Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Turner Report 1
Turner Report 1
S S f &n E-,*g&s *xa {an s"e ${ *gnx$* x- ${*srui c*ffi * "$-'*s.$s L*:gisEm d.u s"rr
Sinee both House and 5e nate mel-nbers wei'e sworii in at l-2 ncron - it
was not possible foi'me io actually see the Sei"iaiors sworn in. Hawever
* *f their pcnip and c€rerncny. ! dici get tc cbserve
i did see a portie n
thei:" selectian cf Senatcr K*i Seiiger * Arnariilo * as President Pro-tem
af the Senate. ! have known anu warkeej with Senator Seliger - fsr a
number of years and believe this u'siil prelve to be a go*d m*ve fcr
Senate leadership.
\Ve *f th* l+bbv e !'esJ * u-'h+ re3]res€nt rura! pe+Ple and their eonee!'ns
*
- had ,rui' flrsi ir ceei!i"rg fci- ihe 85tn i-egisiaiii'e session' fin
Wednesciar'i
ea'-.rr-rcii iT*ci
foiio,rving the cnening da'; ectivities the Texas Agr"icuirurai
af thls
i-net, As yau knaw - ! ha,=;e lcng b*e* part *i the ieadership
Si.oijp. Richiei d iiyde - [xeeuiiv* ilii=e ctr:i"
far TC[Q' present*d his vie ws
otwhatwe_ii.li.t=;i"aITexassl-iiii;l#expect=Ehisevei.i;iewwasbasedon
hnthTCrQ-asr,veiiaswhatwasgctngonntiwe€niRFiIiani:fF}nat
gr"*uB - 6s tn€
the fedei'ai ievel. Frfruch speCuiaiicii was voiceci bV ihe
p*licv'
;tew leadership take s ihe reins cf the naiion's e nvircnmentai
i"iext u;ee k - t ,*iii re invcivec in tne Texas + and il'Ji Extens!cn Service's
Texas Agi !cuiti;r'a! i-ifetii^r-re Leaciei'siripiTALLi aciii;iiies in A'ustin"
io'iV
i have bee* very tevorabiy ii'npressed - thus far - v'iith musi cf the
*
incoming iegisiatars. i am iooking iorward to a produetive even
du:'!ng
ihe ugh financlal!5, stressed end cheiienging - iegisietive sessicn
the upea:'ning 5 me nths" As ! have said before - etrpointment cf
cc;-nn-riiiee rnei-nbers - is one of the rnosi imporiani aciiviiies
ihai wiii
take piaee this first few weeks of the session" Spe*k'er Straus in"ili
i
1
i
/
; i-,
i-ile have i6
Time fiies when vcu ers enjc-\'in-€ u"'hat -VcLj ai'e ci*i1rg. As CIf t3e eV -
rrore weeks ciuriirg tire Bsii' reguiar iegisiative sessisn" The Senate Firrance
ccmi:riitee is wel! lntc their prcposed stEi€ buiget. Since t!-":ere lvei'e nCI chGn€es
iri fammitiee ril€mbershiB - ti-iis is iiilderstanriabie' However - the
House
Bcb i'urner
i'lurai lssues Consuiiing
Ceii text 325-669-17i7
Begin irrwarded message;
Oire of il're majoi" issu€s tliat i have i:een nioniiot'ing ihis past w€ek
deali with the n:ajor wild-fi:=es in ihe Texas Fanhancile and Pieins ai'eas.
Thei-e ir ere severai ,rf these iarge fir es - where an apprFxinlaie
iotai of
i,vere burne d'
500,0SS c€res *f raneh and fai^nr !and in a 5 ee uiiit.r* ai"eA
Sevei-ai iruman iives have i.reen iost. Tirei"e irave been iruneirecis
of catiie
l*si as weii as a ilumber of horses and wildlife' Quite a few dwellings
-
- anLi rane h faeiiities ciestroveci. iviiles and miies of fenees were
destroved as well - far a huge rnonetarv lass. i nranitcred the dailv
conferenee caiis conciuctecj by Texas A,nimai iieaith Commission -
rieaiing witir sue h issues as providing ha'y and feed stuff for
approximateiy 10,CI00 head of caitie - who survirveei ihe fire, but were
ieft witnout an.r,.,thlng to eat. lndi*-,!dua!s harye ccntributed hundreds cf
round baies of hay - and cielivered !t by t!'uek to serrerai specifieo
centre! sites !n the panhandie ar^ea.
