Posted on 03/31/2005 5:12:15 PM PST by SwinneySwitch
AUSTIN — This time, leading Republicans and Democrats agreed. They joined together at the Texas Capitol on Thursday to proclaim that they don't want an expansion of gambling.
"Empty promises to get rich quick do nothing but bring devastation and addiction," said Tina Benkiser, chairwoman of the Texas Republican Party. "We're being asked to gamble away our children's future in the biggest con game of all times."
Legislators looking to cut property taxes while giving more money to schools are considering more than 20 gambling proposals, including video slot machines at racetracks and Las Vegas-style casinos. Conservative Republicans and a group of leading Democrats are working to block efforts to expand wagering.
Some Democratic leaders are accusing Republican legislative leaders of chicanery, saying they created a bad education bill that doesn't have the funding needed to truly end the Texas school finance crisis. The Democrats say those Republicans are secretly pushing gambling without publicly supporting it.
"If we get gambling, it wasn't a Democrat who gave it to you," said Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, to a crowd chanting "No slots" and toting signs with slogans like "Don't mess with the Texas Constitution."
Republican Gov. Rick Perry last year included video slot machines in his own education finance plan. But on Thursday he said he was never pushing the idea, only laying out an assortment of options for lawmakers to consider.
He said he still doesn't consider gambling legislation dead this session, although it would be difficult to pass.
"While the Legislature's still in town and working, and we've got 45, 50-plus days, and I would think everything's still on the table from the standpoint of a legitimate issue," Perry said.
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WORKERS COMP
The House gave final approval Thursday to its revamp of the Texas workers' compensation system. Supporters promise the proposal will deliver better medical care to injured employees and lower costs for business.
While the House tentatively approved the bill the previous day with a 144-3 recorded vote, the chamber gave final approval Thursday in an unrecorded voice vote. Under House rules, a voice vote on final passage presumes that all House members voted "yes," unless they state otherwise in the House journal.
Like the Senate version passed about two weeks ago, the House bill would create managed-care style networks of doctors similar to private health plans. The current system generally allows injured employees to pick their physician from a state-approved doctor list.
The House and Senate will now negotiate any differences in their two proposals.
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ASBESTOS LITIGATION REFORM
Chip Hough spent hundreds of thousands of dollars defending his company in asbestos lawsuits. The catch, he said, is his company never had anything to do with the carcinogen.
"The bottom line is companies like mine have to pay for asbestos litigation, but the truth is we all pay, and we all lose," Hough, managing partner of Basic Industries of South Texas, Ltd., said during a news conference by a group called Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse.
Legislation filed in the Senate and House aims to limit the number of asbestos lawsuits filed in Texas by allowing only those who are truly sick from exposure to sue. The proposal would eliminate the current two-year time limit for filing of personal injury lawsuits when an individual finds out they've been exposed to asbestos.
Supporters of the legislation say it protects those who have been injured by asbestos exposure by preventing those who aren't sick from suing and getting money they don't deserve, driving companies to bankruptcy and depriving real victims of compensation.
Critics of the proposal say it protects companies that have harmed Texans.
"The bills strip away the legal rights of thousands of victims of asbestos-related diseases," said Alex Winslow, executive director of Texas Watch.
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HONORING FAMOUS TEXANS
The House honored two famous deceased Texans: boxing great Jack Johnson of Galveston and Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla, a native of Lake Jackson who later lived in Corpus Christi.
Johnson, the first black world heavyweight boxing champion, was featured recently by documentary filmmaker Ken Burns.
Selena, as she was known on stage, was a star in the Tejano music world and was starting to cross over into mainstream pop when at the age of 23 she was shot to death on March 31, 1995, by the founder of her fan club.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
"The idea that we're not going to have any gambling in Texas, I think, is a fairy tale." Republican Gov. Rick Perry discussing existing illegal gambling and proposed video slot machine legislation.
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I we get it all. Wide open.
You must stay away from gambling, booze, pot, drugs, loose women and fast cars if you expect to live a Godly and Christian life.
Are fast women and loose cars ok?
I'd rather have casinos than the stupid lottery.
As it is the nearest is 60 miles away and I've yet to go to it !
Who is that man?
Doyle Brunson. Likely the greatest poker player in American history.
How can you use "highlights" and "Texas legislature" in the same sentence?
It's from the Unamerican-Unstatesman!
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