* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [00:00:01]
          ALL RIGHT. 
          IT IS FOUR OH ONE 
          [Legislative Affairs Committee on December 21, 2020]
AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE CITY. 
          GARLAND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE COMMITTEE MEETING. 
          WE ARE MEETING REMOTELY, UH, TODAY, UM, PER USUAL. 
          UH, I HAVE WITH ME, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, VJ WILLIAMS, COUNCIL MEMBER, RICH, ALVIN STAFF, JOINING US, THE CITY ATTORNEY, BRAD NEIGHBOR, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, MITCH BEACH, AND OUR LEGISLATIVE, UH, LIAISON. 
          UH, LAURA HAS VEGA. 
          I'LL GET THAT RIGHT. 
          UH, FIRST ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. 
          UH, WE'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THOSE ISSUES APPROVAL. 
          WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN ROBIN TO APPROVE A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS, ALL IN FAVOR. 
          AYE. 
          ANY OPPOSED MINUTES ARE APPROVED AND LAURA I'LL GET THE SIGNED AND EMAILED OVER TO YOU THIS WEEK. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, SECOND ON THE AGENDA. 
          UH, COUNSELOR VOLUMES HAD REQUESTED A PRESENTATION ON THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. 
          IT'S A GREAT IDEA AND APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT FORWARD, SIR. 
          UH, TY BRIE WITH, UH, UH, WHO WAS OUR, OUR, UH, BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN AUSTIN, UH, IS GOING TO BE WITH US TODAY TO GIVE THAT PRESENTATION THAI. 
          IT'S ALL YOURS, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, I AM EMAILING MY PRESENTATION RIGHT NOW TO LAURA. 
          SORRY, I DIDN'T UM, I DIDN'T KNOW IF I SHOULD SEE HER SQUEAK SCREEN HERE, LAURA, OR SHOULD I WAIT FOR YOU TO PUT IT UP? TELL ME, UM, I THINK YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SHARE SCREEN. 
          YEAH, TY, IF YOU CAN, IF HE WANTS TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE IT A SHOT THAI, AND THEN IF WE HAVE ANY PROBLEMS, WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN DO IT FROM OUR END. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, I APOLOGIZE. 
          I'M TECHNICALLY CHALLENGED. 
          UM, THERE SHOULD BE A BUTTON AT THE VERY BOTTOM ON MINE. 
          IT'S A GREEN BUTTON THAT SAYS SHARE SCREEN AND THEN THAT'LL SHARE. 
          AND IF YOU HAVE YOUR PRESENTATION ALREADY OPEN ON YOUR COMPUTER, OR IF YOU HIT THAT, THEN YOU CAN CLICK ON THAT ONE AND IT SHOULD SHARE IT FOR YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          JUST GIVE ME ONE SECOND. 
          I'M GETTING THERE OR WE DO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S TRYING TO GET IN. 
          DO WE HAVE A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ZOOM LINK OR IS THERE A REGISTRATION PROCESS FOR THIS ONE? THERE IS THROUGH THE, THE, UH, WEB POSTING, BUT THEY'D HAVE TO COME IN AS A PARTICIPANT. 
          THAT'S FINE. 
          I'LL SEND THE LINK OVER. 
          I'M TRYING TO GET A LINK TO THE PEOPLE AND YOU ALL SEE THAT CAN Y'ALL SEE MY YES, YES, YES SIR. 
          IT SAYS LEGISLATURE ONE-ON-ONE WE GOT IT. 
          RIGHT. 
          OKAY. 
          WELL I'LL JUST, UM, I'LL JUST LAUNCH INTO IT IF THAT'S OKAY. 
          AND I'M, I'M ALL ABOUT, UM, UH, PLEASE STOPPING ME AND ASKING QUESTIONS. 
          UM, SO PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO DO THAT. 
          UM, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO START, UM, AND TALK ABOUT WHO REPRESENTS THE CITY OF GARLAND AT THE CAPITOL. 
          UM, YOU HAVE TWO STATE SENATORS, UM, STATE SENATOR NATHAN JOHNSON. 
          I'M A DEMOCRAT. 
          NO, I'LL GET IN. 
          I HAVE A SLIDE FOR HIM AND A SLIDE FOR REPRESENT, EXCUSE ME, SENATOR HALL. 
          UM, SO YOU HAVE TWO STATE SENATORS THAT WAY THAT RE THE BOUNDARIES OF THEIR DISTRICTS, STATE SENATE DISTRICTS ARE DRAWN. 
          UM, THEY, THE, UH, NORTHERN PART OF GHANA, CARLIN IS REPRESENTED BY NATHAN JOHNSON IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF GARLAND IS, IS REPRESENTED BY STATE SENATOR BROWN, PAUL. 
          UM, AND THEN YOU HAVE FOUR OR STATE REPRESENTATIVES THAT REPRESENT ONE PART OF, OF GARLAND, UM, ANGIE, JEN BUTTON. 
          WHO'S WHO OF Y'ALL MANY OF Y'ALL KNOW PERSONALLY AND HAS BEEN AROUND FOR OVER A DECADE. 
          UM, VICTORIA  WHO'S I THINK COMING UP ON OUR THIRD SESSION, UM, ANNA MARIA RAMOS, UM, WHO IS COMING UP ON HER SECOND SESSION AND, UH, REPRESENTATIVE RETTA, ANDREWS BOWERS, WHO IS, WE'LL BE COMING UP ON HER SECOND SESSION. 
          SO LAST SESSION, YOU KNOW, WE, IT WAS DEFINITELY A YOUNGER DELEGATION IN THE HOUSE, UM, WITH TWO FRESHMEN AND A SOPHOMORE AND REPRESENT A BUTTON WHO'S BEEN THERE FOR AWHILE. 
          UM, SO, AND THEN WE'LL SEE, IT'LL BE FASCINATING TO SEE, UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL TALK ABOUT IS THE RE-DISTRICTING, UM, HOW THINGS WILL CHANGE, UM, IF IT CHANGES WHO'S Y'ALL WHO REPRESENTS YOU, WHAT YOUR DELEGATION LOOKS LIKE, UM, WITH, FOR THE CITY OF GARLAND, AS THE LEGISLATURE GOES THROUGH A TRADITIONING PROCESS, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT HERE IN A LITTLE BIT. 
          UM, SO YOU GOT STATE SENATOR NATHAN JOHNSON. 
          HE WAS ELECTED IN 2018 HAS TERM ENDS. 
          THEY SERVE A, 
          [00:05:01]
A SIX, HE SERVES A SIX YEAR TERM. 
          SO HIS TERM ENDS, UM, JANUARY OF 2023. 
          UM, SO HE, IF HE'S REELECTED IN THE FALL, I'M SORRY, HE STARTS AT FOUR YEAR TERM. 
          IF HE'S REELECTED IN THE FALL OF 2022, HE'LL SERVE ANOTHER FOUR YEAR TERM. 
          UM, AND SO, UH, YEAH, HE'S GOING TO BE GOING INTO A SECOND LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THIS UPCOMING REGULAR SESSION. 
          AND THEN YOU SEE THE COMMITTEES HE SERVES ON, UM, WITH 31 MEMBERS AND AS MANY, MANY COMMITTEES AS THE LEGISLATURE HAS IN THE SENATE, EXCUSE ME. 
          UM, THERE, THEY GOT TO SERVE ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMMITTEES. 
          UM, AND THEN YOUR OTHER STATE SENATOR IS BOB HALL AND, UM, ELECTED IN 2014. 
          HE WAS REELECTED IN 2018. 
          UM, HE'LL BE UP FOR REELECTION IN 2022, UM, AND REPUBLICAN AND, AND CHAIRMAN AGRICULTURAL COMMITTEE AND SERVES ON VARIOUS COMMITTEES. 
          UM, AND, UH, I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A BIG PICTURE OF WHO THE LEADERSHIP IS CURRENTLY AT THE, AT THE LEGISLATURE. 
          UM, YOU'VE GOT GREG GOVERNOR, GREG ABBOTT, REPUBLICAN ELECTED 2014, UM, HE'S WILL BE UP. 
          HE WAS REELECTED IN 2018 AND HE'LL BE UP FOR REELECTION IN 2022. 
          IF, IF HE DECIDES THAT HE WANTS TO RUN FOR REELECTION AGAIN, UM, THEN YOU'VE GOT LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, DAN PATRICK. 
          HE WAS A, HE WAS A STATE SENATOR. 
          UM, THEN HE BECAME, UM, A LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WAS ELECTED 2014, REELECTED 2018, AND HE'LL BE UP FOR POTENTIAL REELECTION IN 2022. 
          UM, AND THEN YOU GOT SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WE'LL HAVE A BRAND NEW SPEAKER. 
          THIS IS THE PRESUMPTIVE SPEAKER CAUSE THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND THE GOVERNOR ARE ELECTED BY THE VOTERS OF TEXAS, THAT THE LOOT SPEAKER IS ELECTED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 
          SO, UM, IT'S PRETTY UNIQUE IN THAT REGARD. 
          AND, UM, AND SO DAVE FEELIN FROM BEAUMONT, UM, HAS BEEN, UH, A LEGISLATOR OR STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR SOME TIME. 
          UM, HE HAS GOTTEN SHORTLY AFTER THE NOVEMBER 3RD GENERAL ELECTION, HE OBTAINED ALL THE PLEDGES THAT HE NEEDED TO SHOW. 
          HE HAD A MAJORITY OF THE TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THAT WOULD SUPPORT HIM FOR SPEAKER. 
          SO HE IS, HE IS GOING TO BE ELECTED SPEAKER ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE SESSION. 
          THEY ALWAYS ELECT THE SPEAKER THE FIRST DAY OF THE, OF THE REGULAR SESSION. 
          AND EVEN WHEN YOU HAVE A SPEAKER THAT'S, YOU KNOW, COMING BACK RUNNING, YOU KNOW, LIKE STRAUSS AND OR PETE LANEY, UM, YOU'RE ALWAYS ELECTING GETTING ELECTED FOR TWO YEARS CYCLE AS SPEAKER TO YOUR TERM EVERY, THE FIRST DAY OF THE REGULAR SESSION EVERY SECOND. 
          SO, UM, THAT'S JUST PART OF THE EQUATION. 
          SO IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW A FRESHMEN, WE HAD A FRESHMEN LAST SESSION WITH DENNIS BONNEN, WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER FRESHMEN SPEAKER AND FEEL FEELING WE'LL SEE HOW THAT PLAYS ITSELF OUT. 
          UM, THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO MENTION THESE DATES. 
          UM, YOU'VE GOT, UM, THE NOVEMBER 9TH, THE MONDAY AFTER THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, AFTER THE GENERAL ELECTION ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD, YOU HAD, UM, LEGISLATE DOORS COULD BE BEGIN FILING PRE-FILING BILLS. 
          SO THE PERIOD FROM NOVEMBER 9TH TO THE FIRST DAY OF SESSION, WHICH IS JANUARY 12TH, IT'S CALLED THE PRE-FILING PERIOD. 
          CAUSE YOU'RE FILING BILLS BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE, THE REGULAR SESSION STARTS. 
          UM, BUT THAT'S, I MEAN, THAT'S, IT'S, AND YOU'LL SEE A STATISTIC I'LL HAVE FOR YOU HERE IN A LITTLE BIT. 
          THAT'LL KIND OF BLOWS MY MIND, UM, IN LIGHT OF COVID AND ALL OF THE SITUATIONS WHERE WE'RE DEALING WITH. 
          UM, AND SO JANUARY 12TH, 20 AND 21 IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, UM, BY, UH, PER THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION, THAT LEGISLATURE MEETS FOR 140 DAYS EVERY TWO YEARS IN REGULAR SESSION, OF COURSE THE GOVERNOR COULD CALL SPECIAL SESSIONS. 
          UM, BUT AS FAR AS REGULAR SESSION THAT IT'S, IT'S, UM, 140 DAYS EVERY TWO YEARS, UM, THEN MARCH THE 12TH IS THE NEXT BIG DEADLINE. 
          THAT'S THE 60 DAY BILL FILING DEADLINE. 
          SO ALL THE BILLS THAT HAVE GENERAL APPLICATION AFTER TWO THAT APPLIED TO MORE THAN THEY'RE MORE THAN JUST A LOCAL BILL, UM, THEY HAVE TO, UH, BE FILED BY MARCH THE 12TH OR THEY'RE DEAD. 
          LIKE YOU CAN'T, WELL, LET ME TAKE THAT BACK. 
          YOU CAN FILE A BILL AFTER MARCH THE 12TH, BUT IT TAKES THE VOTE OF THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE TO ALLOW YOU TO FILE THAT BILL. 
          UM, AND IT'S HIGHLY UNUSUAL. 
          UM, BUT YOU CAN'T, YOU STILL WILL SEE BILL, UH, LOCAL BILLS THAT ARE FILED THAT LET'S SAY CREATE A MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT OR DEAL WITH A SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICT. 
          THOSE CAN BE FILED AFTER MARCH THE 12TH, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS THE TIME PERIOD LEADING UP TO THAT MARCH 12TH DEADLINE, PARTICULARLY THE WEEK, YOU'LL SEE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF BILLS FILED RIGHT UP AGAINST THE DEADLINE. 
          IT'S JUST, I GUESS, HUMAN NATURE. 
          UM, THEN MAY 31ST IS THE SAUDI DIE WITHOUT DAYS. 
          [00:10:01]
AND IS, IS THE TERM IN LATIN? UM, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE 140 A DAY AND THE LEGISLATURE WILL END THEIR SPECIAL SESSION. 
          AND THAT TYPICALLY SEEMS LIKE IT'S BEEN FALLING ON MEMORIAL DAY IN THE LAST FEW SESSIONS. 
          UM, AND THEN THE GOVERNOR HAS 20 DAYS TO SIGN OR VETO A BILL AFTER THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION ENDS AFTER THE SAUDI DIE. 
          SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S SOME LEGISLATIVE DATES OF INTEREST. 
          I THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD FIND INTERESTING. 
          AND THESE STILL, YOU KNOW, BILL FILINGS STATISTICS JUST KIND OF BLOW ME AWAY BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S SAYING, YOU KNOW, THE LEADERSHIP'S TELLING EVERYBODY WE'RE GONNA, THERE'S GOING TO BE LESS BILLS FILED. 
          UM, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL STRUGGLING THE ATTORNEYS FOR THE LEGISLATURE IS STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH THAT. 
          THEY'RE HAVING, UM, WORK FROM HOME ISSUES AND STAFFING ISSUES BECAUSE OF COVID, THEY'RE SAYING IT'S GOING TO BE HARDER TO HAVE LEDGE COUNCIL HELP DRAFT A BILL FOR LEGISLATE DOORS. 
          UM, BUT YET THERE'S STILL, UM, HERE WE ARE DECEMBER 21ST AND WE'VE HAD 1,155 BILLS FILED. 
          WHEREAS TWO YEARS AGO WE HAD 870 BILLS FILED AS OF DECEMBER 30, FIRST OF THAT YEAR OF 2018 BEFORE THE SESSION. 
          SO IT'S A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF MORE BILLS. 
          AND YET WE HAVE COVID AND THE LOGISTICS OF THE LEGISLATURE WILL BE DIFFERENT THAN, THAN WHAT ANY OF US HAVE EVER SEEN IN OUR LIFETIME. 
          UM, A LOT LESS ACCESS TO THE CAPITOL AND JUST A LOT OF LOGISTICAL ISSUES. 
          UM, BUT YET THE LEGISLATORS ARE FOLLOWING BILLS, LIKE IT'S GOING OUT OF STYLE. 
          UM, AND I'LL EXPLAIN WHERE I THINK THE CHOKE POINTS WILL BE APPLIED BY THE SPEAKER LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR. 
          CAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY LEERY OF HAVING A LOT OF, UM, ACTIVE ON THE FLOOR, A LOT OF LONG DISCUSSIONS ON THE FLOOR WHERE THEY CAN HELP IT. 
          IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT SESSION. 
          AND SO IT'S JUST, IT'S VERY IRONIC THAT THERE'S THEN YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF IRONIC IS THE RIGHT WORD. 
          IT'S JUST VERY INTERESTING THAT THERE'S THIS MANY BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED SO FAR. 
          LAST SESSION, THERE WAS 7,000 BILLS FILED, UM, AND ABOUT SIX, 15 TO 20% IS THE AVERAGE THAT PASSED THE 16 DOES 20% OF THE, OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BILLS IS WHAT TYPICALLY PASSES EVERY SESSION. 
          UM, AND THAT NUMBER, THE LOCAL BILLS THAT PASS THAT NOBODY HAS AN ISSUE WITH, UM, THEY, THEY, THEY REALLY BOAST BOOST THAT NUMBER. 
          SO THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IS DEFINITELY SET UP TO, TO KILL BILLS RATHER THAN FOR BILLS TO PASS. 
          AND I THINK THAT WAS HOW THE, THE FOUNDERS OF, OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, YOU KNOW, WANTED TO, AND THE WRITERS OF THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION WANTED TO CREATE SUCH A PROCESS. 
          UM, AND JUST TO KIND OF EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE PROCESS WORKS AT THE, AT THE LEGISLATURE. 
          UM, SO THE BILLS HAVE TO BE BY THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION REQUIRES BILLS TO BE READ ON THREE SEPARATE DAYS OR YEAH, THREE SEPARATE LEGISLATIVE DAYS. 
          UM, THE FIRST TIME IT'S READ AND, UM, IT'S TYPICALLY DONE THAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL DO ITS WORK FOR THE DAY AND THEN THE CLERKS WILL READ OFF THE BILLS AS EVERYBODY GOES AND STARTS GOING TO COMMITTEE MEETINGS OR GOING TO MEETINGS BACK IN THEIR OFFICES. 
