Gov. Abbott's 5 Emergency Items: Where Are They Now?
The Texas constitution requires lawmakers to pass one bill each session: the state budget, which was under (rather lengthy) discussion last week in the House and in the Senate this week. But governors can push their own to-do list at the start of each session in the form of emergency items.
In February, newly minted Gov. Greg Abbott named five of those priorities during his February State of the State speech, and today we're going to see how those bills are doing, by ranking their legislative progress so far this session.
Border Security
In his call for emergency items, Abbott stressed border security most prominently. It was a platform both he and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick championed throughout last year’s campaign, calling for an increase in state troopers and supplemental cash for local police departments.
“Five hundred new state troopers, more Texas Rangers who can focus on corruption, more funding for local law enforcement, more for technology to stop the trans-national criminal activity that threatens every community in Texas,” Abbott said in his speech.
So, more troopers, more money, more technology; bills that would add it all are doing well so far this session. The House has already passed its version of the bill. The Senate companion is sitting on that chamber's intent calendar, waiting for a floor vote.
Read more: http://kut.org/post/gov-abbotts-5-emergency-items-where-are-they-now
= new reply since forum marked as read
