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Texas House Kills Off Bills During 15-hour Session

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The Texas House hit the one of the most important deadlines in a Legislative session last night: The deadline for initial approval of a House bill. 

The 15-hour fight leading up to the midnight cut-off had some Republicans trying to race through a stack of bills, trying to get to one that would have further restricted same-sex marriage. While Democrats went out of their way to run out the clock by prolonging the debate on each and every bill. KUT’s Ben Philpott reports.

The battle over House Bill 4105 was very serious. That bill would have restricted state and local government officials from recognizing a same-sex marriage…or spending tax dollars to authorize the unions. But…as the day turned to night…and it became clear the bill would NOT come up for a vote…well…Lawmakers started to get a little silly. Especially Democrats, like San Antonio’s Roland Gutierrez, who participated in the effort to lengthen the debate on each and every bill up for a vote. With about 15 minutes left on the clock…one of his bills was up.

“And out of respect for my Republican colleagues, all day long I’ve postponed this bill so that you can get your good bills passed. So you could take the things that you needed to take home with you, because that’s the kind of guy I am.”

Just a few minutes later it was over with a motion by Longview’s David Simpson…and a final moment of levity by El Paso’s Joe Pickett.

“Mr. Speaker I rise to a point of order. I believe the calendar day is passed, the 122nd calendar day. Mr. Speaker, parliamentary inquiry. Mr. Pickett state your inquiry. Could you tell me, or could Mr. Flynn tell me what time it is in El Paso?” 

The question was directed to Representative Dan Flynn…who just days earlier had tried to abolish daylight savings time in Texas. Just another example of a Legislative joke that’s really only funny under the dome…and especially hilarious around midnight..

Ben Philpott KUT News.