          SO THE, THE CLERKS IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, WE'LL JUST RUN THROUGH ALL THE BILLS THAT, UM, THEY'RE INTRODUCED ON THE FLOOR AND THEN REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE. 
          UM, AND SO THAT, THAT THING HAPPENS AND THERE'S ALMOST, THERE'S VERY LITTLE FANFARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. 
          THEN THE BILL GOES TO COMMITTEE, IF A BILL IS PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMMITTEE REQUIRE A PROCESS HERE IN A SECOND, BUT ONCE A BILL GOES THROUGH COMMITTEE, IT HAS A HEARING IT'S PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE AND IT'S SET ON THE HOUSE OR SENATE FLOOR TO BE HEARD. 
          UM, THEN, THEN IT'S CALLED THE SECOND READING ON THE FLOOR OF THE SENATOR HOUSE. 
          AND, UM, THEN THE BOOK THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE HEAVY LIFTING THAT'S REALLY WHERE A BILL, UM, HAS ITS SIGNIFICANT CONSIDERATION AND DEBATE. 
          AND ACTION ON A BILL. 
          AMENDMENTS ARE OFFERED IS REALLY THAT SECOND READING ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE OR SENATE. 
          AND THEN THE THIRD READING IS, YOU KNOW, THE BILL IS BROUGHT UP ONE MORE TIME AND EVERY NOW AND THEN THERE'S AMENDMENTS THAT ARE DONE, BUT IT'S A PRETTY HIGH BAR IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE TO AMEND ON THIRD READING. 
          UM, BUT IT'S TO GIVE THE LEGISLATURE ONE MORE TIME. 
          THERE, THERE ARE BILLS THAT HAVE DIED ON THIRD READING, PARTICULARLY TOWARDS THE END OF THE PROCESS. 
          UM, WHEN WE'RE GETTING INTO MAY AND THINGS ARE MODERATE, THINGS ARE FLYING. 
          UM, BUT THAT THIRD READING TYPICALLY IS PRETTY, UM, UNEVENTFUL AND ROUTINE, BUT SOMETIMES IT CAN GET IT CAN, YOU KNOW, ISSUES CAN POP UP FROM WHAT OVERNIGHT THAT CAN CAUSE A BILL TO HAVE ISSUES ON THIRD READING. 
          UM, JUST FOR LIKE LEGISLATIVE TERMINOLOGY, IF A BILL IS PASSED THE CHAMBER THAT IT WAS FILED IN, UM, THEN IT'S IT'S, THE BILL IS SAID TO BE ENGROSSED. 
          IT'S AN ENGROSSED VERSION, A BILL. 
          IF IT'S PAST THE ORIGINAL CHAMBER, YOU KNOW, HOUSE BILL PASSES THE HOUSE OR A SENATE BILL PASSES THE SENATE, AND THEN IF THE BILL PASSES THE OTHER CHAMBER, UM, THEN 
          [00:15:01]
AND BILLS HAVE TO PASS BOTH CHAMBERS TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE GOVERNOR, UM, THEN IT'S CONSIDERED ENROLLED IF IT PASSES THE OTHER CHAMBER AND, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF A LEGISLATIVE STRA STRATEGIC COMMENT. 
          UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE REPRESENTED BY A STATE REP AND A STATE SENATOR AND THEY HAVE FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, A LEGISLATIVE INSURANCE POLICY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE A SENATE VERSION OF THE, OF THE SAME BILL AND A HOUSE VERSION OF THE SAME BILL. 
          AND YOU HAVE BOTH LEGISLATE DOORS FILE, THE SAME BILL ON THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, YOU WORK BOTH OF THEM AND YOU CAN THEM GOING. 
          AND, UM, EVENTUALLY AT SOME 0.1 OF THEM, ONE BILLS MOVING FASTER THAN THE OTHER. 
          AND SO YOU KIND OF SLOW DOWN THE, THE OTHER BILL AND LET THE BILL THAT'S MOVING FAST, LET THAT COME OVER TO THE OTHER CHAMBER. 
          AND THEN YOU RUN WITH THAT BILL. 
          AND SOMETIMES YOU PASS BOTH, BOTH BILLS OUT OF THE ORIGINAL CHAMBERS JUST TO KEEP THE BILL. 
          YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE, THERE'S A NEED. 
          UM, AND THEN THEY, THEY GO TO THE OPPOSITE CHAMBER AND WORK YOUR WAY UP. 
          BUT AT SOME POINT YOU, YOU STOP ONE OF THE BILLS. 
          SO THAT ONLY, YOU KNOW, ONLY ONE BILL IS GOING TO PASS ONLY ONE VERSION OF THE BILL, BUT, BUT IT'S, LIKE I SAID, IT'S LEGISLATIVE INSURANCE POLICY TO GET BOTH BILLS MOVING. 
          UM, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE THE SAME BILL, BUT YOU'RE TRYING TO JUST SEE, YOU KNOW, ONE, YOU'RE KIND OF FIGURING OUT WHERE THE ISSUES ARE WITH THE BILL WHO HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. 
          CAUSE YOU KNOW, EVENTUALLY EVEN IF IT PASSES, THE ORIGINAL CHAMBER IS GOING TO COME OVER TO THE OTHER CHAMBER, BUT ALSO YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO GIVE YOURSELF, CAUSE SOMETIMES IT WON'T SHOCK. 
          Y'ALL, YOU KNOW, AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO KNOW THAT SOMETIMES BILLS DIE, NOT BECAUSE OF THE MERIT OR THE SUBSTANCE OF THE BILL, BUT BECAUSE OF POLITICS AND BY HAVING THIS OTHER BILL MOVING, UM, IF THAT ORIGINAL BILL IS KILLED OR ONE BILL IS KILLED FOR SOME POLITICAL REASON, YOU STILL HAVE THIS OTHER BILL THAT'S MOVING AND YOU STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO, UM, HAVE A BILL PASS. 
          UM, SO IT'S, IT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY YOU SEE A HOUSE AND SENATE VERSION OF THE SAME BILL. 
          UM, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THAT. 
          SO IF IT, BILL GOES TO COMMITTEE, THEN IT'S REFERRED TO A COMMITTEE, ALL THE COMMITTEES, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE WAYS AND MEANS AND HANDLES TAXES. 
          THERE'S A NATURAL RESOURCES THAT HANDLES WATER. 
          THERE'S YOU NAME IT? EACH COMMITTEE HAS ITS OWN JURISDICTION AND HANDLES CERTAIN BILLS. 
          AND YOU KNOW, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER IN THE HOUSE, ONCE A BILL IS, IS FILED, THEIR STAFF WORKS TOGETHER. 
          AND THEN THEY REFER A BILL TO COMMITTEE, WHICH IS THE FIRST READING AND THE, SO IT'S THE SPEAKER AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR. 
          THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, HOW THEY WELD POWDER POWER IS WHAT COMMITTEE THEY REFER YOUR BILL TO. 
          UM, AND SO, AND THE, AND THE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN OR PERSONS, I SHOULD SAY, CHAIR PERSONS ARE NAMED BY THE SPEAKER AND THE, AND THE, UM, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR. 
          THAT'S ONE OF THE, ANOTHER WAY THAT THEY EXERCISE THEIR POWER IS THEY PUT THEIR ALLIES AND THE PEOPLE THEY TRUST IN THERE, THE CHAIRMANSHIPS, UM, OR THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES. 
          AND THEN THEY HAVE CHAIRMAN'S CHAIRPERSON'S MEETINGS EVERY WEEK. 
          AND THEY TALK ABOUT THE BILLS THAT ARE COMING UP AND THE CONTROVERSIES THAT ARE POPPED UP. 
          AND, AND THEN THERE'S BEHIND THE SCENES CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN THE SPEAKER AND HIS STAFF OR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, HIS STAFF, AND THE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, AS FAR AS WHAT BILLS ARE GOING TO GET OUT OF THEIR COMMITTEE AND WHAT BILLS ARE GOING TO DIE. 
          AND IT'S UM, SO, YOU KNOW, LIEUTENANT, GOVERNOR SPEAKER REFERRED TO BILLS TO THE COMMITTEES, THEN, UH, THEN EACH OF THE MEMBERS HAVE TO REQUEST A, UM, A COMMITTEE HEARING, UM, FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE, I WOULD LIKE MY ABILITY TO GET A HEARING. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT, SOME LEGISLATORS FILE BILLS, BUT NEVER HAVING INTENTION OF REQUESTING A HEARING, THEY JUST WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO TELL PEOPLE BACK HOME AND THEIR DISTRICT, HEY, I FILED YOUR BILL AND THE CHAIRMAN DIDN'T LIKE IT. 
          SO HE NEVER SET IT FOR HEARING, OR SHE NEVER SAID FOR HEARING, BUT THERE'S SOMETIMES FOR POLITICAL REASONS, THE AUTHOR OF THE BILL NEVER REQUESTS A COMMITTEE HEARING, UM, FOR THEIR BILL. 
          AND SO THAT THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO KILL THE BILL, THAT THEIR OWN BILL THAT WAY, UM, WHICH IS WHAT THEY WANT. 
          BUT SO TYPICALLY PEOPLE FILE, YOU KNOW, UH, SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR A COMMITTEE HEARING, AND THEN IT'S UP TO THE SPEAKER. 
          AND IT'S UP TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THAT COMMITTEE, WHETHER TO SET YOUR BILL FOR HEARING OR NOT. 
          AND THEN ONCE YOUR BILL IS SET FOR HEARING, YOU'LL GET A PUBLIC NOTICE SEVERAL DAYS IN ADVANCE. 
          TYPICALLY THE THURSDAY, THURSDAY, OR FRIDAY BEFORE THE COMMITTEE HEARINGS ON MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THEY TYPICALLY HAVE COMMITTEE HEARINGS EARLY IN THE WEEK. 
          SO THE LEGISLATE DOORS, ONCE THEY'RE DONE THEIR BUSINESS ON THE FLOOR OF THE SENATOR OF THE HOUSE TOWARDS THE, AS THE WEEK, THE WEEKENDS, AS WE GET TOWARD WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, THEY CAN GO HOME. 
          UM, THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE COMMITTEE HEARINGS AFTER, AFTER MEETING ON THE HOUSE OR SENATE FLOOR ON THURSDAY, YOU KNOW, WEDNESDAYS AND THURSDAYS. 
          UM, AND SO, BUT THAT I THINK IS GOING TO CHANGE COVID IS GOING TO CHANGE THAT I'M HEARING MORE AND MORE, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SPREAD THE COMMITTEE HEARINGS OUT DURING THE WEEK TO KIND OF MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE UP AT THE CAPITOL. 
          THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THEY'RE DEALING 
          [00:20:01]
LOGISTICALLY WITH COVID IS TO, UM, SPREAD THE COMMITTEE OR HERRINGS OUT. 
          AND INSTEAD OF HAVING THEM ALL FRONT-LOADED, UH, MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, UM, AND, UH, SO THE BILLS HERE, YOU GET A, NOTICE, YOUR BILLS, SEPARATE HEARING, YOU GOTTA GET YOUR WITNESSES LINED UP IF YOUR LEGISLATE DOOR, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE ARE GOING TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL, THEN THE LEGISLATE DOOR, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE CHAIRMAN CALLS THE BILLS UP IN COMMITTEE, SOMETIMES THEY GO IN ORDER. 
          TYPICALLY THEY DON'T ON WHAT THE NOTICE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMITTEE SCHEDULE IS, UM, THEN TH THAT LEGISLATE DOOR LAYS OUT HIS, HIS OR HER BILL TO THE MEMBERS EXPLAINS THE BASIS OF THE BILL, WHY THEY FILED THE BILL, WHAT THE NEED FOR WHAT THE THERE'S A NEED FOR THIS BILL AND ANSWERS ANY QUESTIONS. 
          AND THEN THE AUTHOR OF THE BILL. 
          IT'S THE AUTHOR. 
          WHEN IT'S THE PERSON THAT FILES THE BILL IN THE ORIGINAL CHAMBER, IT'S THE SPONSOR. 
          WHEN THE BILL GOES OVER TO THE OTHER CHAMBER AND IT LEGISLATOR OR PICKS IT UP. 
          SO AUTHOR IN THE ORIGINAL CHAMBER SPONSOR IN THE OTHER CHAMBER. 
          SO THE, THE AUTHOR SPONSOR LAYS OUT THE BILL. 
          THEN THEY SIT DOWN AND THEN THE CHAIRMAN STARTS, YOU KNOW, ASKING WITNESSES, CALLING OUT WITNESSES. 
          YOU HAVE TO GO. 
          AND THEY'VE, THEY'VE KIND OF TRANSITIONED, STARTING TO TRANSITION. 
          AND YOU USED TO JUST FILL OUT A WITNESS CARD AND THEN SUBMIT IT TO THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT THE HEARING. 
          NOW YOU HAVE KIOSKS THAT YOU CAN ENTER IN YOUR WITNESS INFORMATION AND THEY'LL HAVE IT ELECTRONICALLY. 
          AND THEN THE SPEAKER, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE WILL CALL UP PEOPLE TO TESTIFY BASED ON WHAT YOU'VE, HOW YOU FILLED OUT ON THE KIOSK. 
          AND SOME PEOPLE ARE STILL USING WITNESS CARDS, BUT YOU SAY, HEY, UM, I'M, YOU KNOW, JOE JOHN SMITH, I'M HERE REPRESENTING THIS ENTITY. 
          I'M HERE TO TESTIFY FOR OR AGAINST THIS BILL. 
          AND YOU PROVIDE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION. 
          UM, AND THEN THEY CALL YOU UP. 
          AND THEN YOU TESTIFY ON THE BILL AND YOU ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT ANY LEGISLATE DOORS MIGHT HAVE. 
          AND THEN THEY GO THROUGH THE WITNESS LIST. 
          AND THEN THEY CLOSED THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON A BILL, AND THEY TYPICALLY LEAVE A BILL, PARTICULARLY EARLY IN THE SESSION. 
          THEY LEAVE A BILL PENDING AND THEY DON'T VOTE ON IT UNTIL THE NEXT COMMITTEE HEARING. 
          AND THAT WAY IT GIVES LEGISLATORS THE TIME TO LOOK AT IT, WHAT THEIR STAFF THINK ABOUT IT, WORK WITH THE MEMBERS, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S ANY AMENDMENTS OR CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE TO THE BILL. 
          UM, AND THEN, UM, THEN THE BILL IS BROUGHT UP AT THE NEXT COMMITTEE HEARING TO BE VOTED ON AND POTENTIALLY VOTED OUT OF COMMITTEE. 
          NOW YOU MIGHT HEAR THE TERM COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTES. 
          AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT BY THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S AMAZING WHEN YOU FILE A BILL WHO COMES OUT OF THE WOODWORK, WHEN IT BECOMES PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, AND THEY GO TO THE AUTHOR AND SAY, HEY, I'VE GOT THESE ISSUES WITH THE BILL. 
          CAN YOU HELP ME? I'VE GOT THESE TWEAKS. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES, MOST TIMES, LITERALLY DOORS TRY TO WORK WITH PEOPLE CAUSE THEY DON'T WANT, THEY DON'T WANT WITNESSES COMING AND TESTIFYING AGAINST THEIR BILLS UP AT THE EPIC THE COMMITTEE HEARING. 
          SO THEY WORK ON THE BILL AND MAKE WHATEVER REVISIONS. 
          AND THEN THEY THEY'RE WORKING WITH LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, WHO I SAID BEFORE AS THE ATTORNEYS FOR THE LEGISLATURE AND THEN THE, THE TEXAS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL PRODUCES A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE. 
          SO IT INCLUDES ALL THE CHANGES THAT THAT AUTHOR OR SPONSOR OF THE BILL REQUESTED SINCE THEY ORIGINALLY FILED THE BILL AND, UM, COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTES ARE PRETTY COMMON. 
          UM, THERE'S ALWAYS THINGS THAT PEOPLE FIND KNOW GRAMMATICAL AREAS, WORDSMITHING ERRORS, YOU KNOW, REFERENCES TO OTHER STATUTES. 
          UM, SO THE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTES ARE A PRETTY COMMON OCCURRENCE. 
          SO THEY, AND THEN THE AUTHOR AND SPONSOR WOULD HAVE TO EXPLAIN WHEN HE LAYS OUT THE BILL, HE OR SHE LAYS OUT THE BILL AND HEARING IN THE COMMITTEE HEARING WHAT'S DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE ORIGINAL FILED VERSION AND THE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE VERSION, SO THAT ALL THE LEGISLATE DOORS AND ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE CROWD KNOW WHAT, WHAT, WHAT CHANGED WHAT'S WHY IS THE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE DIFFERENT AND EXPLAINS WHY THE CHANGES ARE OR, OR MADE? SO, UM, AND THEN, SO THEN BILLS ARE PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE AND THEN THEY GO TO IN THE SENATE, THEY GO TO THE, UM, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND HE, OR SHE DECIDES, YOU KNOW, WHAT BILLS ARE GOING TO BE, UM, BROUGHT UP ON THE SENATE FLOOR WITH, WITH A CAVEAT WHICH I'LL GET INTO. 
          AND THEN IN THE HOUSE, THE BILLS GO FROM COMMITTEE TO THE HOUSE CALENDARS COMMITTEE. 
          IF IT'S A LOCAL BILL, IT GOES TO THE HOUSE, LOCAL AND CONSENT CALENDARS COMMITTEE, AND THEY SET THE HOUSE LOCAL AND CONSENT CALENDAR. 
          IF IT'S A REGULAR BILL GENERAL APPLICATION, UM, IT GETS SENT TO THE, UM, HOUSE HOUSE CALENDARS COMMITTEE AND THEY WORK WITH THE SPEAKER TO SET THE BILLS THAT COME UP ON THE CALENDAR. 
