Robert Reports
Rep. Miklos reports on his journey to Austin to serve you in the Texas Legislature.
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Rep. Miklos reports on his journey to Austin to serve you in the Texas Legislature.
July 27th, 2010
Atmos Is Acting Like Wall Street
When a company delivers a service, like electricity or natural gas, they deserve to be rewarded for giving the public a vital need and creating jobs. When one of those companies endangers thousands by neglecting to replace dangerous and dilapidated pipelines, they need to fix the problem and apologize. They don’t need to compound the problem with the sort of corporate greed we’ve seen on Wall Street. Continue reading »
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Fast and Furious
A mere two weeks remain in the 81st Regular Legislative Session. Our workdays now stretch well into the evening (and sometimes the next morning!). Mercifully, state representatives are often provided evening snacks in the members’ lounge, otherwise few of us would find time for dinner given the rigorous schedule.
I have to admit, though, the scene on the House Floor at night is both impressive and, well, fun. Members huddle (sometimes urgently) to discuss details about bills or amendments, desks have paper strewn about, and it is surprisingly loud. The slam of the gavel echoes in the chamber and the legislator presenting their bill in front of the full House competes with the constant din of activity.
Last Thursday, at midnight, was the last day for the House to hear House Bills. Now, we in the House are considering Senate bills, and the Senate is hearing House bills. Proposals that clear both chambers will be sent to the governor for final enactment.
We Need More Roads, Not Double Taxation
I’m proud to report that several of the bills I authored this session have passed the House of Representatives and are now being discussed in the Senate. Among those are HB 1404, a bill I referenced in a previous Robert Reports, which effects the establishment and use of a columbarium by a church; HB 1770, which relates to the designation of an area as a reinvestment zone under the Tax Increment Financing Act; and HB 1544, which provides Texans with another option for paying traffic tickets.
The last five months have flown by. It’s hard to believe that we are already nearing the end. I’d rather not have many more workdays that last until the wee hours of the night, but the truth is that I’m going to miss it.
Robert
