House Dems slow down pace to block bills ahead of midnight deadline
Democratic leaders in the Texas House called in state Rep. Dawnna Dukes — mostly absent from the Capitol this session because of lingering health problems — in their effort to beat back a Republican strategy to ensure votes on divisive bills regarding abortion and guns.
Watching the clock closely, House Republicans tried early in the day to shorten the list of measures to be considered Tuesday to have a chance to vote on two bills.
But Republicans failed to get the votes they needed to suspend the House’s rules to postpone a collection of bills until Wednesday and make way for Senate Bill 11 — which would allow concealed handguns to be carried into university classrooms, dorms and buildings — and Senate Bill 575, which would prohibit public and private insurers from covering abortion except in life-threatening instances.
But as much as conservatives would like to deliver to GOP primary voters passage of SB 11 and SB 575, many Democrats want to see the red meat measures wither and die before the midnight House deadline to hear Senate bills.
Read more: http://www.statesman.com/news/news/house-dems-slow-down-pace-to-block-bills-ahead-of-/nmPDj/