          SO IN THE HOUSE, YOU'VE GOT THE DAILY HOUSE CALENDAR, THE SUPPLEMENTAL HOUSE CALENDAR, LOCAL CONSENT AND RESOLUTIONS, CALENDAR CONGRATULATORY, AND MEMORIAL CALENDAR. 
          AND THEN IN THE SENATE, YOU'VE GOT THE REGULAR ORDER OF BUSINESS AND THEN, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE CALENDAR AND THEN THE LOCAL AND UNCONTESTED CALENDAR. 
          SO A LOT OF TIMES WHEN BILLS, YOU KNOW, HAVE 
          [00:25:01]
A HEARING IN COMMITTEE, THERE'S NOBODY THAT TESTIFIES AGAINST IT. 
          UM, IT'S A, IT'S SOMETHING EVERYBODY LIKES AND THINKS IT'S NEEDED. 
          CHAIRMAN'S IN FAVOR OF IT. 
          THEY'LL MAKE A MOTION TO SEND A BILL, EVEN IF IT'S NOT A LOCAL BILL, IF IT'S NOBODY HAS AN ISSUE WITH IT, THEY'LL REFER IT TO THE LOCAL AND CONSENT CALENDAR IN THE HOUSE OR THE LOCAL AND UNCONTESTED CALENDAR AND THE SENATE. 
          SO THERE'S, THERE'S THINGS OTHER THAN LOCAL BILLS THAT ARE ON THOSE CALENDARS. 
          AND THAT'S A WAY TO REALLY RUN THROUGH AND KIND OF SPEED UP THE PROCESS ON NON-CONTROVERSIAL ITEMS, UM, IS TO, IS FOR COMMITTEES TO SEND THEM TO THOSE LOCAL CALENDARS AS TO HAVEN'T, AS OPPOSED TO HAVING TO SEND THEM TO THE HOUSE OR SENATE FLOOR WHERE IT'S MUCH MORE DEBATE, A LOT MORE, UM, ATTENTION AND APPLIED TO A BILL. 
          AND, UM, IT'S A LOT HARDER TO GET THE BILL, YOU KNOW, OFF THE HOUSE AND SENATE FLOOR. 
          UM, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S ANOTHER WAY THAT THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND THE SPEAKER EXERT POWER IS THROUGH THE CALENDARS AND WHAT BILLS ACTUALLY MAKE IT TO THE HOUSE OR SENATE FLOOR. 
          UM, AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS I THINK HOW YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ASK ME, WELL, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO LIMIT? YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN THIS, THIS NOT A CONVERSATION ABOUT TRYING TO LIMIT INTERACTION AND LIMIT PUBLIC PARTIES, NOT LIMIT PARTICIPATION, BUT THAT THE IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION FOR THE LEGISLATORS DOORS THEMSELVES, LET ALONE THE PUBLIC BECAUSE OF COVID. 
          AND, UM, LIKE WHAT'S HOW DO WE LIMIT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT THE, THE LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY BILLS GET HEARD IN COMMITTEE? HOW MANY BILLS GET VOTED OUT THAT THE SPEAKER IS GOING TO USE THE CHAIRMAN AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THINGS ARE CLAMPED DOWN, EVEN AS MANY BILLS HAVE BEEN FILED. 
          AND THEN IN THE, THE SENATE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IS GOING TO TALK TO HIS CHAIR PERSONS AND SAY, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SET THAT MANY BILLS FOR HEARING, AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO VOTE THAT MEANT, PUT THEM PUT BILLS UP FOR A VOTE TO VOTE THEM OUT OF COMMITTEE. 
          AND THEN, AND THEN THE NEXT STEP THAT THE SPEAKER AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CAN IMPACT HOW MANY BILLS ARE HEARD ON THE FLOOR AND LIMIT LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY IS HOW MANY BILLS ARE SET ON THE CALENDARS? UM, THAT THE HOUSE IS A LOT EASIER TO FOLLOW BECAUSE IT PRETTY MUCH LAYS OUT AND THEY GO, THE HOUSE GOES IN ORDER, AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THE HOUSE CALENDAR, AND MAN, YOU CAN JUST GO CHICK, CHICK, CHICK, HERE WE GO. 
          AND YOU CAN, YOU CAN WALK UP, GO TO THE GALLERY, HEAR A BILL THAT'S HEARD AND YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS COMING NEXT. 
          I MEAN, THEY POSTPONE BILLS SOMETIME. 
          UM, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY ARE IN THE CALENDAR SET A WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY. 
          UM, AND, UM, BASICALLY THE REGULAR ORDER OF BUSINESS, EVERY BILL THAT IS VOTED OUT OF A SENATE COMMITTEE IS PUT ON THE REGULAR ORDER OF BUSINESS. 
          SO THE SENATORS ALL KNOW AND THEIR STAFF ALL KNOW, HEY, HERE'S THE LIST OF ALL THE BILLS THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR COULD, COULD RECOGNIZE SOMEBODY TO BRING UP. 
          UM, AND THIS IS KIND OF AN INTERESTING TWIST THAT WE'LL SEE OUT, UH, AT THE FIRST PART OF SESSION. 
          UM, TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, FOR 70, I THINK 70 YEARS, UM, THERE WAS WHAT WAS CALLED THE TWO THIRDS RULE IN THE TEXAS SENATE THAT IT TOOK TWO THIRDS OF THE, UM, THE SENATORS TO AGREE TO LET A BILL TO COME UP ON THE SENATE FLOOR. 
          IF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR RECOGNIZED YOU TO BRING THAT BILL UP. 
          AND, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT A LOT OF, UM, NEGOTIATION MEDIA, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF IT, IT, ONE PARTY COULDN'T JUST VOTE, IT VOTE, YOU KNOW, THE PARTIES VOTES AND, AND IN THE SENATE YOU HAD ALWAYS HAD TO HAVE BECAUSE OF THE NUMBERS YOU ALWAYS HAD TO HAVE SUPPORT FROM THE OTHER PARTY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT, MEET THAT TWO THIRDS RULE, TO BRING A BILL TO THE, TO THE HOUSE OR TO THE SENATE FLOOR. 
          WELL, UM, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, PATRICK, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE, THE, THE, THE ELECTIONS HAVE GONE AND THE NUMBERS, UM, THAT LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PATRICK A COUPLE SESSIONS AGO LOWERED IT TO 60% THAT YOU JUST NEEDED TO HAVE A 60% VOTE OF THE SENATORS TOO, BECAUSE THE REPUBLICANS HAD ENOUGH TO HAVE 60% WHERE IT WOULD JUST BE REPUBLICANS ONLY COULD VOTE AND THEY COULD BRING A BILL TO THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE. 
          UM, AND, UH, SO, AND THEN, BUT NOW TH TH THE, UM, DENVER IT'S NOW, IT WAS 19 TO 12, AND THAT'S WHERE THE 60% WA, UH, WORKED NOW. 
          IT IS 18, 13 SWORDS REPUBLICANS, THE DEMOCRATS AND THE TEXAS HOUSE AND SUE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PATRICK HAS TOLD PEOPLE AND SAID PUBLICLY, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY STRONGLY CONSIDERING CHANGING THAT TO A MAJORITY VOTE. 
          YOU JUST NEED A MAJORITY VOTE TO BRING A BILL TO THE SENATE FLOOR. 
          AND, UM, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE NUMBERS OF REPUBLICANS, THE DEMOCRATS, UM, AND SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S KIND OF A NEW DEVELOPMENT AND PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT A LOT LEADING INTO SESSION THAT WE'VE GONE FROM THE TWO THIRDS RULE TO THE 60% RULE THAT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO GET A MAJORITY VOTE, TO BRING A BILL OUT OF, YOU KNOW, TO BRING, UH, TO BE ABLE TO BRING A BORE BILL TO THE SENATE FLOOR. 
          AND THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CAN RECOGNIZE ANYBODY ON ONE ON 
          [00:30:01]
THE BILL, THAT'S ON THE REGULAR ORDER OF BUSINESS. 
          AND TYPICALLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THE SPEAKER. 
          I MEAN, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WILL TELL PEOPLE AHEAD OF THE DAY BEFORE THE STAFF, HIS STAFF, OR HER STAFF WILL TELL THIS THE MEMBERS, HEY, YOUR BILL'S COMING UP TOMORROW, OR THESE BILLS, OR YOU'RE GOING TO BE RECOGNIZED TOMORROW ON THESE BILLS, UM, ON THE SENATE FLOOR. 
          SO IT'S, YOU CAN'T REALLY TELL WHAT OTHER THAN YOU HAVE A OVERALL CUMULATIVE LIST OF ALL THE BILLS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE BROUGHT UP. 
          YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW UNLESS YOU HAVE STAFF TELLING YOU OR MEMBERS TELLING YOU, HEY, YOU'RE MY BILLS. 
          YOU KNOW, THE BILL IS GOING TO COME UP TOMORROW. 
          YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT BILLS ARE COMING OUT. 
          UM, ON THE SENATE CALENDAR, IT'S HARD, IT'S A LOT HARDER TO FOLLOW. 
          UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IF A BILL, UM, PEOPLE ASK HOW TO CONFERENCE COMMITTEES COME INTO THIS. 
          BASICALLY IF, UM, YOU KNOW, BILL PASSES THROUGH ONE CHAMBER, IT LOOKS A CERTAIN WAY, HAS CERTAIN VERSION OF IT. 
          IT GOES OVER TO THE OTHER CHAMBER. 
          THEY MAKE CHANGES TO IT. 
          THEY MEND IT. 
          THEY HAVE A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE. 
          UM, THEN YOU GOT TO GO TO CONFERENCE COMMITTEE TO WORK OUT THE DIFFERENCES. 
          IF A BILL MAKES IT ALL, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WAY THROUGH ONE CHAMBER MAKES IT THROUGH THE OTHER CHAMBER. 
          AND NO CHANGES ARE MADE, THAT BILL IS PASSED. 
          IT IS GOING TO THE GOVERNOR FOR HIS CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE, UM, BETO OR, OR SIGN, YOU KNOW, HE COULD SIGN IT. 
          UM, AND, UM, BUT IF IT'S GOING TO CONFERENCE COMMITTEE NOW, I THINK ONE OF THE MISNOMERS, OR ONE OF THE MISUNDERSTANDINGS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT THE LEGISLATURE IS IN CONFERENCE COMMITTEES IS I'D SAY 99% OF THE TIME, 97% OF THE TIME LEGISLATE DOORS, AREN'T GOING INTO A ROOM AND NEGOTIATING AND HAVING A CONFERENCE COMMITTEE THAT HAPPENS FOR THE BUDGET. 
          UM, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, MOST BILLS DON'T DO THAT. 
          TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS? THE SPEAKER SPEAKER APPOINTS FIVE REPRESENTATIVES, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR APPOINTS FIVE SENATORS, AND THEY SERVE ON THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE AND TYPICALLY THE AUTHORS OF THE, OF THE AUTHOR AND THE SPONSOR WORK ON THE BILL. 
          THEY COME UP, THEY TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE DIFFERENCES. 
          THEY COME UP WITH A VERSION THAT THEY'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE IN FORMALLY ON THE FLOOR. 
          UM, THEY'VE NEVER GONE TO A MEETING AND TRY TO WORK OUT THE DIFFERENCES, AND YOU JUST NEED TO HAVE THREE SIGNATURES FROM REPRESENTATIVES AND THREE SIGNATURES FROM THE SENATE. 
          YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO HAVE ALL FIVE SIGNATURES. 
          YOU JUST NEED THREE AND THREE. 
          AND IF YOU CAN KIND OF HORSE TRADE AND GET THE LANGUAGE WORKED OUT, EVERYBODY CAN LIVE WITH IT AND GET THOSE SIX SIGNATURES. 
          THEN, THEN THAT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT IS BROUGHT UP ON THE HOUSE FLOOR AND ON THE SENATE FLOOR AND THE FULL HOUSE AND SENATE TO HAVE TO VOTE, TO ADOPT THAT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE. 
          AND THEN AT THAT POINT, ONCE THAT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT IS ADOPTED THAN IT IS SENT TO THE GOVERNOR FOR HIS OR HER CONSIDERATION AND ACTION. 
          SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE THINK THERE'S THESE BIG NEGOTIATIONS GOING ON AND, YOU KNOW, FIVE LEGISLATION, YOU KNOW, 10 LEGISLATORS IN A ROOM GETTING AT, YOU KNOW, YELLING AT EACH OTHER, TRYING TO WORK THINGS OUT. 
          AND TYPICALLY THAT'S NOT THE CASE. 
          THEY JUST IT'S, IT'S PEOPLE INDIVIDUALLY WORKING AND TALKING TO PEOPLE AND WORKING IT OUT AND GETTING THE SIGNATURES, UM, T TO ON THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT. 
          AND THEN THE GOVERNOR, UH, GOVERNOR'S ACTION. 
          BASICALLY, THE GOVERNOR HAS 20 DAYS TO ON THE LAST DAY OF SESSION TO VETO A BILL, SIGN A BILL OR A LAW, IF HE DOESN'T DO ANYTHING, THEN HE ALLOWS THE BILL TO BECOME LAW BY TAKING NO ACTION. 
          UM, IF A GOVERNOR VETOED A BILL, BUT IT'S MORE THAN 10 DAYS BEFORE THE END OF SESSION. 
          SO MAY 21ST, HE VETOED THE BILL FOR THAT, THAT GIVES THE LEGISLATURE TIME. 
          AND THOSE LAST 10 DAYS TO OVER TURN THE GOVERNOR'S VETO. 
          UM, THAT'S WHY TYPICALLY THE GOVERNOR, YOU KNOW, ANY BILL PASSES, UM, BEFORE THAT 10 DAYS, THE GOVERNOR WAITS UNTIL AFTER THE LEGISLATURE, YOU KNOW, ADJOURN, SANDY DIE, THEN HE OR SHE TAKES ACTION IN THAT 20 DAYS AFTERWARDS BECAUSE THEY KNOW IF THEY DO IT BEFORE THAT MAY 21ST TIME PERIOD BEFORE THE 10 DAYS BEFORE , THEY, THEY HAVE, THE LEGISLATURE HAS OPPORTUNITY TO OVERTURN IT. 
          IF THEY, IF A BILL IS PASSED WITHIN THE LAST 10 DAYS OF SESSION, THEN IT AUTOMATICALLY GOES A GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE CAN'T OVERTURN IT. 
          SO THERE'S SOME GAMESMANSHIP GOING ON THERE. 
          UM, AND I THOUGHT I WOULD TALK, AND I'VE BEEN TALKING, TALKING, TALKING, BUT I'M GETTING CLOSE TO WRAPPING THIS UP AND WE'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. 
          UM, JUST THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THIS SESSION TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE BIG TICKET ITEMS, BIG PICTURE ITEMS THAT I SEE THIS LEGISLATURE DEALING WITH. 
          UM, AND, YOU KNOW, STATE BUDGET IS A HUGE DEAL. 
          I THINK THE PICTURE IS A LITTLE BIT BETTER FOR OUR STATE, UM, AS THINGS THAT ECONOMY HAS COME BACK A LITTLE BIT, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT A DOUBLE WHAMMY IN THE SPRING BETWEEN THE OIL AND GAS, UM, ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD AS A, YOU KNOW, AS A, AS A, AS A WORLD. 
          UM, THERE WAS A PRICE WAR GOING ON AND, AND THE PRICE OF OIL AND GAS, THE BOTTOM DROPPED OUT THAT HURTS TEXAS BECAUSE OF, AS WE ALL KNOW, THE, UM, ALL OF THE, UM, SEVERANCE TAXES AND ALL THE TAXES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, THE STATE RECEIVES 
          [00:35:01]
FROM THE, FROM THE PRODUCTION OF OIL AND GAS AND SALE OF OIL AND GAS. 
          UM, IT'S REALLY HELPED US BALANCE THE BUDGET. 
          YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY BEEN A BIG BENEFIT TO THE LEGISLATURE WHEN WE'VE HAD THIS WHOLE SHALE PLAY AND FRACKING HAS REALLY PROVIDED THEM MORE MONEY TO HELP BALANCE THE BUDGET THAN THEY'VE BEEN, AND THEN WHAT THEY WILL HAVE THIS SESSION. 
          UM, AND THEN SALES TAX HAS HURT THE STATE, YOU KNOW, AS THE ECONOMY WITH COVID WAS NEGATIVELY AFFECTED, AS YOU ALL KNOW, MORE THAN ANYBODY, UM, THAT THAT'S BEEN A, THOSE TWO DOUBLE WHAMMIES BETWEEN COVID AND THE OIL AND GAS WARS THAT GLOBALLY, UM, THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO HAVE A BIT OF A DEFICIT TO MAKE UP. 
          SO THEY'RE GOING TO, THAT'S THE ONE BILL, THE LEGISLATURE IS REQUIRED BY THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION TO PASS EVERY REGULAR SESSION IS THE BUDGET. 
          EVERYTHING ELSE CAN NOT PASS AND THEY CAN GO HOME AND THEY'VE DONE EVERYTHING. 
          THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION REQUIRES THEM AS LONG AS THEY PASS A STATE BUDGET. 
          RE-DISTRICTING I MENTIONED THAT EARLIER, THIS IS THE, YOU KNOW, HERE WE HAVE THE CENSUS, AS WE'RE ALL AWARE EVERY 10 YEARS. 
          SO THE NEXT REGULAR SESSION, THE CONSTITUTION SAYS, YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH REGULAR SESSION, OR AT LEAST BRING IT UP DURING REGULAR SESSION. 