A number *f state and federai agencies ere perticipeting irr ui'cvi#ing as
Fci"est Scrvice
niilch cilsaster- assistairce arid i-e li*f e s possih!e. The fexas
: in spiic of exti,erneiv high v;inds "*"'hich slcwed fiving - perfcrrned
an'3 El'CUpS
;reur]iGii sci'viceS. Ail ct 'ihe ;i:i:'::a! agriiUltU;''l ;:SScclalicns
piaVeei extrenielV impartanl rcies in ihis iisaster, as 'c;eii'
e k - Ft] LLOwtE
Thls catastraphic i+ss l.:earjed r-r"tv iist c'f Cl:ncerfiS th!s we
e Lils[tY bv ihe aeiivlties of the iegisiaiure ar
tire siate eapiioi" Friciav
i\.oiarei: l-'ilti'- at cicse *f C*iiV busiRess - wes th* last
hs:ur far iiiing
pieees cf
iegisiation. l-hat iast eiav - lhere were 847 seBarate biiis ior-
during ti'ris
tegisl*ti,-:rri fiied. This broug!"':'i tire tctai nun:bei- of niiis filecj
iegisiatir:e session to over 7,LlU0, This is ine seesnci highesi
number ever
f!ied dur"ing e singie s*ss!an'
i suggest that V*il nrighi rr';ish i* go cn iine to: "Texas Legisiaiurc
ilri
tegisieture""
Line ge **i'ai ;'ep+rts" TFjti:i gc tc "'senerai Repcris - Texas
- wfte,^e,icu cen see *nCl even i'eas eacn biii fiiec. seiie-'ie rne-inis
wi?i
p;"oviCe rns1e beej-iinie i'eading than YCi-i ever ciesii'ee ' A reassui-ing
ii thrcugi":
ti-rcught - cniy a th*usand *i"s* af rhes* biiis wiil evei' rr"rake
pius
the ieglsiaiive prscess anc Seccm* iew. Q.uite a few of ihese 7,*-$t3
biiis are 1e peatS, ci CcurSe. A situaticn vvnei-e tvv'o fiie ffisei's -'*;ithout
cGnsuiting wlti"r ai-lvci-ie *ise - fiie,j the identieai *r aimcst
-* ideniicai
scme ci
biii. Tne lienate and i-{cusc have begi.jn Conductiilg nearin8s *n
*
the biSis that have bee rr referi"ed te iheir cst'fit'illtte* cu,"!rig this Past
vseek, These csirrrniitee hearings.,i,,'i!i beccn'le far nici'e freqr*ent -
anc
rrruch ie ngihier in naiur'e -'+;iih scme ecing weii it-:te ttre iate night
or
r5 COi{SULTii''iG-fV
SOg TUR'i'{f F. RURAL iSSU 4-141 A.rrctin Ltt !/
\/+,rr
* uJi!
