January 12, 2007

House Gives Cold Shoulder to Proposals
that Some See as Broadside at Craddick

By Mike Hailey
Capitol Inside Editor

Lobbyists, non-smokers and well-connected people who are facing criminal charges were among the winners while bloggers didn't fare as well Friday as the Texas House spent most of the day debating the rules it will follow for the remaining 135 days of the regular session.

Three days after a brutal battle for the chamber's top leadership post, the House shot down an amendment that some members saw as a slap to Speaker Tom Craddick because it would have barred lobbyists from the back halls behind the House floor and gallery while a bill or proposed constitutional amendment is being considered. The speaker's office and the Capitol apartment where he lives while in Austin are located in the section of the building that would have been off-limits to special interests while legislation was on the floor for debate.

The amendment was sponsored by State Rep. Jim Dunnam, the House Democratic Caucus leader who played a key role in the push to oust Craddick from the speaker's post on the first day of the regular session this week. Dunnam said the rule change would prevent "super lobbyists" from holding undue sway over the House. The amendment ostensibly would have the most impact on several high-powered lobbyists who are some of Craddick's top allies like former House member Bill Messer and HillCo co-founder Bill Miller. Some lawmakers have complained that the lobbyists have had more access to Craddick and more input on legislation and policy than many of the elected representatives.

But the House rejected the proposal in a 83-59 vote that was cast along a semi-partisan line that was similar to the one that separated Craddick's supporters from a group of representatives who wanted to replace the incumbent speaker with Republican State Rep. Jim Pitts in Tuesday's election. Forty-eight Democrats and 11 Republicans voted against a motion to table the Dunnam amendment.

It wasn't as close on an amendment by Democratic State Rep. Lon Burnam of Fort Worth to prohibit people who are under indictment from entering the back halls where the speaker's office and Austin residence are located. Craddick loyalists saw the Burnam's amendment has another shot at the speaker, who'd been a target of an investigation that led to felony charges that are still pending against former Congressman Tom DeLay, three Republican consultants and several corporations that had donated funds to a PAC that helped bankroll the GOP Texas House takeover four years ago. Craddick, however, was never charged with any wrongdoing.

State Rep. Jerry Madden, a Plano Republican, and others argued that there'd be no way to screen everyone who entered the back halls to know who'd been charged with a crime and who hadn't. Republican State Rep. Gary Elkins of Houston pointed out that two of the last four House speakers had been indicted while leading the chamber and wouldn't have been able go to their own office or to the speaker's apartment had the proposed rule change been in effect.

Burnam, the only House member to vote against Craddick in all three of his races for speaker, came up short when the House torpedoed the amendment on a 103-26 vote.

House members appeared to have little sympathy for colleagues who smoke when they voted 80-55 against a move to kill an amendment by Republican State Rep. Dennis Bonnen of Angleton to ban smoking in the members lounge and restrooms. Bonnen's proposal would require an alternative smoking area to be designated for members who want a cigarette break.

An amendment by State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez to give bloggers the ability to obtain media credentials for access to the floor while the House is in session ran into some initial resistance as a proposed rule change. Rodriguez, an Austin Democrat, wanted to give bloggers the same floor access that reporters for newspaper, television stations and other news organizations such as Capitol Inside enjoy as long as they'd been blogging online for at least 90 days with a 30-day average of 200 unique visits per day to their web sites.

But State Rep. Burt Solomons, the sponsor of the rules resolution, warned that the bloggers amendment could have "unintended consequences" as some of his colleagues envisioned a chamber flooded with bloggers. Current House and Senate rules allow journalists with official credentials to be on the floors during sessions in designated press areas or along the sides of the chambers behind the brass rails.

The rules contained in Solomon's resolution and a separate measure by State Rep. Robert Puente were adopted after almost 10 hours of debate.