          UM, YOU HAVE TO START WITH, YOU TAKE THE NUMBERS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDES TO THE STATES, AND YOU WORK ON DRAWING BOUNDARIES FOR THE TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE TEXAS SENATE, AND THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 
          AND SO THERE'S KIND OF A LITTLE QUICK, FUNNY SIDE JOKE IS THE LEGISLATORS JOKE OF HOW MANY CONGRESSMEN COME BACK TO AUSTIN? HOW MANY, HOW MANY DINNERS AND HOW MANY MEETINGS US CONGRESSMEN HAVE WITH THEM IN THE, IN THE YEARS THEY'RE DOING REDISTRICTING AND THAT THEY DON'T SEE THEM FOR 10 YEARS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY'VE GOT BUDDIES AGAIN, CAUSE IT'S REDISTRICTING TIME. 
          UM, SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG DEAL. 
          YOU KNOW, THE CENSUS HAS BEEN DIFFERENT THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF COVID. 
          AND SO WE DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY THE NUMBERS ARRIVE, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, BEGINNING OF THE NEXT YEAR. 
          SO IT'S PLENTY OF TIME FOR REGULAR SESSION TO DEAL WITH, UM, REDISTRICTING, BUT BECAUSE OF COVID AND ALL THAT, IT THERE'S SOME QUESTION OF WHEN EXACTLY THE NUMBERS WILL SHOW UP FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS FAR AS, SO THAT THE STATE CAN START THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS. 
          UM, THEY DON'T HAVE TO FINISH THE RE-DISTRICTING, UM, EVER DURING REGULAR SESSION, THEY JUST HAVE TO START IT. 
          AND SO THEN THEY CAN CALL SPECIAL SESSIONS TO KEEP WORKING ON IT, IF THAT'S WHAT THEY FEEL IS NECESSARY. 
          UM, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF LEGISLATION AND, AND HOW THE STATE AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES LIKE YOURSELVES DEALT WITH COVID AND TO TRY TO TRY TO IMPROVE BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE AS A STATE, UM, ON HOW WE CAN DEAL WITH FUTURE PANDEMICS BETTER THAN, UM, WE HAVE IMPROVED, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME THERE'S A FLOOD, EVERY TIME THERE'S A DROUGHT, YOU ALWAYS SEE LEGISLATION THAT COMES OUT OR HURRICANE, UM, ANY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THESE KINDS OF SIGNIFICANT DISASTERS. 
          UM, YOU SEE LEGISLATION THAT COMES OUT NEXT SESSION TO TRY TO DEAL WITH HOW THE STATE RESPONDED TO THAT. 
          SO I THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT A LOT OF, BECAUSE OF GEORGE FLOYD AND ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON IN OUR COUNTRY OVER THE LAST YEAR, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT. 
          I'M ALREADY SEEING A LOT OF BILLS DEALING WITH POLICE REFORM. 
          UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WITH THE REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE SUCCESS RATE OF THOSE BILLS AS FAR AS, BUT I KNOW A LOT ARE BEING FILED. 
          UM, AND WE'RE TRACKING ALL THAT FOR GARLAND AND WRITING SUMMARIES UP SO THAT WE CAN KEEP YOU ALL INFORMED ON THAT. 
          BUT THAT'S DEFINITELY A THEME THAT HAS DEFINITELY COME TRUE WITH ALL THE BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED THAT I'VE, I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT AND THEN ELECTION, I THINK THERE'S SOME, A LOT OF BILLS HAVE BEEN FILED TO TRY TO DEAL WITH THINGS THAT CAME UP DURING THE NOVEMBER, UM, YOU KNOW, GENERAL ELECTION. 
          UM, SO WE'LL, IT'LL BE FASCINATING TO SEE WHAT COMES OUT OF THAT. 
          AND THEN AS FAR AS LIKE ADDITIONAL LEGISLATIVE ISSUES FOR THE CITY OF GARLAND THAT I WANTED TO PUT ON YOUR RADAR SCREEN, YOU KNOW, REVISIONS TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN TRYING TO FIND, FIGURE OUT IF WE CAN REVISE THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT. 
          UM, IF THE LEGISLATURE CAN TO TRY TO ALLOW MORE VIDEO CONFERENCING AND MORE VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION. 
          NOW THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT IN A LOT OF SITUATIONS, WE CAN, PEOPLE CAN MAKE IT, UM, GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES CAN MAKE IT WORK. 
          SO I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY, THERE'S AN EFFORT GOING ON THERE. 
          UM, TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYING, UM, THAT'S, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, OUTSIDE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS LIKE MYSELF, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INSIDE IN-HOUSE, UM, NO MINERAL RELATIONS, YOU KNOW, UH, REPRESENTATIVES AND WE'RE TALKING, UM, ASSOCIATIONS LIKE TML AND TEXAS HAITIAN COUNTIES, AND THOSE THAT ARE UP ARE ACTIVE AT THE CAPITOL. 
          SO RIGHT NOW THE BILL THERE'S BEEN TWO BILLS FILED ONE IN THE SENATE, ONE IN MY RE UH, SENATOR BOB HALL, AND THEN ONE BY REPRESENTATIVE MAYES MIDDLETON WHO HAD THE BILL LAST SESSION THAT, THAT WERE FILED, BUT DID NOT PASS. 
          UM, SO THERE'S A BIG EFFORT. 
          THERE WAS A STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE HEARING ON, UM, THAT ISSUE, STATE, 
          [00:40:01]
TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYISTS IN, UH, LOBBYING, UM, IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. 
          UM, SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG ISSUE. 
          I KNOW FOR CITIES AND A LOT OF OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'LL BE A CONTINUED, UM, EFFORT, UNFORTUNATELY, TO UNDERMINE CITIES, AUTHORITY, UH, A CITY STORY AND JURISDICTION. 
          WE'VE SEEN IT. 
          I MEAN, THAT'S ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT I'VE ENJOYED. 
          WELL, I'VE ENJOYED PICKING BRAD'S BRAIN. 
          I'VE ENJOYED WATCHING BRAIN, UH, BRAD AND BRIAN ENGLAND'S MIND WORK, UM, UNFORTUNATE WHAT WE'RE HAVING TO WORK ON. 
          UM, BUT IT'S LIKE, THEY HAVE SO MUCH INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE WHEN THEY SEE A BILL, THEY KNOW WHAT, WHAT A PARTICULAR INDUSTRY IS TRYING TO DO TO UNDERMINE A CITY'S REGULATION. 
          AND I'LL GO TO LEGISLATE DOORS AND STAFF AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, REALLY WHAT THIS BILL, THIS BILL DOES. 
          AND THEY WERE LIKE, NO, WE HAD NO IDEA. 
          SO IT'S, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE I'M AFRAID, PETE, THERE'S A LOT. 
          IF YOU'VE EVER HAD A BEEF WITH A CITY, THE LAST COUPLE OF SESSIONS, PARTICULARLY LAST SESSION, IT'S BEEN YOUR TIME TO COME TO THE LEGISLATURE AND TRY TO SOLVE YOUR ISSUE WITH A CITY. 
          UM, BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF NEGATIVITY, UNFORTUNATELY, TOWARDS CITIES AS Y'ALL ARE VERY AWARE. 
          UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S A BILL THAT'S OUT THERE THAT DEALS WITH MUNICIPAL OWNED UTILITIES. 
          UM, SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S THAT BILL OUT THERE THAT, UH, SENATOR SCHWERTNER HAS ALREADY FILED THAT, YOU KNOW, COULD IMPACT, UM, YOUR, YOUR ENTITY, SO YOUR UTILITIES. 
          SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON YOUR RADAR. 
          AND SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S MY POWERPOINT AND, UM, I'LL STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS. 
          I FEEL A LOT OF INFORMATION AT YOU, BUT I TRIED TO DO MY BEST TO KINDA GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT'S GOING ON. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          I THINK RICH'S DOG HAS A QUESTION SHE'D LIKE TO KNOW WHILE YOU'RE ON HER LAWN. 
          AH, THERE YOU GO. 
          THERE YOU GO. 
          UH, ALL RIGHT. 
          MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? REMEMBER WILLIAMS, GO AHEAD, SIR. 
          THANKS FOR SURE. 
          I THANK YOU VERY MUCH, THAI, REALLY VERY EDUCATIONAL AND SOME, AND SOME PAUSE, FRIGHTENING PRESENTATION, BUT, BUT, UH, BUT THANKS. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. 
          UM, JUST TO HIM, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ROLES OF, UH, CAUSE ARE NO ROLE IN THIS CHART, BUT THAT VARIANCE PREVIOUS STATE INDICATES THE ROLES OF CHIEFS OF STAFFS AND THIS WHOLE PROCESS AS TO WHICH LEVEL YOU GET ATTENTION, YOU GET AUDIENCES EVEN GETTING INTO THE HEARING OF GETTING INFORMATION. 
          WOULD YOU TALK ABOUT THAT? AND LIKE, I MAY ASK MY SECOND QUESTION AND I'M DONE HOW THE LEGISLATURE HAS THIS, THIS CULTURE, THIS HABIT OF KILLING STUFF, UH, BILLS BY THE HEARING PROCESS, EITHER POSTPONING THEM, DRAGGING THEM OUT, UH, RESCHEDULING THEM ADJUST TO WEARING YOU OUT. 
          UH, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU HAVE, UH, YOU ARE THERE ON A SPECIFIC BILL AND YOU HAVE FOLK WHO ARE LINED UP TO COME AND SPEAK, UH, ON A BILL. 
          UH THERE'S, THERE'S ALWAYS THAT, THAT A STRATEGY. 
          OKAY. 
          YOU, YOU, YOU ARE HERE, YOU COUNCIL PERSONS ARE HERE, WHOMEVER'S REPRESENTING THE CITY. 
          UH, BUT UH, THE HEARING WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT NINE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO SWITCH IT TO NINE TONIGHT, UM, OR, UH, NINE NEXT WEEK. 
          SO, UH, UH, TY, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THOSE 2.1 ON THE ROLE OF THE CHIEF CHIEFS OF STAFFS AND THIS WHOLE PROCESS AND THAT FINAL POINT, PLEASE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MS. CHAIR. 
          YES, SIR. 
          UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE, FOR THE QUESTIONS. 
          YEAH. 
          CHIEFS OF STAFF AND THE STAFF IS SO IMPORTANT. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALWAYS PART OF A CRUCIAL PART OF THE RELATIONSHIP, UM, THAT YOU TRY TO BUILD WITH LEGISLATE DOORS IS, IS THEIR STAFF. 
          UM, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHERE THE LEGISLATORS ARE, YOU KNOW, RUNNING AROUND, UM, GOING TO COMMITTEE HEARINGS AND ON THE FLOOR, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE THAT POINT OF CONTACT WITH THAT CHIEF OF STAFF AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE OFFICES AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE ALL PROBABLY EXPERIENCED YOU'RE IN THEIR OFFICES AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IF A PARTICULAR NUMBER RINGS AND THAT, AND IT HAS A LITTLE RED FLASHING DOT ON THEIR PHONE, THOSE CHIEFS OF STAFF AND THE, SORRY, I GOT TO PICK UP THIS PHONE, IT'S THE MA IT'S THE LEGISLATURE OR FROM THE, FROM THE FLOOR. 
          SO THEY PICK UP THAT PHONE. 
          SO THEY'VE GOT A DIRECT CONDUIT TO THE MEMBER, TO THE LEGISLATURE. 
          AND SO, UM, YES, BUILDING THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT STAFF AND THE CHEAPEST STAFF HAS ACHIEVED. 
          THE STAFFS, I I'D ARGUE IS KINDA LIKE THE, THE QUARTERBACK, I'M A BIG SPORTS GUY. 
          AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, A SPORTS ANALOGY, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE LEGISLATIVE DOOR IS THE RUNNING BACK AND IS GONNA CARRY THE BALL AND GET IT OVER 
          [00:45:01]
THE GOAL LINE. 
          BUT THAT QUARTERBACK'S GOT TO SIT THERE. 
          THAT'S CHIEF OF STAFF HAS GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT STAFFERS GOING TO THAT OFFICE AND THAT STAFFERS GOING TO THAT OFFICE. 
          AND THERE, THEY'VE GOT ALL THE COMMITTEES HERE, YOU KNOW, COVERED, AND, AND THAT IS, OR AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER, YOU KNOW, THAT CHIEF OF STAFF, MAKING SURE THE CONSTITUENTS ARE HAPPY, THE LEGISLATE DOORS, WHERE THEY NEED TO BE, UM, THAT'S YOUR YOU'VE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD THAT, THAT CHIEF OF STAFF IS A CRUCIAL, CRUCIAL PERSON AND ROLE. 
          UM, AND THEN AS FAR AS THE, YEAH, THERE ARE TACTICS TO, YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE OPPOSED TO A BILL, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN, THEY CAN SET IT AT DIFFERENT TIMES TO, UM, UH, TO TRY TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW PEOPLE ARE DRIVING INTO AUSTIN, GOING TO DO THEIR DEAL AND DRIVING HOME. 
          AND THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE LEGISLATORS THAT REALLY TRY TO GET GOES. 
          A LOT OF TIMES THEY'LL SET, UM, HEARINGS FOR EIGHT IN THE MORNING OR SEVEN 30 IN THE MORNING, AND THEN THE, THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE TYPICALLY GO IN AT 10 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING. 
          SO THEY TRY TO HEAR AS MANY BILLS AS THEY CAN BEFORE 10 O'CLOCK, BECAUSE SOME PARTICULARLY AS YOU GET LATER AND LATER IN SESSION, YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN, WHAT TIME THEY'RE GOING TO BE GETTING OFF THE HOUSE OR SENATE FLOOR, BECAUSE IF THEY HAVEN'T FINISHED THEIR WORK IN COMMITTEE, THEY'LL, THEY'LL RECESS THE COMMITTEE. 
          AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO BE ON THE FLOOR AT 10 O'CLOCK AND THEN THEY'LL WAIT UNTIL THEY'VE ADJOURNED THE ACTION ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE OR SENATE, AND THEN BRING THE COMMITTEE BACK AND CONTINUE TO HEAR BILLS. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S WHY THEY USE A LOT OF TIMES, YOU'LL HEAR LEGISLATORS SAY, HEY, I'VE GOT THIS GUY OR THIS WOMAN FROM IN, FROM LUFKIN OR TEXARKANA, SHE NEEDS TO TESTIFY SO SHE CAN GET BACK HOME. 
          CAN YOU PLEASE LET HER GO AHEAD AND TESTIFY? UM, LEGISLATE DOORS, TRY TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR LOCAL FOLKS, BUT IF THERE'S LIKE A BILL LIKE SENATE BILL TWO, YOU KNOW, TACK, YOU KNOW, THE BIG PROPERTY TAX REFORM BILL, I MEAN, THAT THING, UM, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A RE IT, YOU KNOW, THAT THING WOULD ALL NIGHT AFTER NIGHT AFTER NIGHT. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, THE LEGISLATURE WANTS EVERYBODY TO BE HEARD. 
          UM, AND SO THEY, THEY DON'T WANT TO IN PARTICULARLY THE HOUSE, THEY'LL LET PEOPLE GO ON AND ON AND ON THE SENATE IS A LITTLE MORE STRINGENT ABOUT ALLOWING PEOPLE THREE MINUTES TO TESTIFY, UNLESS THEY HAVE QUESTIONS AND THEN TRYING TO LIMIT THAT TESTIMONY. 
          UM, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S AN ENDURANCE CONTEST AND A LOT OF WAYS. 
          UM, AND YOU KNOW, SOME OF, THAT'S PROBABLY A FUNCTION OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE ONLY MEETING 140 DAYS EVERY OTHER YEAR. 
          AND SO THERE'S SOME URGENCY TO GET THINGS DONE BECAUSE POTENTIALLY IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIAL SESSIONS, THEN WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE UNTIL TWO YEARS FROM NOW. 
          UM, AND SO IT'S JUST, UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I ASK PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT THIS SESSION BECAUSE THE COVID, BUT, YOU KNOW, I, CAUSE I FULLY ANTICIPATE THE LEGISLATURE WILL COME IN ON, ON JANUARY SEC, 12TH ADOPT THE HOUSE AND SENATE RULES ELECT, YOU KNOW, DADE FEELING SPEAKER. 
          AND THEN I BET YOU, THEY DON'T COME BACK TO AUSTIN FOR 30 DAYS. 
          UM, AND TYPICALLY THOSE FIRST 60 DAYS, THEY CAN'T HEAR A BILL ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE OR SENATE, UNLESS THE GOVERNOR DECLARED THAT AN EMERGENCY. 
          AND I'M, I JUST THINK IT'S UNLIKELY. 
          HE'LL DO THE GOVERNOR ABBOTT WILL DECLARE MANY, UM, BILL'S EMERGENCIES IN THAT FIRST 60 DAYS. 
          SO THEY MIGHT DO A LOT OF MEMORIAL RESOLUTIONS AND THANKING SO-AND-SO FOR BEING AT THE CAPITOL. 
          AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, AN OLA COUNTY DAY AT THE CAPITOL AND, AND IT'S ALL THESE RECEPTIONS, YOU KNOW, THAT, I JUST DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THIS SESSION. 
          UM, AND SO IT'S JUST GONNA, IT, THE SESSION IS JUST GOING TO LOOK VERY, VERY DIFFERENT AND PEOPLE GET FRUSTRATED AND I KNOW LEGISLATE DOORS THAT HAVE QUIT. 
          THEY JUST, AFTER ONE SESSION, THEY'RE LIKE, THIS DRIVES ME NUTS THAT THE LEGISLATURE KIND OF PIDDLES AROUND PIDDLES AROUND PEDALS AROUND, AND THEN IT COULD BE PASSING BILLS AND HEARING BILLS IN MARCH AND APRIL AND THE SENATE ON THE HOUSE AND SENATE FLOOR. 
