Tex. Video Bill Chances Uncertain Due to Possible Filibuster
Chances for approval of a Tex. video franchising bill remained uncertain Wed. as a Senate filibuster on a bill that must be voted on first is a possibility, legislative staffers said late Wed. Senate Bill 21, awaiting final approval by the full Senate, has fallen victim to a legislative squabble over education (CD July 19 p1). Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (R) indicated he would block final approval of any bill until school funding legislation is passed, officials have said. A last-minute education filibuster would kill chances for video legislation during the special legislative session that was slated to end at 11:59 p.m. local time Wed. That bill would speed Bells’ entry into the pay-TV business to compete with Comcast, Cox and others.
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If the session ends without a compromise, hopes for passage of the video bill lie with Gov. Rick Perry (R). A spokesman for the governor said Perry had said the legislature should continue to meet until the issues are resolved, and the new special session could start as early as today (Thurs.).
A controversial education plan, House Bill 2, was seen as likely to be the subject of a filibuster by a senator when the full body met at about 4:30 p.m. local time Wed., said Bill Bragg, spokesman for Sen. Troy Fraser (R), who wrote the video legislation. He said Sen. John Whitmire (D) indicated he would block passage of the education bill.
“That is something he’s looking at,” said Shelley Burrow, a spokesman for Whitmire. “If they can reach some type of conclusion” then he won’t block the bill, she said. No formal announcement had been made, Whitmire told us at 3:30 p.m. Austin time.
The Tex. Cable & Telecom Assn. opposed Senate Bill 21, which analysts have said could be a short-term negative for the state’s cable operators. “It does look like certain death, but we don’t know” for certain, said TCTA Vp-Govt. Relations Kathy Grant. “On Whitmire, he’s not going to wait to see if there’s a no vote [on House Bill 2]; he’s going to filibuster,” she said, citing sources at the state capitol.