In a breathlessly lawless maneuver, Governor Perry is trying to refuse the receipt of HB 1892 from the Legislature by not having a clerk available to timestamp it (and have the 10 day period begin), according to the Quorum Report. The House passed the bill 139-1 Wednesday, May 2, and the Governor has 10 days to sign it, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature.
BUT, the 10 day clock doesn’t start until a clerk from his office officially timestamp’s the bill. So, Perry is getting an extra 3 days to peel off senators to try and prevent them from overriding his veto. These lawless and childish antics are more akin to kindergarten schoolyards than befitting a sitting Governor of one of the largest states in the Nation. He’s throwing more than a hissy fit, he’s obstructing the Legislature from being able to enact law. A classic separation of powers violation we’re getting accustomed to with this rebellious, elitist, special interest Governor.
He’s also thwarting the will of the PEOPLE of Texas in an unprecedented move to prevent a bill of the PEOPLE from becoming law. We expect this from dictators, not from elected representatives in a democracy. This is an affront to our freedom of self-governance. Rather than graciously cede defeat, this Governor chooses to behave as a lawless dictator who himself along with his Department of Transportation is out of control.
Perhaps we need to renew the call to impeach Perry.
ACTION ALERT
Call Governor Perry….bury his office with respectful, but firm voter fury, and ask him to stop his antics and accept what the PEOPLE of Texas asked their representatives to do. He needs to RECEIVE the bill from the legislature, and sign this bill into law or get the veto over with so our representatives can override him as the law allows.
Keep calling until you get through…
Citizen opinion line:
(800) 252-9600
Main switchboard:
(512) 463-2000
Email to his transportation aide:
kheckmann@governor.state.tx.us
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Now the explanation is the clerk went home “sick”…
Austin American Statesman
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Sick aide stalls measure
A bill restricting toll road powers, one many think will end up with a gubernatorial veto, has run into a couple of hitches on the way to Gov. Rick Perry’s desk.
As of the end of business Friday, more than two days after it got final passage in the House, House Bill 1892 was not officially on the governor’s desk. That means, assuming his office accepts the bill Monday, that Perry will have until May 18 to sign or veto the bill or let it become law without his signature.
The first problem was the Legislature’s doing. The bill had a few technical language errors, which required passage of concurrent resolutions. That occurred early Thursday afternoon. Then, Friday afternoon, Greg Davidson, the only person in the governor’s office allowed to accept and time-stamp bills, went home sick. Four attempts were made to contact Davidson, by phone, e-mail and in person, before his illness became known.
Colin Parrish, chief of staff for the sponsor, Rep. Wayne Smith, R-Baytown, said, “There ought to be a backup.”