          BUT THEY DON'T BECAUSE ALL THE SPEAKERS CONTROLLING THAT, AND THAT MAKES THE SPEAKER PARTICULARLY MORE POWERFUL THAT IF YOU GOT THIS BIG GLUT, THIS BIG BACKUP OF BILLS, EVERYBODY NEEDS SOMETHING FROM THE SPEAKER TO TRY TO GET THEIR BILL ON THE HOUSE OR SENATE ON THE HOUSE FLOOR. 
          SO THE MORE THAT'S THERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THE MOST EFFICIENT BOARD OF GOVERNANCE GOVERNMENT, BUT THERE'S A, THERE'S A METHOD TO THE MADNESS. 
          THERE'S A REASON WHY THEY, THEY WORK A WHOLE LOT HARDER IN APRIL AND MAY BECAUSE IT, THE SPEAKER SETS IT UP THAT WAY. 
          THAT'S MY LONG-WINDED ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. CHAIRMAN, SIR, GO AHEAD. 
          IF I COULD ASK TY REAL QUICK, UM, UH, I'VE BEEN HEARING RUMORS THROUGH OUR SOURCES, UH, OF DIFFERENT WAYS. 
          THEY'RE GOING TO RUN THIS SESSION, UM, WITH RESPECT TO COVID. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS THIS INDICATION 
          [00:50:01]
THAT THEY SAID TODAY, OH, WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP THE CAPITAL, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY REALLY MEAN THAT YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF WHAT THEY'RE TALKING. 
          NO, I DON'T. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING, THERE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HEARD IS THERE'S GOING TO BE A TENT OUTSIDE THE CAPITOL. 
          UM, AND THEY'RE GOING TO DO TESTING ON SITE, QUICK TESTING, YOU KNOW, IN A TENT BEFORE YOU CAN GO. 
          BUT THE DAYS OF JUST BEEN ABLE TO WALK UP TO THE CAPITOL, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH THE METER, THE DETECTOR, THE METAL DETECTOR, AND WALKING RIGHT TO YOUR HEARING THOSE DAYS, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN THIS SESSION. 
          UM, SO YOU KNOW, THEY, THERE'S A LOT OF TALK OF HAVING SOME KIND OF, YOU CAN PROVE YOU'VE BEEN VACCINATED, THEN YOU'LL GO INTO A SPECIAL LINE. 
          WHEREAS IF YOU HAVEN'T, YOU GOT TO GET TESTED. 
          UM, THERE'S A HOUSE COMMITTEE, THERE'S A HOUSE TASK FORCE WORKING ON WHAT THAT LOGISTICS WILL LOOK LIKE. 
          UM, BUT I, AND YOU EVEN HAVE BRED A REQUEST FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION THAT SOMEBODY FROM THE FAR, FAR RIGHT, UM, BRISCOE CAIN HAS SUBMITTED THAT SAID, WHAT IS, WHAT, WHAT IS REQUIRED OF LEGISLATE TOWARDS THE VOTING COMMITTEE AND THE HOUSE, AND, UM, BASICALLY ASTON LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ATTORNEY GENERAL, PAXTON, DO WE HAVE TO VOTE IN PUBLIC? IS THAT LEGAL UNDER TEXAS LAW? DO WE HAVE, DO THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE HAVE TO VOTE IN PUBLIC AND COMMITTEE AND, UM, ON THE FLOOR TO BE FOR THAT TO BE A LEGITIMATE VOTE OR CAN THEY VOTE VIRTUALLY? AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S, IT'LL BE FASCINATING TO SEE WHAT ATTORNEY GENERAL PAXTON COMES UP WITH. 
          UM, BUT YEAH, BRAD, I MEAN, I JUST, I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO LET LIMITED NUMBERS IN, I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE YOU TEST BEFORE YOU COME IN. 
          I THINK POTENTIALLY YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT AND TO BE ON A LIST TO BE ABLE TO MEET WITH THE LEGISLATE DOOR. 
          UM, I JUST THINK THE ACCENT WHILE THE PUBLIC AT CAPITOL WILL BE QUOTE UNQUOTE, OPEN THE ACCESS TO IT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO, TO, TO GET IN, YOU KNOW, TO BE, TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO THE LEGISLATURE, INTO THE CAPITOL. 
          ANY WORD ON HOLDING SOME OF THESE COMMITTEE HEARINGS BY ZOOM. 
          DOES THAT LOOK TO BE REAL? I THINK SO. 
          I THINK WHAT IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE, UM, THAT RULES WILL LEARN A LOT WHEN WE SEE WHAT THOSE RULES LOOK LIKE. 
          UM, AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'LL SEE IS I THINK POTENTIALLY IN THE SENATE, YOU'LL, YOU'LL HAVE THE MEMBERS IN THE STAFF IN ONE ROOM AND IN THE CAPITOL, AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE ALL THE WITNESSES AND THE PUBLIC IN ANOTHER ROOM. 
          AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE IN TWO DIFFERENT ROOMS AND YOU'LL, YOU'LL TESTIFY FROM ANOTHER ROOM TO THE LEGISLATIVE DOORS. 
          AND SO, UM, I THINK THE SENATE IS LIKELY TO DO THAT. 
          THE HOUSE I THINK, IS STILL WORKING ON IT, BRAD. 
          SO, UM, IT'S A, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S LIKE, I'VE TOLD PEOPLE WHAT, HOW THE LEGISLATURE, HOW THE REGULAR SESSION LOOKS LIKE IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY COULD LOOK TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN APRIL AND MAY WHEN WE GET MORE PEOPLE VACCINATED, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO BE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALREADY HEARING LIKE ABBOTT'S GETTING VACCINATED TOMORROW AND THERE'S SOME LEGISLATE DOORS KNOW THAT HAVE ALREADY GOTTEN VACCINATED. 
          UM, I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO FIND A WAY TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST GROUP, YOU KNOW, FIRST IN THE FIRST GROUP OF PEOPLE BEING VACCINATED. 
          SO THEY MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE WILLING AS TIME GOES ON AND MORE PEOPLE GET VACCINATED, MORE WILLING TO MEET IN PERSON AND HAVING, YOU KNOW, MORE OF A NORMAL LEGISLATIVE PROCESS BECAUSE MOST OF THEM I WOULD ARGUE WILL PROBABLY BE VACCINATED BY MARCH AND APRIL. 
          UM, SO I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO, IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE LOOK OF THE LEGISLATURE WILL CHANGE OVER THE COURT FROM THE BEGINNING TOWARD, UNTIL THE END. 
          SO HI IS SIR, UM, ONE QUESTION FROM ME, UM, I KNOW EVERYTHING IS RUMOR AND SUPPOSITION AT THIS POINT, BUT, UH, I HAD HEARD THAT THERE'S A STRONG CHANCE THAT REDISTRICTING, UH, WOULD BE PUSHED OUT TO A SPECIAL SESSION, UH, ANNOUNCED FAIRLY EARLY. 
          IS THAT, UH, HOW SOLID IS THAT RUMOR? IS IT, IS IT PRETTY SOLID OR IS IT JUST PEOPLE TALKING? I THINK IT, I THINK IT'S PRETTY SOLID. 
          UM, I THINK THEY'VE, THEY STILL NEED TO HOLD HEARINGS. 
          THE HOUSE, THE RE-DISTRICTING COMMITTEES I THINK ARE GOING TO HOLD HEARINGS, UM, REMOTELY. 
          AND, UM, I THINK TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS I THINK IT'S A HIGHLIGHT. 
          I THINK THEY'LL BRING IT UP DURING REGULAR SESSION AND TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT, BUT REALLY DEAL WITH IT BECAUSE THAT BUYS THEM TIME, UM, TO DEAL WITH IT WHEN MORE PEOPLE ARE VACCINATED AND IT CAN BE MORE OF A IN-PERSON PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE, IN THE, IN THE, I SEE, UH, AND I DID, I'VE STARTED GOING THROUGH 
          [00:55:01]
BILLS I'M, UH, MAYBE 200 AND, AND I NOTICED THAT THERE ARE STILL BILLS, UH, DEALING WITH THE 2010 DISTRICT LINES, WHICH IS INSANE TO ME, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT IS. 
          THAT'S WHAT IT IS. 
          SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. 
          UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR THAI TODAY? JUST ON THE, UH, JUST ON THE REGISTRY, ANY MORE INSIGHT SINCE WE TALKED TO YOU LAST ABOUT HOW THAT MIGHT AFFECT GARLAND OR WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT? I MEAN, I, I ASSUME WE'LL GET SHIFTS OF SOME KIND, BUT I DON'T, I MEAN, EVERYTHING PROBABLY ALWAYS GETS TWEAKED A BIT, BUT, UM, ANY KIND OF THOUGHTS ABOUT WHAT ANY MAJOR THINGS HAPPENING? I MEAN, MIGHT WE SWITCH OUT, YOU KNOW, MIKE, MIGHT THEY PULL HALL ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE EAST AND MIGHT WE GET SOMEONE ELSE'S SENATOR OR ANY CRAZY THING LIKE THAT? OR I THINK THAT COULD, I THINK IT COULD HAPPEN. 
          YES. 
          UM, AND PAUL HAS TOO, WHILE HE LIVES EAST OF, YOU KNOW, LIKE EAST OF Y'ALL, HE STILL HAS TO PULL IN THE METROPOLITAN AREAS TO GET HIM, TO GET HIS BOATS, TO GET HIS NUMBERS UP. 
          AND SO THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE ONE REASON WHY HE, THEY MIGHT KEEP GARLAND AND PARTS OF THE METROPLEX IN, IN, UM, PAUL'S DISTRICT JUST TO MAKE SURE HE HAS THE NUMBERS. 
          UM, BUT YEAH, I COULD, I COULD SEE THAT COULD BE ONE CHANGE IS THAT HE COULD, THAT, IF YOU ASKED ME, WHAT DO I THINK IS GOING TO CHANGE? I THINK THAT THE, UM, THE STATE SENATE SEATS WILL, I THINK THOSE BOUNDARIES WILL THAT AFFECT GARLAND WILL, WILL BE CHANGED TO ME MORE LIKELY THAN A, THAN A HOUSE. 
          UM, AND I THINK BECAUSE YOU HAVE A REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE, THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO, THEY PROBABLY WILL, WILL, UH, MESS WITH THE BOUNDARIES A LITTLE BIT ON THE HOUSE SIDE. 
          UM, BUT I THINK THAT THEY'RE REALLY GOING TO, IN MY OPINION, TRY TO PROTECT THAT ANGIE CHIN BUTTON SEAT, BECAUSE IT'S THE ONE REPUBLICAN SEAT LEFT OF THE FOUR IN THE, IN THE, IN THE GARLAND DELEGATION. 
          I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO FIND A WAY TO PROTECT THAT AS A REPUBLICAN SEAT. 
          UM, THAT'S MY SPECULATION. 
          UM, BUT I, IT'S GOING TO BE HARD FOR THEM TO HAVE TO REALLY, I THINK, TO DO A LOT WITH THE OTHER THREE SEATS, UM, JUST BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE NUMBERS IN AND HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, DEMOGRAPHICALLY IN DALLAS COUNTY. 
          UM, SO I THINK IT'S MORE LIKELY THEY'LL TRY TO PROTECT CHIN BUTTON'S REPUBLICAN SEAT AND THEY'LL TRY AND, BUT I COULD SEE MUCH MORE ACTION HAPPENING ON THE, ON THE SENATE SIDE. 
          OKAY. 
          YEAH. 
          I WOULD THINK IF I, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY WOULD PROTECT IT AS YOU LOOK AT COLLIN COUNTY TURNING A LOT MORE BLUE AND OTHER STUFF IT'S LIKE, WHERE DO YOU GO TO FIND TO FIND THOSE VOTES? HOW DO YOU NARROW, YOU KNOW, YOU ENDED UP WITH INSTEAD OF A DISTRICT LIKE THAT, MAYBE ONE THAT'S SCORCHED AND GOES FURTHER UP INTO THE, THE RURAL AREAS OR SOMETHING. 
          I DON'T KNOW. 
          YOU GET REAL CREATIVE, RICH CONSOLE MEMBER. 
          THEY GET REAL CREATIVE. 
          UM, I MEAN, THEY'RE LOOKING AT, THEY'VE GOT THE TECHNOLOGY. 
          THEY CAN LOOK HOUSE BY HOUSE STREET BY STREET, BLOCK BY BLOCK, AND CAN, CAN CARVE THINGS OUT TOO. 
          I MEAN, IT'S AMAZING WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH TECHNOLOGY NOW WITH THE REDUCTION. 
          YEAH. 
          IT'S YEAH. 
          ONCE YOU FULLY COMPUTERIZED IT IT'S, I DON'T KNOW. 
          I I'VE, I'VE WATCHED SOME OF THE, UH, MAPS THAT GET THAT PEOPLE DRAW A DAMAGER AMATEUR. 
          LIKE PEOPLE ARE JUST HAVING AN INTEREST IN IT, LIKE FOLKS WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN ART FOR SOMETHING THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, ON ELECTION TWITTER, THEY JUST LIKE, OH, HERE'S A MAP THAT DOES THIS. 
          AND HERE'S A MAP THAT DOES THIS, AND IT'S AMAZING HOW, HOW THEY DRAW THEM UP. 
          SO I THINK IT'LL BE QUITE A, QUITE A SPECTACLE. 
          SO I GUESS WE'LL SEE. 
          THANKS TO, I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THAI SEEING NOTHING TIGHT? WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY. 
          THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH Y'ALL FOR ANOTHER SESSION. 
          UM, HERE WE GO. 
          INDEED. 
          INDEED. 
          ALL RIGHT, SIR. 
          WELL, HAPPY HOLIDAYS. 
          UH, MOVING ON TO ITEM THREE ITEM IN FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, UH, ITEM THREE IS THE 2021 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. 
          UH, WE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS LAST MEETING AND, UH, SEE IF I CAN SEE LAURA. 
          DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DISPLAYED FOR THIS ONE OR DID WE JUST WANT TO DO DISCUSSION AND, AND KIND OF, UH, SHORE UP AND FINALIZE WHAT ITEMS WE WANTED ON THAT AGENDA? UM, THAT'S UP TO YOU. 
          I CAN, IF YOU WANT ME TO SHARE THE SCREEN, UM, I CAN, I HAVE IT. 
          OKAY. 
          YOU HAD THE, UH, YEAH, ACTUALLY GO AHEAD. 
          YOU, YOU HAD THAT DOC THAT YOU PUT TOGETHER AFTER THE LAST MEETING 
          [01:00:01]
AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD STARTING. 
          OKAY. 
          CAN EVERYBODY SEE IT? THE FIRST COUPLE OF PAGES ARE PRETTY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH. 
          DO YOU MIND IF I STAY ON AND LISTEN TO THIS CONVERSATION? YEAH. 
          HANG OUT, PARTICIPATING, PLEASE. 
          MORE THE MERRIER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UNLESS YOU'RE BRIAN BRADFORD AND THEN YOU NEED TO GO ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST ME TALKING. 
          THIS IS, THIS WILL BE HELPFUL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          SO SINCE THE LAST, UH, MEETING AND, AND I DON'T WANT TO STEP ON A PRESENTATION THAT SHE HAD PREPARED LAURA, SO I'M JUST GOING TO TALK REAL QUICK AND THEN I'LL GET OUT OF YOUR WAY IF THAT WORKS. 
          ABSOLUTELY COOL. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, YOU KNOW, W WE TALKED ABOUT NOT ONLY HAVING A LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY, BUT HAVING SOME STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND THAT'LL THAT'LL COMBINE ITEMS THREE A AND THREE B UH, FOR THE DISCUSSION, UH, W WE DO HAVE A FEW LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES THAT WE WANT TO PUSH, BUT, BUT WE'RE JUST AS CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT, UH, THAT STAFF HAS THE DIRECTION AND THE TOOLS NECESSARY, UH, TO RESPOND VERY QUICKLY, UH, BECAUSE OF ALL THE REASONS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, WHEN THEY MESS WITH YOUR COMMITTEE TIMING, AND THEY MIGHT MOVE SOMETHING UP A WEEK OR BACK WEEK, OR, OR MAKE IT LAST SECOND CHANGE, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO REACT WITH THE COUNCIL'S BLESSING. 
          UH, SO LET ME TURN THIS OVER TO LAURA TO GO THROUGH THIS AND WE'LL SEE WHAT WE WANT TO DO AFTERWARDS. 
          GOOD LUCK. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, WELL, AND I AM GOING TO, UM, JUST PREFACE THIS BY SAYING THAT, UM, THIS IS, UH, COMPLETELY OPEN TO, UH, ANY REVISIONS OR MODIFICATIONS, UM, UH, AT THE DIRECTION OF COUNSEL AND, UH, MR. NEIGHBOR, YOU CAN ALWAYS, I'M OPENING THIS UP FOR YOU AS WELL, BECAUSE YOU CAN ALWAYS HOP IN AT ANY POINT. 
          UM, I WILL GLADLY, UH, DEFER TO AS WELL. 
          UM, BUT, UH, THE FIRST PRIORITY THAT ARE THE FIRST SECTION, AND WE TRIED TO KEEP THIS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE. 
          UM, AND SO IT'S REALLY ONLY, UH, TWO, TWO PAGES LONG. 
          UM, AND SO THE FIRST SECTION GOES OVER THE, UM, GARLAND'S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES OF, UH, ESSENTIALLY, UH, PROTECTING, UM, THE, UH, THE INTEREST, UH, PROTECTING THE INTEREST OF RETAINING OUR RESIDENTS AND BEING ABLE TO, UH, REPRESENT THEM AT HOME AND IN AUSTIN. 
