Posted on 06/01/2003 5:50:52 AM PDT by Theodore R.
Perry tries to make his presence known
BY KELLEY SHANNON Associated Press Writer
AUSTIN - Shaking hands, slapping backs and grinning, Gov. Rick Perry made his presence known in the Texas House and Senate, especially in the final frenzied days of the legislative session.
Perry - who'd been panned by some in 2001 for his aloofness with lawmakers and for his record 82 vetoes - was clear this year that he intended to be "engaged."
He held private meetings with legislators. His aides were often on the floor of the House and Senate. He pressed for state spending cuts. He warned he would use his power to call a special session if necessary.
But some of Perry's pet issues that he campaigned on last year - medical malpractice lawsuit reform and homeowners insurance, for instance, which he deemed emergencies - lingered unresolved as this final weekend of the regular legislative session arrived.
Perry, though, appeared unworried.
"I think we continue to work towards an appropriate solution to the budget, to tort reform medical malpractice issue and homeowners insurance," he said Friday.
The 140-day regular session ends Monday.
A compromise emerged Friday night on the malpractice lawsuit bill. It appears the sweeping civil lawsuit bill will include a pain and suffering damage award cap in medical malpractice lawsuits of $250,000 each for physicians, hospitals and nursing homes or other institutions. A maximum would be $750,000 per claimant.
The House and Senate still had to sign off on the conference committee agreement.
Over the last few days, Perry repeatedly said he and his office were heavily involved with lawmakers' negotiations on major issues.
"They're getting very good messages from my office about what is appropriate, what's not appropriate," Perry said.
Perry's style of legislative participation isn't typical of all Texas governors, who hold a constitutionally weak office even though it's technically the state's top job.
"Traditionally, the governor has not had a hands on, day-in, day-out role," said Tony Proffitt, a political consultant and longtime aide to the late Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock.
Activism isn't always the best litmus test for a governor's performance, Proffitt said.
"A shrewd governor will be one who can gently guide public policy in the Legislature and accomplish his goals," he said.
A top goal of Perry's was to cut spending. Lawmakers this weekend were working to finalize a budget that would do exactly that.
Early in the year, Perry was reluctant to publicly offer specifics on how to do it. Lawmakers faced $9.9 billion shortfall, and Perry and fellow Republicans who lead the Legislature all said they opposed new taxes.
As required by law, Perry put out his budget recommendation. It was a document filled with zeros, because, he said, the state should start from scratch and scrutinize every dollar.
Critics claimed Perry was shirking his responsibility. The governor later got more specific in his State of the State address.
And, working documents later obtained by The Associated Press and other news organizations under the Texas Public Information Act revealed that before the "zero" budget, Perry's office was working on a proposal to cut billions of dollars in health and human services.
In some respects, Perry may have an easier working atmosphere this year compared with the 2001 session, when he had just ascended to the governor's job to replace George W. Bush and Democrats still controlled the Texas House.
This time Perry had been elected to a full term and the Legislature was entirely under GOP control. New House Speaker Tom Craddick became a Perry ally.
However, the governor's relationship with Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who presides over the Senate, didn't always appear as rosy. Even last week, Dewhurst spoke of the power of the Legislature versus that of the governor when talking about the lower medical malpractice award caps Perry wanted.
"The last time I checked, this was the Legislature," Dewhurst said. "And the Legislature needs to agree on what that number should be."
Perry and his office pushed for an expansion of the governor's powers.
Case in point: the proposed Texas Enterprise Fund.
Perry wanted $350 million for a new fund to help lure businesses to the state. The proposal was part of a move to consolidate economic development efforts in the governor's office.
Most legislators favored creating the fund. Its details were being worked on over the weekend in an omnibus government reorganization bill.
Other provisions that have been in that reorganization bill - which underwent multiple changes and was revived from the dead after the four-day Democratic walkout - would allow the governor to appoint the presiding officers of state agencies, boards and commissions.
Another would close to public view the budget working papers of the governor and other state offices. Those are the Perry budget documents that the AP obtained this spring.
Sorting out the effects of that sweeping bill, including any new powers for Perry, could take some time.
06/01/03
Well Perry needs to call the legislature back for a special session or two. The rules for special sessions are different. For one thing, you don't need a 2/3rds quorum. No more "Killer Ds".
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