The Texas legislature only meets once every two years, and this year
there was enough drama, both real and fabricated, to last until they
reconvene in 2011. The biggest story by the end of the session was the
minority parties ability to kill voter ID legislation in the House by
"chubbing" or running out the clock by meticulously debating
non-controversial legislation. The need to prevent the
disenfranchising ID bill has the unfortunate consequence of killing
much good legislation. And the primary reason there was good
legislation to pass in the House was the big intrigue from the
beginning of the session - the election of a compromise speaker with
minority party support, replacing long-time speaker and conservative
stalwart Tom Craddick.