          UM, AND THEN ALSO, UH, SINCE OUR GOVERNING BODY IS CITY COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, WE THINK IT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT TO PRESERVE, UM, YOUR RIGHT TO SELF-GOVERNANCE THROUGH LOCAL CONTROL AND HOMEROOM, MUNICIPAL, MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY, UM, AS PROVIDED IN THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION. 
          AND, UM, TERMINATE, AS YOU HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY JUST A SET OF, UH, MISSES FOR GUIDANCE FOR STAFF, UH, THROUGH THE, UH, 87TH STATE LEGISLATURE. 
          AND SO, MR. NEIGHBOR, I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU HAD ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO ADD FOR THIS. 
          YEAH, I'LL JUST SAY, THANKS. 
          LET ME SAY REAL QUICK. 
          UM, REALLY WHAT WE'RE TAKING UP HERE, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN AND COMMITTEE IS KIND OF, UH, ITEM A AND B, UM, BECAUSE THIS IS, UM, UH, WELL WE'RE SUGGESTING AARON IS DRAFT IS, IS SORT OF, UH, AN OUTLINE A GUIDELINE OF, UH, SOME OF THE MAJOR PRINCIPLES, UM, THAT WILL GUIDE WHAT WE DO DURING THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SECTION. 
          UM, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE EASY THING IS TO GET SUCKED INTO THE DETAIL OF THESE, UM, THOUSANDS OF BILL, UH, IF NOT TENS OF THOUSAND, AND AS, AS TY INDICATED, WE'RE TRACKING TO A LOT, HAVE A LOT OF BILLS FILED THIS SESSION. 
          I'M RATHER SURPRISED WITH THAT. 
          I GUESS I'M NOT, UM, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T DEAL WITH THEM ALL. 
          UM, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS FIND THOSE THAT ARE OF THE MOST IMPORTANCE TO US, UM, EITHER, UH, AS A CITY IN GENERAL, OR AS CARLIN IN PARTICULAR, AND THEN FOCUS ON NODES. 
          UH, SO, SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING THE COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT HERE, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE TONIGHT. 
          [01:05:01]
UM, BUT PRESENTING THIS TO SAY HERE'S KIND OF ART OR GUIDELINE OF, UH, WHAT'S GOING TO, UH, GUIDE US AND DIRECTING OUR ATTENTION TO A PARTICULAR BILL OR AWAY FROM THOSE MANY BILLS THAT WE JUST CAN'T TRACK. 
          IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT NOTHING'S GOING TO BE DONE WITH IT. 
          BILL, REMEMBER WE STILL, AT LEAST THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE STILL HAVE THE VOICE AT TML AND, AND OTHER, UM, GROUPS OF WHICH ARE A MEMBER. 
          AND THERE ARE, UH, A NUMBER OF THOSE IT'S NOT JUST TML. 
          IT COULD BE THE BUILDING OFFICIALS, UH, COALITION OR CODE ENFORCEMENT COALITION, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          THERE'S EVEN A TEXAS CITY ATTORNEY'S AND STATES. 
          UM, SO, UH, WE CAN LEAVE A LOT OF THE WORK, UH, TO THOSE ENTITIES AND TO OTHER CITIES AND CITIES THAT HAVE MORE RESOURCES THAN WE DO. 
          UM, WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO IS FIND THOSE THAT, UH, ARE, ARE A REAL INTEREST TO US. 
          UM, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY, EVEN YET, SINCE WE SPOKE LAST, UH, THAT WE NEED TO PROACTIVELY PUSH, UH, THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION. 
          UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE WE'RE WORKING ON, BUT, UM, IF WE NEED TO REFER OVER TO A DEFENSE ONLY, UM, WE CAN DO THAT, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF CHANGE IN THE BACKGROUND. 
          I DON'T MEAN TO BORE YOU WITH DETAILS, BUT WE HAVE THESE TRACKING SERVICES AND, AND, UH, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO PUT THINGS ON OUR, UH, OUR ATTENTION BOARD. 
          UH, TY DOES THAT TML DOES THAT? WE DO THAT INTERNALLY. 
          I THINK WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IF WE CAN COME UP WITH SORT OF THIS OVERLAY OF WHAT GUIDES IS THROUGH THAT IS THAT WE USE OUR RESOURCES SUCH AS TML AND THAI. 
          AND THEN IN-HOUSE, UH, TO PARE DOWN TO OUR ATTENTION LIST OR FOCUS LIST, UM, JUST A COUPLE OF DOZEN BILLS THAT WE WILL ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN WHICH WE WILL ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE PROBABLY IN DEFENSE AND DEFENSE DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE JUST GO DOWN AND ARGUE AGAINST IT. 
          SOMETIMES THAT'S THE CASE. 
          SOMETIMES WE DRAFT AMENDMENTS PROPOSE LANGUAGE, UH, TO MAKE THE BILL, UH, IF NOT BETTER, AT LEAST LIVABLE. 
          AND TY IS VERY GOOD AT BEING ABLE TO GET THOSE INTRODUCED. 
          I COULDN'T EVEN TELL YOU WHO TO GO TO, TO GET THAT DONE BECAUSE, UH, AS WE TALK, AS I TALK OVER VERY BRIEFLY, A LOT OF HIS STUFF, AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS BROUGHT THIS UP. 
          A LOT OF THIS STUFF HAPPENS IN THE BACK OFFICES, CHIEFS OF STAFF. 
          I DON'T KNOW THEM. 
          UH, TY DOES THANK FOR THAI. 
          UM, BUT WE DON'T KNOW. 
          WE DON'T HAVE ANY WAY TO HAVE A PRESENCE DOWN THERE TO KNOW HIM. 
          UM, SO IF, IF WE COME UP WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHICH IS OFTEN MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN JUST GOING DOWN AND SPEAK WITH THE GUESTS, UM, WE CAN, UH, AT LEAST OFFER TO CHANGE THE LANGUAGE AND, AND MAKE SOMETHING, UH, AT LEAST LOVABLE COME OUT OF THAT BILL, EVEN IF WE DON'T LIKE IT, I'LL STOP THERE. 
          I CAN JUST KEEP GOING ON HERE. 
          UM, BUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS SOME GENERAL GUIDELINES AND THAT'LL HELP US, UH, DEVELOP THIS FOCUS LIST, UH, TO WHAT WE WOULD ACTUALLY CALL, UM, THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. 
          AND THAT CHANGES JUST KIND OF CHANGED FROM WEEK TO WEEK, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE A LIST AND BUILD WE'LL DROP OFF BECAUSE WE KNOW THEIR DEBT AND BILLS WILL ADD ON BECAUSE THEY FOLLOW THEM UNTIL THE LAST STINKING MINUTE THAT THEY CAN. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE AMENDMENTS TO DEAL WITH. 
          UM, AS WE SCROLL DOWN HERE, I, IT REMINDED ME OF ONE BILL THAT WE ARE GOING TO PROACTIVELY PURSUE IF THAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE COMMITTEE AND THE COUNCIL, AND THAT'S, UH, UH, SOME SORT OF CHANGE TO THE, UH, TAX CREDIT FINANCED, HOUSING ROLES, IT'S THE STATE GOVERNMENT, UM, REGULATE, UH, TO, TO PROVIDE SOME SORT OF INCENTIVE, UH, FOR, UM, BETTER CHARACTERIZATION OF, UH, UH, VETERANS HOUSING AND A VETERANS HOUSING PREFERENCE, IF YOU WILL, UM, PROBABLY NOT AN ACCURATE TERM. 
          UM, AND 
          [01:10:01]
THAT'S NOT HOW THE FEDERAL MONEY THAT, THAT UNDERLIES THAT PROGRAM IS ADMINISTERED, BUT, UH, RIGHT NOW THERE'S NOTHING IN THE LAW THAT, THAT INDICATES ANY KIND OF, UH, PREFERENCE, UH, FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSING FOR VETERANS. 
          AND, AND WE'LL TRY TO CHANGE THAT AGAIN. 
          THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A VOTE IF THERE'S A COMMITTEE AND THE COUNCIL, UH, SO THAT WE CAN PROACTIVELY GO AFTER THAT. 
          OTHER THAN THAT, UH, MOST OF THIS IS GOING TO BE DEFENSE. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL TRY TO FIX SOME THINGS IF WE'RE GIVEN A VEHICLE TO DO IT. 
          UM, UH, A LOT OF TIMES WE TRY TO PIGGYBACK ON SOMEBODY ELSE'S BILL, UH, AND GET THINGS DONE THAT WAY AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE TODD COMES IN, UM, BECAUSE HE KNOWS, UH, HOW WE CAN DO THAT AND WHO WE APPROACHED TO GET THAT DONE. 
          UM, OKAY. 
          I KEPT TALKING TO ANYWAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M SORRY. 
          I'LL SHUT UP HERE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. 
          THAT'S OKAY. 
          YOU'RE NOT PAID BY THE WORD SO YOU CAN USE AS MANY AS YOU WANT, SIR. 
          UM, OKAY. 
          SO, UH, I HATE TO SPRING THIS ON THE COMMITTEE AND HAVE YOU GUYS VOTE ON SOMETHING YOU HAVEN'T READ YET? UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO DO THOSE, UH, IS I'D LIKE TO GET THIS THROUGH COUNCIL, UH, PRIOR TO, UH, JANUARY 12TH. 
          BUT IF, IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE TAKING ANY VOTES FOR 30 DAYS ANYWAY, OR 30 TO 60 DAYS, TAI TAI, WHEN DO YOU THINK THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO START MOVING THINGS THROUGH COMMITTEE? WHEN DO WE NEED TO HAVE THIS FORMALIZED AGREEMENT EARLY MARCH? I THINK YOU HAVE UNTIL MARCH ONE. 
          OKAY. 
          HERE, HERE'S WHAT I'M THINKING. 
          AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN ON THIS. 
          I I'M THINKING THAT IF LARSON'S IS OUT TO US TODAY, UH, WE CAN SIT, READ IT OVER, SUBMIT OUR FEEDBACK TO HER, AND THEN MAYBE HAVE A SUPPLEMENTAL MEETING. 
          UH, THE FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY, WHICH IS A COUNCIL MEETING OR A COUNCIL MEETING WEEK. 
          UH, MAYBE WE MEET LATE THAT WEEK. 
          UH, JUST TOUCH BASE REAL QUICK, 15 TO 30 MINUTES, UH, REALLY EASY, UH, FORMALIZE THIS AND GET IT BACK ON THE COUNCIL WORK SESSION AGENDA ON THE 12TH. 
          AND THAT WAY WE CAN START PUSHING THIS, THE COUNCIL, UH, AND THAT WILL GET IT KIND OF BAKED IN FOR THE LAST HALF OF JANUARY. 
          I DON'T WANT TO WAIT TOO LONG IN THIS, BUT I ALSO DON'T. 
          I DON'T WANT TO HAVE YOU VOTE ON SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T READ. 
          IS THAT FAIR, MS. CHAIR? YES, SIR. 
          JUMP IN. 
          OKAY. 
          YOU ANSWERED MY FIRST QUESTION ABOUT SENDING THE DRAFT OUT TO US TO, TO REVIEW. 
          YEAH. 
          AND, UH, GETTING COMMENT BACK ON WHATEVER DATE COMMITTEE SETS. 
          I MEAN, COME BACK COMMENTS BACK TO THE COMMITTEE ON WHATEVER DATE YOU SAID SO THAT, UH, LAURA CAN, CAN NOW INSERT THOSE CHANGES. 
          AND WE LOOK AT THE DRAFT REFLECTIVE, UM, GIVEN THE, GIVEN THE, UH, UM, THE SCHEDULE THAT TAI TALKED ABOUT, UM, ONCE WE HAVE OUR CHANCE TO REVIEW AND I'M LOOKING AT DATA, OUR NEXT FORMAL COUNCIL MEETING IS JANUARY 4TH. 
          I'M NOT, I THINK I'M REMEMBERING CORRECTLY. 
          IS THAT RIGHT? YES. 
          OKAY. 
          I THINK GIVEN THAT WE CAN STAY WITH OUR REGULAR SCHEDULE. 
          SO OUR NEXT, OUR NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING WOULD BE, IS THAT THE 11TH WHAT'S NO, I BELIEVE IT'S THE, IT'S THE 25TH. 
          AND THE REASON IS WE HAVE, UH, WHAT'S THAT, WHAT'S OUR COMMITTEE'S REGULAR MEETING IN JANUARY. 
          I'M NOT LOOKING AT, I DON'T HAVE THE COUNTS IN FRONT OF ME. 
          YES, SIR. 
          JANUARY, JANUARY 25TH. 
          UM, I HAD MENTIONED IN AN EMAIL THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO GET SOMETHING SUPPLEMENTAL IN THERE. 
          UH, AND THE REASON IS WE'VE GOT A WORK SESSION MONDAY WORK SESSION MONDAY, WE'D GET MLK DAY. 
          AND THEN THAT NEXT MONDAY IS THE 25TH. 
          BUT, BUT I KNOW WE'LL NEED TO DO SOMETHING BEFORE THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          W APPRECIATE THAT CLARITY. 
          LIKE I SAID, I DIDN'T HAVE A CALENDAR IN FRONT OF ME, BUT, BUT YEAH, BUT I'M GOOD FOR, I'M GOOD FOR, UH, FOR SOMETHING BETWEEN, UM, THE COUNCIL THAT THE COUNCIL MAY AFTER THE, AFTER THE COUNCIL MEETING ON THE FOURTH WITH THE GOAL OF GETTING, GETTING SOMETHING TO COUNCIL, TO THE SECOND MEETING IN JANUARY, OR THEY USED TO DRAFT. 
          SO I'M GOOD FOR, YOU KNOW, HAVING AN, UH, AN INTERIM MEETING. 
          SO IF WE DID SOMETHING SAY ON THE SIXTH OR SEVENTH, WHICH IS A WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY JUST TO FORMALIZE IT, AND THAT WOULD GIVE US TIME TO GET IT INTO THE WORK SESSION AGENDA ON THE 11TH. 
          UM, AND THEN 
          [01:15:01]
WE JUST GO FROM THERE. 
          OKAY. 
          YEAH. 
          CAUSE IT, CAUSE IT'S JUST GOING TO BE FOR DISCUSSION, CORRECT. 
          UH, UH, DISCUSSION FOR THE WORK SESSION IN CONCURRENCE FROM THE COUNCIL, UH, BRAD, IS THIS SOMETHING WE NEED TO APPROVE AT A FORMAL COUNCIL MEETING BECAUSE THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING, ARE WE JUST GOING TO DO A DISCUSSION AND ARE WE GOING TO DO DISCUSSION AND THEN GO TO THE NEXT SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING NEXT NIGHT FOR SOME KIND OF APPROVAL WITHOUT EXCEPTION. 
          SO, UH, BREAD BRETT AND CLEARED IT UP FOR US. 
          COOL. 
          IF YOU COULD. 
          WELL, THE MOST FORMALITY THAT WE CAN HAVE, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A COMMITTEE. 
          IF Y'ALL PASS THIS OUT OF COMMITTEE, WE'LL PUT IT ON TO THE COUNCIL'S AGENDA AND, AND, AND GO WITH IT THERE. 
          WHAT I, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO, EXCUSE ME, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M GOING TO JUMP A LITTLE BIT ADD AND, UH, THREE SAY, UM, THE UPDATE, UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT ITEMS TO PUT ON THIS IMAGINARY LIST THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UH, THAT WE'RE GOING TO START CREATING. 
          UM, AND LIKE I SAY, IT'S GOING TO GROW AND SHRINK AS THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION GETS GONE, BUT I HAVE A SENSE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UM, UH, A HALF DOZEN TO A DOZEN BILLS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HONORED THROUGHOUT UNWAVERING. 
          UM, AND, UM, WE WON'T KNOW THOSE YET UNTIL SOME OF THEM WE'VE HEARD RUMORS THEY'RE GOING TO BE FILED. 
          THEY DON'T HAVE HER YET. 
          SOME OF THEM ARE ALREADY FILED. 
          UH, TY MENTIONED, ONE IS THE ANTI LOBBYING BILL. 
          I CALL IT THE ANTI PEASANTRY BILL. 
          UM, CAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM US PEASANTS THAT THAT'S, AND THAT'S EDITED, UM, THAT ONE'S GOTTA BE ON THERE. 
          AND I THINK WE GOT THE TAPE THAT ONE ON AS MUCH AS WE'RE GOING TO GET YELLED AT AND BEAT UP IN COMMITTEE BY, UH, UH, MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE. 
          WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SAY OUR PIECE ON THAT BILL. 
          SO, UM, THAT ONE WILL BE ON THIS LIST AS WE START FILLING IT OUT. 
          THERE'S ANOTHER ONE ON A GP AND L IT'S REALLY DIRECTED AT, UM, GEORGETOWN. 
          AND, UM, BUT WE GET CAUGHT UP IN IT BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ME SAY OVER AND OVER, UM, IS THAT WORDS MATTER AND ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL. 
          AND THAT'S VERY FEW THINGS I CAN'T EVEN THINK OF ONE AND IT'S EVER BEEN DIRECTED AT GARLAND PER SE. 
          IT'S BECOME LAW. 
          WE'RE USUALLY PRETTY QUIET AND GOOD AND PEOPLE DON'T GET MAD AS, BUT WE DO GET CAUGHT UP IN THE AFFAIRS OF OTHER CITIES AND, AND, UM, THE THINGS THAT TO LEGISLATURE FEELS IT NEEDS TO ADDRESS. 
          AND, UH, THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN THIS SESSION AND THERE'S ANOTHER BILL THAT'LL COME UP WITH RESPECT TO, UM, UH, GPN L THE, THE FIRST ONE, THE GEORGETOWN ONE, AND WE'LL PROBABLY CALL IT TO GEORGETOWN. 
