Lawmakers respond
A number of bills were filed in reaction to issues in Gov. Rick Perry's State of the State address earlier this week. House Bill 1215 would prevent the HPV vaccine from being included in the Health and Safety Code. Rep. Kino Flores, D-Mission, filed three bills outlining rules for contracting the operation of the Texas Lottery.
Children's legislation
Two bills filed by Houston Democrat and Speaker Pro Tempore Sylvester Turner would prohibit medical testing on children residing in juvenile detention facilities and foster care homes. Houston Democrat Rep. Jessica Farrar filed a bill Tuesday that would make attempting to prevent a mother from breast-feeding in public an offense punishable by a fine.
Cigarette consistency
In the name of fire safety, Alpine Democrat Rep. Pete Gallego filed a bill that would require cigarettes sold in the state to burn out by a required period of time. These cigarettes would also have to meet "performance standards" making them less likely to start fires.
Is it Perry's call?
If you were confused about Gov. Perry's executive order, you have company.
In a letter to Attorney General Greg Abbott sent Wednesday, Sen. Jane Nelson asked for an expedited ruling to on the legality of the governor's recent executive order of human papillomavirus vaccinations for sixth-grade girls.
Many legislators argued that the Texas Constitution gives them sole power over the public's money, which in this case would fund the HPV vaccine.
The Texas Constitution restricts the power of the governor more than most states, and Abbott must interpret what exceptions, if any, would allow an executive order to trump an entire branch of the government.
Shipping prisoners to Mexico
Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls, proposed Senate Bill 185 to build a prison south of the border to house thousands of inmates that are citizens of Mexico.
Texas passed a constitutional amendment in 1985 to send prisoners out of state, and sending prisoners into another country would require similar measures. There is also the matter of treaties with Mexico that forbid Texans from overseeing prisoners in Mexico.
The Senate Criminal Justice Committee killed a similar bill that Estes proposed in 2005.
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