Voted to Lock in New Spending without Sunset Provisions : House of Bad Cards

HJR 35 serves as the constitutional amendment to enable HB 265 to create the Grow Texas Fund (GTF) and a state-run infrastructure grant program to support communities impacted by oil and gas activity. The two bills work hand-in-hand, with HJR 35 providing a new commission to manage the dollars directed to it.

The commission would consist of seven members who serve four-year terms. Appointments are made by:

The Lieutenant Governor sets two members of the senate to the commission.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint two members of the House of Representatives to the commission.
The governor shall appoint three members of the public to the commission and shall designate the presiding officer of the commission.

The commission would oversee the grant process through 2042.

Lobbyists push for money to be collected from every part of the state for allocation to regional interests. An argument can be made to supply money for any local need. In the 88th session, money was carved out to aid San Antonio with the renovation of two downtown buildings. What interest is that of anyone in the panhandle or the coast? Local interests should work with local industries to provide for local infrastructure needs. The legislature is not a place for pork-barrel projects, but it has become that.

GOP Platform Conflict: Plank 62 emphasizes fiscal responsibility and accountability.

RV#2185: Yea 101 (R 53, D 48) - Nay 32 (R 26, D 6)
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Yea - Allen; Anchia; Ashby; Barry; Bell, C.; Bell, K.; Bernal; Bhojani; Bonnen; Buckley; Bucy; Bumgarner; Button; Campos; Capriglione; Cole; Collier; Cook; Cortez; Craddick; Cunningham; Curry; Darby; Davis, A.; Davis, Y.; Dean; DeAyala; Dutton; Dyson; Fairly; Gamez; Garcia Hernandez; Garcia, J.; Garcia, L.; Gates; Geren; Gervin-Hawkins; Gonzalez, J.; Gonzalez, M.; Guerra; Guillen; Harless; Harris Davila; Hefner; Hickland; Hinojosa; Howard; Hull; Jones, J.; Jones, V.; Kerwin; King; Kitzman; LaHood; Lalani; Lambert; Landgraf; Longoria; Lopez, R.; Louderback; Lozano; Lujan; Manuel; Martinez; Martinez Fischer; McLaughlin; McQueeney; Metcalf; Meyer; Meza; Moody; Morales, E.; Morgan; Munoz; Noble; Ordaz; Orr; Patterson; Perez, M.; Perez, V.; Phelan; Plesa; Raymond; Reynolds; Rosenthal; Shaheen; Slawson; Smithee; Talarico; Thompson; Troxclair; Turner; VanDeaver; Villalobos; Virdell; Vo; Walle; Ward Johnson; Wharton; Wilson; Zweiner

Nay - Alders; Bowers; Bryant; Cain; Frank; Goodwin; Harrison; Hayes; Holt; Hopper; Isaac; Leo Wilson; Little; Lowe; Luther; Money; Morales Shaw; Morales, C.; Olcott; Oliverson; Paul; Pierson; Richardson; Rodriguez Ramos; Schatzline; Schoolcraft; Shofner; Spiller; Swanson; Tinderholt; Toth; Vasut

Absent - Dorazio; Wu

Present, Not Voting - Burrows

Please note: the following statements by legislators do not affect the vote count that was recorded.

Helen Kerwin: "When Record No. 2185 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Mark Dorazio: "When Record No. 2185 was taken, my vote failed to register. I would have voted no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Ramon Romero, Jr.: "When Record No. 2185 was taken, I was excused to attend a meeting of the Committee of Calendars. I would have voted yes." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

(Bill summary provided by Texas Policy Research)