          BILL IS, UM, UH, INTENDED TO OPEN UP OR PROVIDE A VEHICLE UNDER WHICH, UH, MUNICIPALLY-OWNED UTILITIES, UM, WOULD HAVE TO ENGAGE IN CUSTOMER CHOICE, WHICH SOUNDS GREAT. 
          YOU GET POLITICAL PLAY OUT OF IT. 
          UM, BUT IT COULD BE VERY BAD FOR OUR CARLIN RIGHT THERE. 
          AND WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. 
          UM, THE OTHER ONE, UH, IS DIRECTED AT THE AUSTIN'S AND SAN ANTONIO TO THE WORLD AND MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, UM, FROM SELLING POWER OUTSIDE THEIR CITIES. 
          AGAIN, ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL AND GARLON IS NOT THAT WE ONLY HAVE THAT 85 OR 80% OF GARLAND, UH, AS ELECTRIC CUSTOMERS, UH, THAT ONE COULD BE DEVASTATING TO ALL OF THE RESIDENTS, NOT JUST THE RIGHT PAYERS AND WE DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN. 
          SO WHEN THAT ONE SHOWS UP, IT'LL BE ON THE LIST. 
          UM, THE OTHERS JUDGE YOU'VE SEEN IN HERE, WE'D LIKE TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE 30 DAY SHOT CLOCK, ALL HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT ON ZONING CASES, YOU KNOW, HOW PROBLEMATIC THAT IS. 
          AND THEN, UH, THE BUILDING MATERIALS, WE'VE BEEN LUCKY, RELATIVELY LUCKY HERE IN GARLAND. 
          WE HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT OF ABUSES OF THAT. 
          UH, OUR HOMEOWNERS WANT TO BUILD GOOD PRODUCTS. 
          UM, THEY WANT TO BUILD COMPETITIVE PRODUCTS, BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. 
          UH, AND THAT BUILDING MATERIALS COULD BE, UH, ONE OF THE BIGGEST EMBARRASSMENTS, UH, UH, THIS, UH, LEGISLATURE HAS EVER PASSED, UH, IF IT REALLY GETS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. 
          SO I THINK THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY THIS STATION TO GET THAT FIXED 
          [01:20:01]
BECAUSE, UH, ONE THING POLITICIANS DON'T LIKE IS TO BE EMBARRASSED. 
          UM, WELL, LAURA, COULD YOU SCROLL UP A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THERE? I THINK THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT, OKAY, STOP PLEASE THINK. 
          UM, NOW LET ME TALK REAL QUICK. 
          UH, AGAIN, ABOUT THE, UH, ANTI PEASANTRY BILL, THE TAXPAYER DEFENDED LOBBYING BILL. 
          UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WHY THAT'S SO IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE, UH, IT PLAYS INTO WHAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE ONE OF OUR CENTRAL THEMES AND THAT'S OPPOSING LEGISLATION THAT IMPOSES UNFUNDED MANDATE. 
          THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOREVER IN THE LEGISLATURE. 
          UM, THEY'VE HAD BILLS INTRODUCED, IT'S BEEN PROPOSED TO AMEND THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION TO PROHIBIT IT, UH, NOT SAYING HAS BEEN DONE. 
          AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST SAYINGS THAT HAPPENS IS, UM, THESE LITTLE BILLS AND GO THROUGH THAT INCREMENTALLY INCREASE OUR COSTS A STEP AT A TIME, A DIAMOND AT A TIME, AND I ALL START ADDING UP. 
          UM, AND IT'S BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME OR THE MONEY, UH, TO STAY ON TO EVERY BILL AND EVEN, UH, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE TML. 
          THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE POLITICAL CAPITAL TO FIGHT EVERY BILL, UM, EVEN FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT AS I THINK THEY'VE DONE. 
          YOU COULD SAY EITHER BEING KIND OF THIS SLIDE, THIS SLIDER SESSION. 
          SO, UM, W WE NEED TO, UH, UM, BOLSTER OUR POSITION ON THE TAXPAYER FOUNDED LOBBYING BILL SO THAT WE DON'T LOSE OUR VOICE ON THINGS LIKE THAT, BECAUSE EVENTUALLY THESE LITTLE EXPENSES, UM, ARE GOING TO, UM, HURT GARLAND AND ITS CITIZENS, UH, IN WAYS THAT WE CAN'T EVEN CONTEMPLATE IT. 
          IF YOU ROLL IT TOGETHER WITH THE EFFECTS AS TO, UH, AND REVENUE CAPS AND FURTHER EFFORTS TO IMPOSE REVENUE CAPS, UH, WE'RE GOING TO RUN INTO TROUBLE. 
          IT WON'T BE DURING MY CAREER. 
          UM, BUT EVENTUALLY WE'RE GONNA RUN INTO TROUBLE POSTURING THERE AND GIVE IT BACK TO YOU, MS. JIM, WELL, QUESTION FOR YOU. 
          UM, HAVE WE CONSIDERED PROPOSING A, UH, A LITTLE LEGISLATION THAT SAYS, HEY, IF IT'S AN UNFUNDED MANDATE ON THE CITY, IT DOESN'T COUNT TOWARD OUR SB TWO CAP. 
          YOU KNOW, THAT'D BE GREAT. 
          THE PROBLEM IS THAT'S SO MANY BILLS AND SURPRISE WAYS AND, AND VERY, VERY STEALTHY AND CHEERING. 
          THEY LOOK GOOD. 
          THEY HAVE A LOT OF, UM, EXCUSE ME FOR BEING CANDID. 
          UH, ALWAYS APPRECIATE TIES STATEMENT LEE WAY OF HANDLING THESE THINGS, BUT I'M GOING TO BE CANDID, UH, AND PROBABLY BE ACCUSED OF BEING SNARKY. 
          BUT MOST OF POLITICS, WHAT HAPPENS IN AUSTIN IS SYMBOLIC. 
          IT'S HOW IT LOOKS. 
          AND, OH, I'M GOING TO BRING YOU THIS TREASURE BECAUSE I AM THE MIGHTY WARRIOR AND I HAVE DELIVERED FOR YOU. 
          UM, AND NOBODY SAYS, WELL, WHAT'S IT GOING TO COST? OH, IT DOESN'T COST MUCH. 
          WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, UH, IT WOULDN'T EVEN BE WORTHY OF A FISCAL MAP. 
          UM, BUT WHEN YOU START COUNTING IT ALL UP, SOMEBODY'S GOTTA PAY FOR IT. 
          THERE'S NO FREE MONEY SITTING AROUND HERE. 
          THERE'S NO CITY MONEY, TAXPAYER MONEY RIGHT THERE, YOUR MONEY. 
          UM, AND SO GOING BACK TO YOUR, YOUR QUESTION AS YOUR CHAIRMAN, UM, AND WITH YOU HAVE TO START LISTING OF THEM, THAT'D BE GREAT. 
          I MEAN, THAT'S A START, BUT IT'D BE GREAT TO, UH, TAG EVERY BILL THAT HAS A FISCAL IMPACT ON MUNICIPALITY. 
          UH, ANY FISCAL IMPACT AS, UM, AS PROBLEMATIC. 
          I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL IT. 
          UH, GIVE IT A, A D MINUS IN ALL YOU HAVE TO GRADE UP FROM THERE BY PROVING ITS WORTHINESS ON OTHER FRONTS. 
          BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS DOWN THERE. 
          OKAY. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A, IF IT'S SOMETHING WE COULD, COULD USE TO NEEDLE THEM, UH, WITH ON PARTICULAR BILLS FOR JUSTIFYING JUST, UH, OKAY. 
          YEAH. 
          THIS IS A GREAT IDEA. 
          ARE YOU COUNTING THAT AGAINST OUR CAP? AND I WOULD JUST KEEP ASKING THAT QUESTION. 
          ARE YOU COUNTING THAT AGAINST OUR CAP? AND, AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, UH, HB 
          [01:25:01]
13, HOLD ON. 
          I'M LOOKING AT HB 34, UH, WHICH IS, UH, TREATING COVID AND SOURCE TWO IS PRESUMPTIVE ILLNESS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, WHICH I SUPPORT, BUT THERE'S, THAT'S THAT'S SIGNIFICANT MONEY. 
          AND IF THEY PASS THAT BILL, IT PLACES A LARGE BURDEN ON A CITY, UH, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE SELF-INSURED THE WAY WE ARE. 
          AND SO MY QUESTION TO THEM WILL BE OKAY, BUT YOU SAID OUR CAP, YOU TELL US NO. 
          OR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT AGE. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT CAP IN ON THAT, I JUST KEEP HAMMERING THAT POINT. 
          IT'S LIKE, YOU'VE LIMITED OUR ABILITY TO PAY FOR IT. 
          ARE YOU GOOD? IS THIS DOUBLE JEOPARDY, ARE YOU PUNISHING US TWICE? YOU KNOW, IT MAY SUGGEST THAT, UH, ITSELF, THE SOLUTION THERE MAY BE, UM, FINDING IF THEY COME BACK AND TRY TO MAKE CHANGES TO SB TWO, UM, WHICH I'VE HEARD THEY'RE GOING TO, THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE IT MORE, UH, COVID GIVE US OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE AMENDMENTS, SAY, OKAY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THIS, YOU ALSO HAVE TO DO THIS. 
          AND I LIKE YOUR IDEA. 
          I MEAN, IT WORKS. 
          IT'S JUST THE THING IS THAT MOST OF THOSE INCREASES ARE STEALTHY. 
          UM, I THINK WE'VE GOTTA BE AGGRESSIVE AND POINT OUT THAT THEY ARE BEING STEALTHY AND THAT THERE IS A REAL DOLLAR AMOUNT AND, AND MAYBE THAT'S JUST A THEME IS OKAY, BUT WHAT'S IT GOING TO COST US? AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE MAKE ANY PROGRESS WITH THAT OR NOT. 
          I LIKE THAT IDEA. 
          YEAH, WE CAN DEFINITELY GUESS SO. 
          SO MR. CHAIRMAN, SIR, UM, GOING FORWARD IN JANUARY IS SOUND LIKE FROM, FROM WHAT BRAD, BRAD HAS SAID AND THAI PERHAPS, AND THERE'S THINGS THAT AT JANUARY PORSCHE WOULD BE, OR WE TAKE BACK TO COUNCIL FOR INFORMATION SINCE ALL OF THIS IS VERY FLUID AND PERHAPS, UH, THINGS WILL, WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE DEFINITIVE THINGS TO HANG OUR HEAD ON MAYBE EARLY FEBRUARY. 
          AND THEN COULD THEY BE, WE MAY HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON WHICH TO GO, COME BACK FULL COUNCIL AND THAT'S WHERE, YOU KNOW, SOME DIRECTION OR SOME SPECIFICS FROM FULL COUNCIL, BUT DO USE, UH, USE JANUARY AS PRETTY MUCH A INFORMATION PLATFORM OR WITH COUNCIL AND SORT OF CONTINUE TO GRIND THE SAUSAGE. 
          OH, WHAT I WAS THINKING IS THAT WE COULD GET MORE STRATEGIC DOCUMENT OUT THERE THAT WE JUST REVIEWED AND GET THAT APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL. 
          AND THAT WILL SORT OF SET THE TONE FOR WHAT WE DO ON SPECIFIC BILL ITEMS. I THINK I'M SAYING THE SAME THING THAT YOU DID, SO YES. 
          I'M NOT THINKING IT'S NOT REDUNDANT. 
          RICHIE HAD SOMETHING. 
          YEAH. 
          I JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. 
          I MEAN, I'M, I'M FINE WITH, I MEAN, I THINK WE HAVE PLENTY OF WORK TO DO IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO I'M A CONCERNED ABOUT THE RELATIVE LACK OF MEETINGS. 
          I CANNOT MEET ON A WEDNESDAY. 
          I MEAN, I CAN, BUT I WILL BE LATE. 
          I CAN'T DO IT UNTIL ABOUT FIVE O'CLOCK OR SO MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS ARE MY DAYS, UM, BOTTOM, AT LEAST FOR AFTERNOONS. 
          SO I'M HAPPY TO FIND OTHER DAYS TO, TO ACCOMPLISH THAT AND TO SEE WHAT OTHER COMMITTEES MIGHT BE MEETING. 
          I KNOW WE HAVE THOSE TWO COUNCIL WEEKS AND THEN WE HAVE MLK DAY. 
          I CAN MEET THE DAY AFTER MLK DAY. 
          I CAN MEET THE 28TH OF THIS MONTH. 
          UH, AND, AND I AM HAPPY TO DO THAT. 
          I RECOGNIZE IT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET EVERYBODY FOR SOME OF THESE THINGS. 
          UM, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO HAVE MORE MEETINGS AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO COME TO COUNCIL, UM, PROBABLY AT THE SECOND MEETING IN JANUARY WITH A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF HOW WE FEEL, BUT WHAT THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA LOOKS LIKE, GET SOME OPINIONS FROM COUNCIL. 
          AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER MEETING AFTER THAT SECOND MEETING, AFTER THE SECOND COUNCIL, WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING IN, UH, IN JANUARY WHERE WE CAN KIND OF FIND TWO THING, TUNE THINGS AND CONSIDER THINGS AND THEN BRING SOMETHING KIND OF FORMAL BACK AT THE FIRST MEETING IN FEBRUARY, WHICH I THINK IS PROBABLY THE LATEST THAT WE REALLY WANT TO ADOPT BECAUSE WE WANT TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, BE ABLE TO GIVE TY THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHATEVER, ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO OPERATIONALIZE, UH, WHERE WE ARE, BECAUSE IN THE MEANTIME, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF OTHER WORK GOING ON, BILL TRACKING AND IDENTIFYING THINGS. 
          AND SO THERE'S GOING TO BE, I THINK THERE'S, YOU KNOW, YOU END UP WITH A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. 
          THAT'S KIND OF TRIPARTITE, WHICH IS THAT YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE THESE KINDS OF GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF THE KINDS OF BILLS WE NEED TO BE DEFENSIVE ABOUT, NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR. 
          AND WE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WE, WE GIVE FREE REIGN TO STAFF TO IDENTIFY THOSE THINGS AS THEY'RE COMING UP AND TAKE A DEFAULT POSITION LIKE YOU, LIKE YOU SPOKE ABOUT IT MIGHT BE, UM, IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT INVOLVES, UM, UH, 
          [01:30:01]
UNFUNDED MANDATES TO CITIES. 
          IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT INVOLVES, UM, OPERATIONAL EFFECTS ON ELECTRIC UTILITIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. 
          I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF OUT THERE THAT IF YOU DON'T STOP IT NOW IT'S POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS TO US. 
          TWO, THREE, FOUR SESSIONS DOWN THE ROAD THAT WE HAVE TO REALLY WATCH OUT FOR. 
          UM, AND THEN THE, THE OTHER TWO ARE, ARE KIND OF, UM, EITHER VERY SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT WE WANT TO CARRY THE WATER ON OR GET SOME MOVEMENT ON LIKE THE VETERANS STUFF OR THERE'S GENERAL KIND OF STUFF THAT WE WANT TO APPROVE. 
          THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF MORE, IT'S A LITTLE MORE NEBULOUS. 
          AND SO I THINK WE HAVE TO BE A LITTLE CAREFUL ABOUT INVESTING RESOURCES IN IT, BUT FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA THAT TALKED ABOUT IMPROVING TRANSPORTATION WITHIN THE CITY AND STUFF LIKE THAT, I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE START OFF WITH, THAT IT'S IN OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA BY THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY. 
          AND YOU START IDENTIFYING BILLS THAT THAT MAY SUPPORT THAT IN A PARTICULAR WAY. 
          UM, MY, MY OTHER QUESTION THOUGH, IS HOW YOU WANT TO HAVE ADDITIONAL THINGS BROUGHT TO THE COMMITTEE. 
          YOU KNOW, IF I HAVE THINGS I'D SAY, OH, WE OUGHT TO ADD THIS. 
          OR FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE THE RTC IS A PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, MUCH OF WHICH I THINK IN A LOT OF THEIR STUFF IS, IS, YOU KNOW, HERE HERE'S THINGS FOR THE CITIES TO THINK ABOUT GETTING BEHIND ONE OF WHICH IS FOR EXAMPLE, THINGS THAT IMPROVE AIR QUALITY PROGRAMS THAT DEAL WITH THOSE KINDS OF THOSE LIKE AIR QUALITY ISSUES, LET'S SAY, UM, WHICH CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO A CITY IN A NUMBER OF WAYS. 
          DO YOU WANT ME TO, SHOULD I, SHOULD I RAISE THAT WITH TALENTS? WELL, FIRST TO REFER THAT, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, THAT YOU JUST WANT TO TAKE GENERAL INPUT FROM COUNCIL? SOMEBODY GIVES YOU AN IDEA AND THEN WE ALL JUST GIVE OUR IDEAS. 
          SO THE, UH, THE WORKFLOW THAT I PITCHED TO THE MAYOR AND THAT HE SIGNED OFF ON IS THAT WE CAN, UH, BECAUSE WE WE'VE BEEN GIVEN THE SCOPE OF, UH, DEALING WITH, UH, LEGISLATION AS IT COMES ACROSS, UH, BEFORE IT GOES TO COUNCIL, UH, THAT WE CAN GO IN AND TAKE NEW ITEMS AT THE BEGINNING OF ANY MEETING, UH, PUT TOGETHER A PROPOSAL AND SEND IT BACK TO GO BACK TO THE WORK SESSION. 
          GO AHEAD, BRETT. 
          YOU'VE GOT YOUR FIRST IT, YEAH, I, I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT HIM. 
