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Record votes of interest

Texas House of Representatives

2007 legislative session

1. While debating the state budget (HB 1), Rep. Rick Noriega introduced an amendment to redirect money slated for teacher performance pay into a general teacher salary increase. A motion was made to table the amendment – a “yes” on this vote was a vote against the teacher pay raise proposal, a “no” vote supported the teacher salary increase.

2. After the House and Senate had both passed the state budget (HB 1), the House was considering the appointment of a conference committee to work out differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill, along with accompanying motions. A motion was made to instruct the conferees to “hold fast” on the teacher salary increase included in the budget, and a counter-motion to table the amendment followed. A “yes” on the motion to table was a vote against instructing the conferees to retain the salary language; a “no” vote supported the inclusion of the salary increase in the final bill.

3. While the House was considering the appointment of a conference committee to work out differences between the House and Senate versions of the state budget (HB 1), a motion was made to instruct the conferees to retain language opposing private school vouchers that had been added in an amendment by Rep. Joe Heflin during the House floor debate; a counter-motion to table the amendment followed. A “yes” on the motion to table was a vote against instructing the conferees to retain the anti-voucher language; a “no” vote supported the inclusion of the voucher prohibition in the final bill.

4. During debate on HB 2, a school finance-related bill, Rep. Abel Herrero offered an amendment that would have made certain crucial expenditures contingent on increasing teacher salaries to the national average. A counter-motion to table the amendment was made. A “yes” on the motion to table was a vote against making school finance expenditures contingent on a significant teacher pay raise; a “no” vote supported raising teacher salaries to the national average.

5. Near the end of the session, a bill to provide further property tax relief (beyond the amount already required by the special session legislation passed in 2006) was considered on the House floor. Rep. Jim Dunnam proposed that no additional property tax relief could be considered until districts received funding from the state to provide a $6,000 across-the-board pay raise. A counter-motion was made to table the amendment. A “yes” on the motion to table was a vote against making a $6,000 pay raise a priority over additional property tax relief; a “no” vote supported the salary increase as a priority.

 

Posted: 02/19/08

 

 

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