Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Senate Insomniacs
A few minutes ago, the proponents of video lottery terminals tried to sneak a VLT-authorizing amendment into House Bill 3 literally in the dead of night. Before the Senate finally passed HB 3 on second reading, Houston Democrat Mario Gallegos offered a VLT amendment that he said would earn the state more than $2 billion during the next two years. Sen. Jane Nelson, ever vigilant on the gambling watch, killed the amendment with a point of order, saying it wasn't germane to the bill. The Senate then "adjourned" for five minutes so it could reconvene and pass HB 3 on a "new" day on third reading. Undeterred, Gallegos brought his amendment back for a vote on third reading. It failed 15-16 (six votes short of the 21 votes needed to approve a third-reading amendment). We're sure state GOP chair Tina Benkiser will have fun with Gallegos' amendment. As for the rest of the bill, HB 3 passed on a vote of 21-10.
A few other highlights from the early morning debate: Sen. Eliot Shapleigh added an amendment authorizing a second state sales-tax holiday, this one at Christmas time. Shapleigh later tried to revive the state inheritance tax for estates of more than $1 million (he claimed it would generate more than $300 million and make the tax bill less regressive). Suffice it to say, bringing back whatSen. Steve Ogden termed the "death tax" didn't go over too well.
Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos was the lone senator to speak against HB 3 before final passage. He said the bill was asking his constituents to gamble. "If they ante up with a disproportionate share of the tax burden," there's a chance they may get better schools, he said. "Members, I believe this game is rigged in favor of the House version." And we know how well that version went over.
A few other highlights from the early morning debate: Sen. Eliot Shapleigh added an amendment authorizing a second state sales-tax holiday, this one at Christmas time. Shapleigh later tried to revive the state inheritance tax for estates of more than $1 million (he claimed it would generate more than $300 million and make the tax bill less regressive). Suffice it to say, bringing back whatSen. Steve Ogden termed the "death tax" didn't go over too well.
Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos was the lone senator to speak against HB 3 before final passage. He said the bill was asking his constituents to gamble. "If they ante up with a disproportionate share of the tax burden," there's a chance they may get better schools, he said. "Members, I believe this game is rigged in favor of the House version." And we know how well that version went over.