          UM, WHAT I WAS HOPING TO DO THIS THIS YEAR IS IF WE HAVE THIS COMMITTEE, UM, IS IF YOU GIVE YOUR BLESSINGS JUST SOMETHING AND IT FALLS WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF OUR GENERAL LEGISLATIVE GUIDELINES, UNLESS IT'S SOMETHING PARTICULARLY TROUBLESOME, UM, THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO MARCH THE DIRECTION, UH, THIS COMMISSION OR THIS COMMITTEE SAYS WITHOUT GOING BACK, EXCUSE ME, EVERY TIME, UH, JUDITH CITY COUNCIL. 
          NOW YOU'LL REMEMBER SOMETIMES, UM, WE, WE ASKED FOR SPECIFIC SUPPORT RESOLUTIONS, UM, AND IT'S A HELPFUL TOOL. 
          UM, BUT WE CAN'T POSSIBLY DO IT FOR EVERYTHING. 
          AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M BEING VERY HOPEFUL WHEN I SAY JUST A COUPLE OF DOZEN BILLS THAT WE'RE GOING TO, IT COULD BE A COUPLE OF HUNDRED THAT WE'RE TRACKING EVERY DAY. 
          AND SO, UH, IF, IF THIS COMMITTEE SAYS, SURE, DO THIS, OR DO THIS, OR YOU COME UP WITH SOMETHING YOU WANT TO SCOPE PURSUE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. 
          I DIDN'T WANT TO RUN BACK TO THE COUNCIL ALL THE TIME THAT IT'S NOT LIKE I'M TRYING TO CUT THEM ALL OUT, BUT, UM, THAT'S THE FUNCTION OF THIS COMMITTEE TO GIVE US MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE COUNCIL WILL GIVE US GENERAL DIRECTION. 
          YOU GIVE US MORE SPECIFIC DIRECTION. 
          OKAY. 
          AND MY GOAL FROM, FROM THE CHAIR PERSPECTIVE WAS TO TAKE EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING, MAKE SURE WE STAY WITHIN THE GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY THE COUNCIL AND HAVE A CONTINUAL CYCLE OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE MAYOR. 
          UH, IF HE EVER FEELS LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE STARTING TO WONDER OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE, HE WAS GOING TO BE MY CHECK. 
          UH, SO I COULD STOP BRING THINGS BACK TO THE COUNCIL AND GET ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION. 
          UH, AND SO IT'S JUST GONNA TAKE A LOT OF COMMUNICATION, UH, BUT I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO ADD A, UH, AN RTC BUCKET TO THIS. 
          SO WE HAVE THAT PATHWAY. 
          UM, IT, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD ON, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT, AND THAT'S MY THOUGHT, WE GET A GENERAL GRANT OF AUTHORITY. 
          SO TO SPEAK ON THESE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT AND HANDLING, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD EMPOWER WHETHER IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IN-HOUSE FROM, FROM BRAD OR BRIAN, OR WHETHER IT'S OUTSIDE FROM TY OR, OR ANYONE ELSE TO GO AHEAD AND, AND IMMEDIATELY ACT ON THAT STUFF AS NEEDED. 
          AND THEN LET US KNOW. 
          AND THEN LET'S SAY AFTER THE LAST 
          [01:35:01]
DAY FOR FILING BILLS, WE'LL UPDATE COUNCIL ON, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TAKEN XYZ ACTION UNDER THIS GRANT OF AUTHORITY. 
          HERE ARE THE BILLS THAT WE'RE TRACKING HERE ARE THE CONCERNS. 
          IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SUPER LONG, BUT JUST TO LET COUNCIL KNOW THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, THE THINGS WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, BUT I, I ESPECIALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE AS WE GET TOWARDS AND THAT'LL BE HOW TO PUT IT, THAT'LL BE ALMOST LESS IMPORTANT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. 
          AND EARLIER IN THE SESSION, IN OTHER WORDS, THINGS ARE MOVING SO SLOW. 
          THIS FIRST PIECE THAT, THAT I THINK IT'S OKAY TO DO THOSE THINGS, BUT AS WE GET THOSE KINDS OF, WE GET USED TO THAT PROCESS. 
          ONCE WE GET LATER IN THE SESSION AND YOU START GOING RIGHT THROUGH THAT, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO CALL IT LIKE THE IT'S LIKE THE POTATO MASHER OR THE RICE OR SOMETHING. 
          RIGHT. 
          AND IT'S JUST LIKE, BOOM, SEEING WHAT'S WHAT'S JAMMED THROUGH, BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE THAT STRESS OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT MAY NOT, IT CAN, YOU CAN RUN INTO A SITUATION WHERE TY DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A CHANCE TO CALL BRAD AND SAY, HERE'S THIS. 
          OH YEAH, THERE'S GOING TO BE HEARING IN 10 MINUTES. 
          CAUSE THERE'S BILL THAT WE THOUGHT WAS DEAD IS, IS THEY'RE TRYING TO ATTACH IT TO THIS OTHER BILL THAT'S MOVING FORWARD. 
          AND, AND THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS AS WE GET DOWN TOWARDS THE NITTY GRITTY THAT I THINK THAT WE PARTICULARLY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE'VE HANDED OFF THAT AUTHORITY. 
          I MEAN, IF THEY NEED SOMEONE TO JUMP IN AND CALL OR DO WHATEVER FROM, FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM A COUNCIL MEMBER PERSPECTIVE, WHATEVER, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT THERE'S ENOUGH GRAIN TO HAVE FREEDOM DOWNSTREAM TO MAKE SURE WE PROTECT THE CITY'S INTEREST ON STUFF THAT LITERALLY COMES. 
          I MEAN, LOOK LITERALLY COMES OUT OF NOWHERE. 
          I MEAN, NOBODY HAD THE BUILDING MATERIALS BILL LAST YEAR. 
          I, I DON'T THINK, I, I DON'T THINK WE HEARD ABOUT THAT AT ALL UNTIL AFTER THE SESSION, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE ARE SIFTING THROUGH THE RUBBLE AND THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, SO WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED IN THE LAST WEEK? AND THEN IT'S LIKE, OH, WELL, THIS COMPLETELY CHANGES HOW WE OPERATE. 
          SO THAT, THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT I'M THINKING IS JUST, WE, AS WE HAVE A SERIES OF, OF BROAD THINGS AND NARROW THINGS, AND WE JUST DO THE BEST WE CAN. 
          OKAY. 
          AND WOULD ALSO, UM, DISCUSSED, AND WE MAY WANT TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS IS PROVIDING A WRITTEN BRIEFING, UH, IN EACH COUNCIL WORK SESSION PACKET THAT GOES, YOU KNOW, HERE'S WHAT THE COMMITTEE'S DOING. 
          AND THEN WE DON'T, WE DON'T DO THAT WITH OTHER COMMITTEES, BUT THIS IS VERY, VERY UNIQUE IN ITS, IN ITS FUNCTION. 
           I'M GOING TO LET BRAD GO AHEAD AND THEN I'LL, I'LL FOLLOW UP. 
          OKAY. 
          BE A VERY BORING, YOU KNOW, AS, AS TYLER INDICATED, AT LEAST FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND THEN, UH, TOWARDS THE END OF THE SESSION, IT COULD BE PAGES AND PAGES. 
          SO I, I MEAN, I, I APPRECIATE THE IDEA. 
          I LIKE THE IDEA. 
          UM, LET'S SEE HOW IT PLAYS OUT. 
          WE'LL WE'LL MAKE A FORMAL COMMITMENT TO THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          YEAH. 
          WELL, AND IF THERE'S NOTHING TO REPORT, DON'T WASTE THE PAPER. 
          YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. 
          IT WAS CHAIR THAT'S THAT'S THANKS, BRETT. 
          THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK WITH, UM, UH, COSMIN ARVIN LAID OUT THE PURVIEW OF THIS COMMITTEE AND THE DISCUSSION THAT I HAD WITH THE MAYOR WHEN HE ASKED ME TO BE ON, CAUSE I ASKED HIM QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THIS FOR WHAT'S WHAT ARE THE PARAMETERS? AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CONSISTENT. 
          AND I JUST, UH, I THINK THAT THIS COMMITTEE IS, UH, LONGEST TO OPERATING WITHIN THE SCOPE OF EXPECTATION SET, BUT SET BY THE MAYOR. 
          I THINK GOOD. 
          I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK WE NEED TO GO BACK TO THE COUNCIL WITH A REPORT AFTER EVERY TIME WE MEET. 
          I JUST, I THINK WE'VE GOT SOMETHING ACCEPTANCE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT HAS MAJOR IMPACT WE DO, BUT I'M AFRAID IF WE, IF WE, IF YOU, IF YOU SERVED A DESSERT, IF WE DO AT ONE TIME, THE EXPECTATION IS GOING TO BE, UH, TO, TO HAVE SOMEONE ON THE AGENDA EVERY TIME. 
          AND I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING OF SUBSTANCE EVERY TIME. 
          SO I WOULD, UH, COME TO, WE DON'T DO THAT PRACTICE, WHETHER WE GO BACK WHEN THERE'S A NEED TO AND KEEP THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT. 
          UM, THE OTHER THING, THE QUESTION LESS WHAT'S I, ONCE AS, UM, SINCE TY'S STILL ON JUST A ROMANCE HAD, I HAD HEARD A TIME WE'VE GOT, UH, THE, UH, THE STATE BUDGET, THE STATES, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY THEY'RE WAITING. 
          HOW AM I, I'VE HEARD SOME RUMORS ABOUT, UH, THE STATE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING, EITHER IMPOSE ADDITIONAL SALES TAX OR GO AFTER THE PERCENTAGE OF SALE TAX THAT GOES TO THIS WILL GOVERNMENT HAVE, I'VE JUST HEARD 
          [01:40:01]
SOME, SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, ABOUT HOW THE STATE, AS THAT, ONE OF THE POSSIBLE VEHICLES FOR CLOSING THE BUDGETARY GAP, YOU HEARD ANYTHING, IS THAT CRAZY OR, OR SOMEBODY I HEARD THAT ROMA TAI ANYTHING. 
          YEAH, I HERE'S, I HAVE NOT HEARD THAT SPECIFICALLY COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT I THINK EVERYTHING'S ON THE TABLE. 
          I THINK WHEN THE LEGISLATURE NEEDS MONEY, THEY'RE GOING TO BE, THEY START LOOKING EVERYWHERE. 
          SO, BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD THAT SPECIFICALLY. 
          I'LL DIG AROUND AND SEE IF I CAN FIND OUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING MORE TO THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          THANKS, SIR. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          GO AHEAD, SIR. 
          HI. 
          YEAH, I'M A LITTLE BIT ON THE FENCE. 
          I DEFINITELY WANT TO KEEP COUNSEL UPDATED, BUT I DON'T WANT TO PROVIDE, UH, I DON'T WANT TO INCREASE THE BURDEN ON STAFF OR ANYONE ELSE PREPARE THESE REPORTS, PARTICULARLY AS WE'RE MORE FOCUSED ON, ON DOING THE, DOING THE THING. 
          RIGHT. 
          UM, SO I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE FIND THE BALANCE THERE. 
          I THINK MAYBE A PERIODIC REPORT EITHER WRITTEN OR VERBAL MAKES SENSE. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, OR MAYBE IF YOU, YOU KNOW, MAYBE AS WE APPROVE THE MINUTES OR SOMETHING, WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, SEND THE MINUTES UP TO COUNCIL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          UM, BUT I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, IF WE END UP TRACKING 200 BILLS, UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT, I DON'T KNOW. 
          I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S PARTICULARLY HELPFUL TO THEN HAVE SOMEBODY HAVE TO GENERATE A, UH, A DOC. 
          I MEAN, IT'S ONE THING TO SAY, WE'RE TRACKING 200 BILLS AND HERE'S THE, HERE'S THE EXCEL SPREADSHEET THAT WE USED TO DO IT. 
          AND IT'S ANOTHER THING TO SAY, MAKE THIS A REPORT TO COUNCIL. 
          AND SO SOMEBODY IS GOING TO FEEL THE NEED, AND IT'S EITHER GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, LAURA OR BRAD OR SOMETHING. 
          WHO'S GOING TO BE LIKE HERE, WRITE SOMETHING ON EACH ONE OF THESE. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S JUST A LITTLE THAT'S, THAT'S PROBABLY MORE THAN WHAT WE NEED. 
          AND THAT'S PROBABLY MORE THAN WHAT WE NEED EVEN FOR, FOR, UM, FOR THIS COMMITTEE ITSELF. 
          BUT I THINK THERE PROBABLY IS SOME MIDDLE GROUND IN THERE. 
          LIKE I SAID, I THINK WE DEFINITELY NEED TO, YOU KNOW, UPDATE AND HIGHLIGHT JUST LIKE WE UPDATE AND NOT, YOU KNOW, W WHAT WE DO AFTER THE SESSION WITH THE UPDATE AND HIGHLIGHT, AND HERE ARE THE, HERE ARE THE BIG HEADLINES AND HERE ARE THE, THOSE THINGS. 
          I THINK IT'S FINE TO DO THAT DURING A COUPLE OF TIMES DURING THE SESSION, DO ONE, YOU KNOW, A WEEK OR SO AFTER THE, THE BILL FILING DEADLINE. 
          AND THEN ANOTHER ONE IS WE GET TO THE DEADLINE. 
          UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THERE ARE DEADLINES. 
          I CAN'T REMEMBER THEM ALL, BUT YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR, WOULD IT BE A GOOD PRACTICE PERHAPS TO GO AHEAD AND SET UP A FOLDER FOR THIS COMMITTEE INBOX AND JUST GUARANTEE THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ACCESS TO THAT DATA. 
          IF THEY WANT TO GO LOOK AT IT THAT WAY WE'RE, WE'RE BEING OPEN AND TRANSPARENT WITH THE REST OF THE BODY. 
          UH, EVEN IF WE'RE NOT COMING TO THEM AND WORK AND WORK SESSION WITH IT, HEY, ANYTIME YOU WANT TO GO SEE WHAT BILLS WE'RE TRACKING OR WHATEVER WE'RE DOING HERE TO SOME BOX. 
          GO TAKE A LOOK. 
          IT'S ON YOU. 
          IS THAT FAIR? YEP. 
          AND IS THAT DOABLE, LAURA? COOL. 
          OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          WE'VE SORTA COVERED ALL THREE POINTS OF ITEM THREE, WHICH WERE THE 20, 21 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, UH, GENERAL GUIDELINES AND STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND UPDATES ON LEGISLATION. 
          UM, AND I, I HAVE A PROMISE TO GET US OUT OF HERE BY SIX, SO WE CAN GO WATCH SATURDAY, NOT HIT JUPITER OR HIT JUPITER OR WHATEVER IT'S DOING TONIGHT. 
          DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S REMOTELY RELATED TO WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA THAT WE WANT TO DISCUSS, OR GO AHEAD. 
          THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN. 
          I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I EMAILED OUT THE, UH, THE DRAFT AGENDA TO YOU ALL. 
          SO IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED IT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. 
          AND I'LL RESCIND THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE IT TO REVIEW. 
          OKAY. 
          AND YOU'RE GONNA THROW A COPY IN BOX FOR US AS WELL. 
          YES, I WILL HAVE TO GET THAT SET UP. 
          SO THAT MIGHT TAKE A LITTLE LONGER, BUT YES. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THEY WANT TO BRING FORWARD? THAT'S TRUE. 
          I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL, BUT WILL TY'S PRESENTATION MADE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMITTEE? AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT PERHAPS WE CAN MAKE AVAILABLE TO COUNCIL? I MEAN, JUST EDUCATION, MAYBE NOT NOW THAT I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT AT LEAST. 
          YES. 
          AND THEN THAT'LL GO IN BOX AS WELL. 
          AND THAT WAY, THAT RESOURCES THERE FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THE OTHER QUESTION AS LOGISTICALLY ON OUR MEETING AGENDAS, IS THAT JUST BEING SET TO, TO THE, UH, PARTICULAR STAFF AND THESE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, COUNCIL IS COUNCIL GETTING OUR MEETING AGENDAS. 
          UH, MITCH IS NODDING. 
          YES. 
          THAT EVERYBODY'S GETTING THESE AGENDAS. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          WELL, 
          [01:45:01]
I THINK THAT SINCE THEY SELL, THAT WAS ONLY AGENDA, THEN THAT'S ONE WAY OF SORT OF, AND THEN OF COURSE, IF COUNCIL SEES THAT AGENDA SOMEBODY AND THEY HAVE QUESTIONS, THEY CAN ALWAYS COME BACK TO YOU. 
          I'M A CHAIR, YOU KNOW, FOR WHATEVER QUESTIONS THEY HAVE OR TO AMPLIFY ON ANYTHING ON THAT. 
          SO WE'RE ALREADY KIND OF DOING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          VERY GOOD. 
          OKAY. 
          IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING IN THE MEANTIME WHERE WE FIND WAYS THAT WILL MAKE THIS COMMITTEE AND ITS OPERATIONS MORE TRANSPARENT TO THE REST OF THE MEMBERS, I'M ALL FOR IT. 
          UH, OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T WANT TO PUT TOO MUCH OVERHEAD ON THIS. 
          WE WANT TO SUCCEED IN OUR OBJECTIVE, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, IN THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, WE'RE KIND OF MAKING THIS UP AS WE GO ALONG. 
          THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME THROUGH. 
          SO, UH, IF WE SEE WAYS TO DO IT BETTER, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IS A WONDERFUL THING. 
          UH, I THINK WE'RE THROUGH THE AGENDA. 
          SO AT 5:47 PM, UH, THIS COMMITTEE IS A GERMS. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MERRY CHRISTMAS AND SAFE HOLIDAYS. 
          RIGHT? RIGHT.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.