HOW TO KILL BILL (AS IN LEGISLATION)
Bad bills get filed nearly every day the legislature is in
session. And, I am speaking across-the-board here. They come from all over, the
left and the right, up and down.
So, what do you do if you really want to kill a bad bill? And,
let’s say this bill is a really, really, really bad hombre...
Read along for a beginner’s guide of five legislative strategies.
We can call it the Art of Legislative War.
And, don't get discouraged. If these legislators are wasting
taxpayer dollars on some of the damnedest legislation, you can definitely rally
the troops and kill some bills.
1. Know the stats.
In order to kill this legislation, you’ve got to stay calm.
Breathe a bit easier knowing that only about 23 percent of bills since 2001
filed in Texas actually pass. That’s about one in every 4.25 bills.
Need proof? Let’s take a quick gander at some legislative
statistics. As of today, almost 9.5 thousand
pieces of legislation have been filed this legislative session.
Now, let’s do some numbers crunching from now back to 2001, on our
own or thanks to this nifty article by the
Houston Chronicle, that cites the information below.
Legislative
Session
|
Year
|
Introduced
|
Passed
|
Percentage
Passed
|
77th
|
2001
|
5544
|
1601
|
29%
|
78th
|
2003
|
5592
|
1384
|
24%
|
79th
|
2005
|
5484
|
1389
|
25%
|
80th
|
2007
|
6190
|
1481
|
24%
|
81st
|
2009
|
7419
|
1459
|
20%
|
82nd
|
2011
|
5796
|
1379
|
24%
|
83rd
|
2013
|
5868
|
1437
|
24%
|
84th
|
2015
|
6276
|
1323
|
21%
|
85th
|
2017
|
6631
|
1211
|
18%
|
86th
|
2019
|
But, y’all should know that even upon passing a bill's passing, it
isn't safe. It can still be vetoed.
One thing to note about this statistical data – it doesn’t take
the Gubernatorial power or his usage of the veto into account of percentages.
But, I will say that 2001 was an incredibly high veto year.
Who was the vetoing MVP? Governor Rick Perry at a total of 82
vetoed bills. I attribute this high number of vetoes to Governor Perry trying
to enter his first legislative session as Governor with guns a-blazin’. But, I
digress.
2. Know the process and
the legislators.
I know it isn’t the most fun system around but you’ve got to know
the legislative process and what legislators are in the committees that pertain
to the bill.
Before you rile yourself up by an overwhelming boolean search on
Google, use some of the Legislature’s resources like this guide on how to
follow a bill using the Texas Legislature Online.
Understand the Texas legislative process is set up this way on
purpose. It’s diplomatic in that it’s easy to file and easy to kill legislation
and devilish and nepotistic in that it’s extremely hard to pass legislation.
It’s all par for the course.
Even more? Get to know the legislators that have their hands on
and around the legislation you want to demolish. Whether they are on your side
or not. Understand their causes. Then, find one thing you identify with them
on, whether it’s a mutual city or a mutual organization and jump on that to get
a meeting with them or a staffer.
And, if you are ill-focused and have the attention span of a
goldfish or gnat, maybe this isn’t the job for you. But, if you must, check out
this Schoolhouse Rock
music video called “I’m Just A Bill.” Granted, it’s for the U.S Congressional
process but if you’re this desperate, you can only get better from here? Maybe?
Maybe not?
3. Make a legislative
tracker and sign up for alerts.
Pull yourself together! Create an organized system!
You can’t be involved in governmental affairs and legislative
strategy without doing an exhaustive scrubbing of what legislation is out there
and what exists that could benefit or doom your cause. Furthermore, the
legislation that you need to kill needs to be followed and FOLLOWED CLOSELY.
However, take note that many of these alerts are sent out without
much haste or immediacy, either due to being sent out at the end of a long day,
or being sent out strategically late to steal the chance for opponents or
proponents to rally and attend in time for the committee hearing.
4. Nip it in the Bud and
remember that face time is invaluable
If you feel like a bill or a cause is going to be a hot topic,
lobby your legislator and staff as soon as possible.
Then, during the session, attend a damned committee meeting.
But, don't go empty-handed. Type up your comments and print out
extra copies. Drop a copy at their office and with the committee clerk. Bring a
book and sign up to speak on the record. Stick around and wait until they call
your name.
Actually being there and working under the dome versus tracking
things virtually still counts a lot.
And, don’t forget to keep a log of what you’re doing and who you
are meeting with, ALWAYS.
5. Finish it in
Calendars
And, if all else fails, FINISH IT in Calendars. (Imagine
"finish it" said in the Mortal Kombat voice.)
If the legislation makes its way out of a committee, you still
have a chance. Stop crying! This is where your adrenaline really gets pumping.
At this point, the legislation will end up in what I firmly
believe are the most powerful facets of the Texas Legislature...the House
Calendars Committee or the Senate Intent Calendar.
Don’t believe me when I say they are powerful facets? Here is an
excerpt of the duties of the Calendars Committee, according to Ballotpedia. Some highlights?
The committee shall have jurisdiction over:
- the placement of bills and resolutions on appropriate
calendars, except those within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Rules
and Resolutions;
- the determination of priorities and proposal of rules
for floor consideration of such bills and resolutions;
- and all other matters concerning the calendar system and the expediting of the business of the house as may be assigned by the speaker.
Similarly, but in a more convoluted and nonsensical pathway, not
all bills make it to the Senate Intent Calendar and not all those that make it
onto the calendar make it out.
So what does this mean, in short?
Not all bills make it to the Senate Intent Calendar and not all
bills make it out of the Calendars Committee. The House Calendars Committee
sets the daily agenda for the House, as does the Senate Intent Calendar for
what legislation gets heard on the floor and when.
So follow along with me...
if
the
bill
never
comes
up
for
debate
...it dies.
Both locations are rife with opportunity to stall the bill to
death. (Insert evil laugh here.)
“In the midst of chaos,
there is also opportunity”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War
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