House Transcript, January 18, 2011

AUDIO: Welcome to the 82nd session of the Texas House of Representatives.

REP. STRAUS: House come to order. Members please register. We'll give you plenty of time, members. Have all members registered? A quorum is present. House and galley please rise for the invocation. Chair recognizes Representative Hughes to introduce the pastor of the day.

MR. HUGHES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, I'm pleased to introduce Don Garner. Many of us know Don as the State Director of Capitol Commission. Don is a native Texan. He and his wife have seven children. He's a graduate of the University of Texas and Criswell College in Dallas. And he, of course, holds weekly Bible studies for members, for staff, and for the extended capitol community. We're glad to have him this morning. Don Garner.

PASTOR GARNER: Would you bow with me for prayer? Father, as we come before you this morning, I pray that it would be as though you enabled me to come alongside each of these representatives and just bow individually for prayer with them, Lord God, to intercede on their behalf. I thank you so much, Father, that you have called them to this very special and unique role in our state as leaders. And, Father, I ask that each of them might know you as their creator, as the one who provides all that they need, our sustainer, that they might know you as the one to whom every one of us will one day give account, but most importantly, that each one of them might come to know you as redeemer. Father, I pray for them and the special pressures that they face as public officials, the pressures their families oftentimes bear along with them. And Lord God, sometimes things can become very, very challenging, the attacks upon their character and all kinds of things, opposition to things that they are trying to do in the best interest of their constituents and do with integrity and all the uprightness that they can muster, and yet sometimes they still face real attacks. And I pray that you would just protect them, Father, from those that would do them harm, and Father, ennoble them with a passion to do that which is right and best. Father, I pray that you would grant a spirit of cooperation among this body, that, Father, they would be able to stand with boldness for the things that they believe are right, for the things that will represent the interest of their constituents, but always with humility and respect for their colleagues, always honoring the dignity of another. Father, I pray that you would cause this 82nd legislative session to be among the most fruitful in terms of doing good for our state and bringing health and strength and order and peace to the people of the state of Texas, but I also, Father, pray that you would reveal yourself in a profound way throughout the events of this session as these next 20 weeks unfold and that, Father, you would, by your own hand, initiate a movement for our Lord Jesus Christ in this capitol community. Father, we lift all this up in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

REP. MADDEN: The Chair recognizes Representative Schwertner to the pledge of allegiance and the pledge of allegiance to the Texas flag.

REP. SCHWERTNER: Members, please join me in reciting our pledges of allegiance.

(Pledge of allegiance recited.)

(Pledge to the Texas flag recited.)

REP. MADDEN: Chair will now hear excuses for the absent members. Excuse Representative Riddle for family illness on a motion of Representative Fletcher. Excuse Representative Alvarado to attend funeral on a motion of Representative Harless. Is there any objection? Chair hears none. So ordered. Gentlemen, the speaker's desk is clear. Are there any other announcements? If so, bring them down. Chair recognizes Representative Peña for a recognition.

REP. PENA: Members, in the gallery today, we have somebody -- some -- a group of people from Representative Munoz's district that we'd like to recognize, Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Garza, Sr.; Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Garza, Jr.; Michael Prunella. Welcome to your Texas capitol.

REP. MADDEN: Members, we're going to be adjourning here in just a minute. When we adjourn, we're going to ask the members to get out to the inauguration ceremony. You walk out the west door, make an immediate left on the walkway and go to the ticket table. The House will be sitting in Section 4. The House sergeants will be there and available to assist you if you have any questions for seating. Upon adjournment tomorrow, Representative Pitts will be on the floor to discuss with the members any questions and answer any questions they may have concerning the budget and the budget process. That will be tomorrow upon adjournment, members. If there are no further announcements, Representative Hamilton moves that the House adjourn until 10:00 a.m. tomorrow upon the conclusion of the joint session for the inauguration of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. Members, you can pick up your inauguration tickets at the ticket table if you do not have them already. Thank you. Members, if there's any confusion, you have to be here for the pictures at 9:30. The session itself will start at 10:00 o'clock tomorrow, but the pictures will be taken at 9:30. I'll repeat that so that -- so that anybody might be able to understand it totally, Representative King included. We will take our pictures at 9:30 in the morning. And the session will actually start at 10:00 a.m., but be here at 9:30 for your pictures.