TV
l rl ce !l/tc:<t="?25-€53- ; i :L i raur "r
Th* 5e nate finanee biii was apprcveff on Ehe Senaie flccr - ancl
f*rw*i-de ij ia th* l-!cilse. As exp*ci*# -- ih* H*use simpi"; Silper-
ii^irpose d the ir cwn v*rsion af the budg*t atoi: the senate
biii' Then *
*fier-e n':*rarh*n sessicn * tire iie use *ppr':ved tireir
i*'8r-si*il +f the
irie iueied
Oi'ie iviA-i*R .jiffei'ence 'was ihe faci rhai ii"re n*sus* o*i5ieii-
",R.Gi!"ii,; Da'r' 5un*"
* {saviligs account}'
u-q::.T H 53.5 *illi+i-'t +f t!'le Stete"s
.fes ihai is 'r,vith a "8", l-icuse ieadei'ship i"aiicnallzed ihat ihe Rain't'
-
Day pancl - \^.taS C!'eated in the 1980 era - fa1 the pr-trpase cf
pr+v!d!ng
* and if
an ebiiit..y ta deai tinanciaii'; with catasti"cphic sh+rt-faiis when
they arose" The iej*oiogv of the House was thai ehiid Pt'ctectirve service
-. aicng v,,;iih Teaeiiei" heeltii eai"e e+ijst!tuted ihis
ievei af di'r'e nee'j' it
r-lsed - ihe
shcuicj be kept in miRrj - even if this 52'5 tsiiiion were to be
iialiii'!Ce Hl LnC r3{n,v ilay iunil WGU'C: !-t)g;liii iO d- ievei {f,i .}d}-Ur
!-.=-i
i i i r!-, ! i .=:--:.= 1-= .-!: <4al --,-
}:t
{+a''=
*
iiY'Iiie L-*:.-",t.--
r-!:!!:--^
if tiiiLli"i
!-,.51*^ *.f rL^ .--..r
uH.U,i!it!!i:H t-i! !*=...=="i+---'.-{
-*9-..-.J--.,-^---y"=di. tl;
l-tle ilex!- Ldlelludl 5l-rlL= Lj! n
sorfiewhmi si+wer- *,;GitsinV - iir* raiiiV ciay* funef f *iliii-i'rj*ii'y* gi-cws :: at
r r=nirl rt*c Tlrir ic r.rimrrii'r *n ih.+ {+nt trtuL t',r.!ryl*1",J qn!lrr'+!L ,:{
L:i i uijii.i i dLi::. :;iiJ ii +Ja iair€ii rry dr:r,
ijLji- LU t-,id; :ur,L fh'ri if'c
tL i Fre !rr!ui f Jvvr ui
!-.aiiGftr;"^.
i-*'.rUiiij'L
ir {o.-.*. f"!i!
ii iiLiiii -r.,-{ €=r
\r"ii Ciiiij {fci-} t.-,r;*r=i'i.-*
JEVCtfiiiLC' f:vc<
l€ir-rCJ," !; n-.lsht
iiiiEiiL =r{r{ th=t
eidu Liiaii th.=
illL
I his wii! nrc+n:c anc ef the i-ca! "n'-iri"s i,incler tne bianket" - ni nranr; *f
the most cCInservatlrre eiernent of tne iegisiature. Tneir phiiosophy
aBpears tr: ire iirai tiris sai,'ings aer-ioirnt/emergeitr:v i'-.rirc * is not ia ne
, !! !
a{.tuaily useu.
ii!i;- i^.-*:.,
^*,-U (JeCLJiv *^*i.'r^.--a+l
LJd(.1\lUF,,gg(J i^ -i,*-+.-.+. f:vsl -..ase-"i++,1.-.
^i!^-!'ri y LLJllllltll-LEE -. ira-'*i*t-,.- .-,
.fili5 cjl lll cjlllll,J>L - olrv<]ILlllE G
.^,.Li:*
FilifiiiC
L^--;-*
ileAfiili5,. JeVeidi L.,*i-^l
a*,,^..-i L:ia^ ^.,,-i&:*-;^
fi UiiUieU Lji;is ciVUciiLiiiH iii -*,.^-^i -^s!€i*9*n+
scvcicii Ll-iiiiiiiLlccs -
surri JS;n iire WaVs encj iv'icans i'Jr' ta;tes ccmmitteei. i'ilar:-y'Ji thes€
hilie
tgiiiJ ::drrnr-=tr:
CaLiVitrLrf
nii-,r'rnr iho
i-C -iLiiCi Liig
niir:rin=f
gliiiiiiiCLiUii inn :- nr
Lii drrsr-ir
tiiuJLiv rerrirrriinn !rl
iCL6u-vLi'v'ii iii thEr
L,iL
:
ilf
it1rd-lryl,3
ii iLUi iiL, UF r-friirdd3
-eUUi
- iir!':-
")1- i-i itJ !niF{
'CVCaJ irr
l{ r iiierrii
y rv nf nceris, nt
u. ciir-h !Ccitpq
JuLi, lJiu'-r Higiipi-
=S i rrt-r rsi
sJ
Lct= af
i:,s ri-rai aii*e af ih* s*sci*,1 *'w*ig*:i:ings sre ir*pi,e;-i:;rg'
questicnable biiis ai'e being pi'esented now -as arnendments
tc biiis
..vhieh *r* i.:''?*!,ii,':g, L*:t n!ghtthe *.,:a::s*'.,v=5 *i: th* f!**r unt!! w+!!
