Straus criticizes Dems’ tactics

House Speaker Joe Straus today criticized Democrats for slowing down legislation by dragging out discussions on bills.

“The more they talk, the more explaining they have to do,” Straus told reporters today.

He said that though the Democrats’ tactics during the past few days — talking during nearly all of the 10 minutes allowed for noncontroversial items on a list called the Local and Consent Calendar — are technically allowed, they are holding up important legislation. Normally, items on the Local and Consent Calendar fly through the House, but the Democrats have been trying to avoid consideration of a controversial voter identification measure.

“Local and consent calendars has been, until this moment, a matter of trust among members, and that trust has been abused here,” Straus said. “Perfectly legitimate and within the rules, but it’s not something that I would like to encourage happen again.”

This afternoon, the House has moved on from the Local and Consent items and is — slowly — debating how to change the state’s automatic-admission law for public universities.

The House is closely divided, with 76 Republicans (minus Rep. Edmund Kuempel of Seguin, who has been absent since having a heart attack May 12) and 74 Democrats. Straus said he’s been facilitating conversations among members.

“When we’ve succeeded, it’s when members have put aside their differences and worked things out themselves,” he said. “It isn’t because I’ve forced an outcome.”

Straus said that he hasn’t talked to Gov. Rick Perry about the possibility of a special session on voter ID legislation. “But I wouldn’t be surprised,” Straus said. “I’m still somewhat optimistic we can get to it. But we’re still waiting and the clock is ticking.”

The legislative session ends June 1.

Straus pointed out that Democrats didn’t seem to object to voter ID legislation when it was brought up more than a decade ago. Paul Burka of Texas Monthly discusses this history on his blog.

Straus said “it’s complete hypocrisy” for Democrats who didn’t object to it then to “bring the House to a grinding halt over the same issue now.”