AUSTIN— Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland) took the unprecedented step of killing 15 Democratic appropriations amendments purely on procedural grounds today.
Speaker Craddick refused even to allow debate on almost every major issue facing Texas families. Craddick killed amendments to increase retirement benefits for retired teachers, to expand CHIP coverage for hundreds of thousands of children, and to increase funds for junior colleges. Democrats offered responsible amendments to increase public safety at the Texas Youth Commission and end tuition deregulation but Craddick killed them all with one bang of the gavel this morning without even allowing discussion.
“In one sweep, Speaker Craddick and the Republicans prohibited a vote on responsible proposals from raising teacher pay to restoring CHIP to cleaning up and pursuing justice at the TYC,” said Rep. Garnet Coleman (D-Houston). “This is Craddick’s most egregious shutdown of debate yet this session—and that is saying a lot.”
The Speaker’s ruling effectively denied House members’ the ability to vote on the following proposals:
Fully restoring funding for the CHIP program by Rep. Garnet Coleman
Increasing funding for Family Violence Services by Rep. Joaquin Castro
Funding the review of appraisal district review standards by Rep. Michael Villarreal
A four percent annuity increase for retired teachers by Rep. Mike Villarreal
Providing a cost-of-living adjustment to help teacher retirement pay maintain its value by Rep. Joe Heflin
Badly needed funding for junior colleges around the state by Rep. Joe Heflin
Repealing tuition deregulation to end the highest tuition increases in the country by Rep. Allen Vaught
Funding for Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi by Rep. Solomon Ortiz, Jr.
Funding for Texas A&M University at Kingsville by Rep. Joe Farias
Increasing funding for the Teaching Hospital Fund by Rep. Craig Eiland
Badly needed funding to clean up the Texas Youth Commission by Rep. Joaquin Castro
Funding a Special Prosecutor to investigate sexual abuse in the Texas Youth Commission by Rep. Jim Dunnam
Paying for emissions reductions and clean air by Rep. Lon Burnam
Paying for emissions reductions and clean air by Rep. Mike Villarreal
Funding the Department of Housing and Community Affairs by Rep. Joe Menendez
Craddick’s ruling was based on those amendments taking money from Governor Perry’s Texas Enterprise Fund. Craddick’s surprise ruling was announced after debate began on the appropriations bill. Craddick also refused to recognize a motion that would allow members to correct the supposed problem with the amendments, killing proposals for teacher pay raises, increases in CHIP funding, and appropriations to address the ongoing TYC abuse scandal.
In 2005, the Speaker allowed 17 amendments which took money from the Texas Enterprise Fund, but ruled today that any such amendments would not be allowed.
