By Jacob Vela, League of Education Voters Director of Policy and Research

During the late hours of Thursday, March 10th, after a long day filled with passing floor resolutions and saying good-bye to colleagues that are choosing to not return, the Legislature took their final votes ending the 2022 Session. Despite the barriers and complications caused by the virtual session format, legislators were able to negotiate and successfully pass a substantial Supplemental Operating Budget, a Transportation Budget, and a Capital Budget. Logging more than 100 hours a week leading up to sine die, fiscal staff had to be the most relieved to watch the members take their final votes. Despite the overwhelming number of policy bills introduced early in the session, relatively few made it through the process, leading the House to begin referring to the Senate as the “graveyard” during floor speeches. Big thanks to all of you who participated in our Action Alerts this session. Read More

By Jacob Vela, League of Education Voters Director of Policy and Research

It is hard to believe how much has happened during the past week in the Legislature. With less than three weeks left, everyone involved is digging deep to find that last burst of energy to help get across the finish line. Tuesday was the cutoff for House of Origin floor activity. Bills had to be voted out before 5:00pm, meaning that legislators and staff were putting in long hours to get the necessary work done. The House worked through the night on Monday, not adjourning until nearly 6:30am Tuesday morning only to turn right back around and start working again at 11:00am.

Wednesday morning bright and early, policy committees began holding public hearings on the bills that were passed from the opposite chamber. Hearing agendas were packed, and committee chairs usually would begin with providing friendly advice, or maybe a warning, to individuals who were scheduled to testify that “short testimony will be appreciated and often rewarded.” Within a two-hour block of time, a committee often has to hear 5-6 bills, caucus on an equal number of bills in executive session, and then also take a vote on the various amendments and bills. It is a whirlwind as members, staff, and advocates spend their days logging on and off various Zoom meetings trying to keep up with it all. The pace is unavoidable as the final policy committee cutoff is Thursday 2/24. Read More

By Jacob Vela, League of Education Voters Director of Policy and Research

This week the Legislature pivoted to full-time floor action, meaning that the focus will be on caucusing, debating, and passing their members’ priority bills. These days are long, and both the House of Representatives and the Senate worked this past weekend, with the House hearing bills into the early morning hours on Sunday, to get their work done before the February 15^th House of Origin cutoff. It is funny how many emails legislators receive from constituents this time of session inquiring about if they are “really still working” when they stumble across TVW in the middle of the night and see their elected official speaking on a bill. The answer is “YES” – the legislators and staff put in long hours discussing possible amendments, strategizing, and finally debating bills on their respective chamber floors. Read More