oklahoma saw right through it tho.

I refuse to recognize that our state legislature is dumber than Oklahoma.  You might be able to prove it, but I'll just refuse to recognize it.  Ha ha ha!  I'm not listening!  I'm not listening!

[Voldemort86 2259]

9 minutes ago, Chooky said:

I refuse to recognize that our state legislature is dumber than Oklahoma.  You might be able to prove it, but I'll just refuse to recognize it.  Ha ha ha!  I'm not listening!  I'm not listening!

I think our state legislature is dumber than the general population of Oklahoma, but not Oklahoma’s politicians.

[Ghost of LL 15531]

That Jonathan Stickland thinks vaccination is "sorcery" explains so much about Jonathan Stickland.

[relapse98 634]

10 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

That Jonathan Stickland thinks vaccination is "sorcery" explains so much about Jonathan Stickland.

He's a bug man. Something about elected bug men - they always seem... off.

[atomheartbevo 89659]

53 minutes ago, relapse98 said:

He's a bug man. Something about elected bug men - they always seem... off.

They seem to wind up on the wrong side of the law as well....

[Nolacycling 893]

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas-legislature/2019/05/06/school-funding-bill-5000-teacher-pay-raise-clears-texas-senate-inches-toward-governors-desk

 

[Pescado_Rojo 19416]

Debated putting this in the Republican Party thread, but since it calls out our own merry band of idiots in the Texas senate I figure it belongs here. 

The Confederate Party of Texas

[Larry T. Spider 1746]

Here is the problem with the 5,000 teacher raise and why it is the wrong way to tackle this problem. First, it is only for the next two years. The legislature has done this twice in the past (10 and 20 years ago) where they funded a raise then put it on districts to fund it after those two years. Many districts (aisd) would be in no financial position to carry it forward after that. There could be enough pressure to keep funding it, but I don’t trust legislators or Texas voters enough to bet on it.

The other problem is that it doesn’t address the other major funding issues in education. We have many employees that make less than a living wage and this will do nothing for them. It also makes weird dynamics such as more than half of my teachers would make more than me (AP) even though I work more days, have more certifications, etc. I don’t really care, they deserve the money, but it will be hard to get  people to take on extra days responsibilities, and pressure and they get a pay cut for their trouble. The same problem would exist for counselors, diagnosticians, etc.

I understand the concerns that districts will become top heavy with the money and not really pass it along to teachers. They just need to give the districts the money and make them set aside a certain portion that must go to teachers. 

[relapse98 634]

It turns out that the Texas House hates red light cameras more than it hates Jonathan Stickland

This guy is a walking turd. He makes Danny Goeb seem reasonable.

I do want to congratulate him on finally getting a bill approved the the House. 4 sessions and finally a bill of his they voted out of the House. Must be a big day in GED land.

[Message Board User 12395]

20 hours ago, Larry T. Spider said:

Here is the problem with the 5,000 teacher raise and why it is the wrong way to tackle this problem. First, it is only for the next two years. The legislature has done this twice in the past (10 and 20 years ago) where they funded a raise then put it on districts to fund it after those two years. Many districts (aisd) would be in no financial position to carry it forward after that. There could be enough pressure to keep funding it, but I don’t trust legislators or Texas voters enough to bet on it.

The other problem is that it doesn’t address the other major funding issues in education. We have many employees that make less than a living wage and this will do nothing for them. It also makes weird dynamics such as more than half of my teachers would make more than me (AP) even though I work more days, have more certifications, etc. I don’t really care, they deserve the money, but it will be hard to get  people to take on extra days responsibilities, and pressure and they get a pay cut for their trouble. The same problem would exist for counselors, diagnosticians, etc.

I understand the concerns that districts will become top heavy with the money and not really pass it along to teachers. They just need to give the districts the money and make them set aside a certain portion that must go to teachers. 

Disagree - so many teachers out there just mailing it in and not giving a shit, teaching to the dumb kids so that the smart kids are bored out of their mind, and doing nothing innovative.  At least that's been my experience with the public schools.