Capital Highlights
by ED STERLING
With a $27 billion projected revenue shortfall boring a hole into the state’s fiscal years 2012 and 2013, it was generally assumed that both houses of the Texas Legislature would move with all possible speed to devise a budget to maintain state government functions on slimmer rations.
But the Senate put that task on hold last week and instead devoted the time to passing a voter identification bill, SB 14. Democrats lost a battle to keep the bill from advancing to floor debate, and lost again on a final 19-11 party-line vote. The bill was written by Troy Fraser, R-Marble Falls, and co-authored by the other 18 Republican members of the body. It passed with nine amendments and now moves to the House for consideration.
