Karen Brooks in the House

Once again, I've collected a selection of House coverage. This time, Karen's blogposts as she watched the House approach a critical Thursday deadline. No one takes you there quite like Brooks...

Meowing on the House floor ... 

... while Reps. Jodi Laubenberg and Vicki Truitt were debating the payday lending bill.
Seriously? What is this, a frat house? Are you kidding me with this?
OK. Moving on.

http://dallasne.ws/jlHuJQ

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Immigration debate pops up again in the House

The House just passed a bill 101-24 that would make it a second-degree felony (punishable up to 20 years in prison) for a noncitizen who votes - and a state-jail felony to attempt to vote.
(Other second-degree felonies? Rape, child porn, agg assault, manslaughter...)

http://dallasne.ws/jXvC5w

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Smoking ban to be an amendment on another bill later on 

Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Denton, postponed her smoking ban bill tonight and is going to add it as an amendment to another bill later.

http://dallasne.ws/jaJ6gF

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Geren reads the First Amendment on the House floor during religion debate

The House was debating a constitutional amendment about religious freedom, and a lot of the people who worked on it years ago - carefully, in a way not to bring down tons of lawsuits - are nervous about it. Geren, Hochberg, etc.

http://dallasne.ws/j2qxh0

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Fun with frisking legislation 


A light moment on the floor when Rep. David Simpson came up to pass a bill he loves - LOVES - and one of the more powerful and respected representatives came at him, loaded for bear.
The House passed legislation prohibiting the "indecent, groping searches of a traveler's private parts," in Simpson's words - and prohibit the use of full body scanners in airports unless the traveler gives consent.

http://dallasne.ws/j88BNT

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Sly makes a final play for electricity customers

 Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, realizes what it means to have his bill on the last page of the House Calendar on the last day for House bills to pass.

http://dallasne.ws/l1tWHc

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Dems stall with 15 minutes left ... and I have a theory

House Democrats are crowding the back mic, even though a lot of the bills coming up on the calendar are by their own people.

http://dallasne.ws/mILs5w

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 Aaaand, the House is done.

 The House Dems successfully managed to use the clock to kill a bill that would outlaw coerced abortions and create informed consent (it could have been used to target Planned Parenthood, reportedly).

http://dallasne.ws/jhdVoh