aft*r
g Pfvi. Most ar ihe dair 6x the flooi" was spent debatirtg HE 21*rruhich is
Thi-c biil pronoses using a
chair.man Hrrbertl,'5 schnoi ftnance hii!.
"*jistriets - as
pOi-tior: af the state's iainy da'y fund ia assis** ir:e ai sci:oai
greater financial
weli as Brevide othei' pubiic edueational needs witir
assistance,Tiiis biii tiiiriii'y'pas:;*# witli a i3;i"ii: i'ii vi:rc'
Thcs* i*;:*'';
58 - 1 - which
votes were !:asically the same 16 whc had voteeJ against
lstnesiStt'sp'r-*pase'jtrr+*i;*31su*g€iliii'Cn=!i-r'llilt-1'r;rert';
contended that needs of this magnitude were what Texas
originaliv
cie*ieii tiii: ':l=L=:;viiiS: lr'i i'-iu;;t" iui '
thus far.. This te!!s me that the pressure will be turned Up nei':t'**''eek tc
"hale-
a 1*.vv iiigi-:. A;"i. iwisiing i:,; i**rjership wi!l reaei^: t:ew ies;eis' The
fei!0,,t," camaraier"ie is wearing thin - members-staffers anci iabbT ists
aiike ar* fe*!ir':g rir* sir*ss. vt*ulei ile eliffieirii is expiain whv - bui this
is what bi"ings on mv "second wind". I realize this is "veird - but
be!ieve
i.yle a eei-t;;n Ceg:.e + Cf "W*i;'dl' i5 ;iCC€S:a:".; tc Siii-vive rn t{:i:
atmosphere.
Frorn : Jcyce Leidig [roe:"1'i'g.lgq1rs&qellex'xe!j
Seni; Ti'rirscia'.. Jutre Li8' liiiT 'i:ilE Fi"i
Tu: joyce Leiciig
Subject: Special Session-Leg Report
apparenrly respcnsibie fcr tire neecj far a speeial session. Then - ccupie this rviih
Speaker
- - be dealt with on a
Straus, insistenee that the major issues - such as public education finance
fli.st ani highest pr!*ritl; basis. The iiai:se feitthat s+fi"i€ +iihese !+"*rer pri*:'!i';=-
clrvisive an#
time consuming issues - should have been dealt with later in the regular session. The never
* wiii rie eir-i'-ir:i
eririi*g d*L:at* gve v{}i-ji-ii+r-s - i,ir+viciing, s{:aie i,-iri.5ii'rg fi:ia i:iiiv*i€ scircois *tc
schcci
arise Curing this speclaIsessicn, as weli. The Se nate strongl'y supports vouchers icr
ch*ice - as the,y refe r ta it )- whlle the !-{o+se vcteC turice against a verLeher bil!'
Keep iii i-nirrci ihai this speciai sessiair - deaiing with scme highi'y ccnii'oversiai issi;es -
wiil i:e
coming just a br-ief periad before legislative members will be jocke'r'ing - and
filing fcr re-
tiqi-iinn. Fv'i.n Lliciigh i-iiei"+'frif; iiianv iinkili-ii,vns - ai'.-,vi: ili'elfiai+ ir-;i titis ine isl sp*cr*l
_-
session of the g5th Texas Legisiaiure - one thing is VERt' ciear. This is noi ihe iirne
iq run -
Se r;C*S ii3:'Jfc .=f th* is;uss th:i u-;e W!ii bC CC;iing
r,la.i,.- !iri:r+
;-,:. lbe
vt !'!'r L rhC
L:
*':'rll.
V'C y