House still unable to conduct business

The legislature remains in limbo with the House unable to reach a quorum (100 members present). A handful of Democrats have returned to the House over the last several days, but thus far not enough for a quorum.

The Senate appears to have considered and passed all of the legislation it intends to deal with, so that body is meeting occasionally and for short periods, essentially waiting to see if the House will come to order and begin conducting business.

The House meets briefly every day, just long enough to ascertain whether a quorum is present, then adjourns to the next day.

There have been rumors of more Democrats returning, enough to reach a quorum, but to date that has not happened. The current special session will end no later than Labor Day weekend, and it is noteworthy that beginning September 1, legislative staff and related entities such as the Legislative Budget Board and Legislative Council staff, will no longer be paid by the state due to Gov. Abbott’s veto of Art. X of the state budget. The veto also affects purchases of office supplies, rent payments for district offices, etc.

The Comptroller’s office said earlier this summer that lawmakers would have to take action on the budget issue by Aug. 20 in order for computer software to be revised and for payments to be made by September 1.