Candice Shapiro
Office: (512) 463-0367
Mobile: (512) 799-8685
Candice.shapiro@house.state.tx.us
October 23, 2007
Rep. Branch Pushes for More Transparency
in the Texas Legislature
Voter Approval of Prop. 11 Would Enshrine Recorded Votes in our State Constitution
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Corpus Christi Caller-Times |
(Dallas, Texas) — Today, Rep. Dan Branch (R-Dallas), Proposition 11 House author and Senator John Carona (R-Dallas), Prop. 11 Senate sponsor, were joined by League of Women Voters immediate past President Katherine Homan to answer questions and voice their support for recorded votes in the Texas legislature. On November 6, 2007, voters will decide whether or not they want their state constitution to require on-the-record votes on final passage of all legislation other than ceremonial resolutions.
"Should Proposition 11 pass on November 6th, open government in Texas will reach a new high watermark," said Branch. "It should be fundamental law that no piece of legislation that could change people's lives passes the legislature without our citizens' representatives being held accountable for their votes."
Proposition 11 proposes a constitutional amendment to require each house of the legislature take an on-the-record vote on final passage of a bill, joint resolution or other resolution, excluding ceremonial measures. In addition, it mandates that all record votes be posted in the respective chamber's journal and are made accessible on the Internet.
Rep. Branch and Senator Carona have worked with a coalition of organizations throughout Texas to push for more open government in the Texas legislature. The Texas Press Association, Texas Daily Newspaper Association, Texas AP Managing Editors, The Dallas Morning News, the League of Women Voters and the Freedom of Information Foundation worked tirelessly during the 80th and previous sessions to communicate to other state legislators how important this legislation is to their constituencies. They continue to advocate for Proposition 11 by encouraging all Texans to get out and vote on November 6th.
In the past few years, the legislature has made positive changes in providing a more open, transparent government. In 2005, the House passed measures that lowered the threshold for a recorded vote from a request of any three members to any one member. This past January, the House showed additional support for record votes by adding them to the House rules, but without a change to the constitution, the new policy on recorded votes could be easily changed in future legislative sessions. Should Proposition 11 pass this November, it will ensure that record votes will be enshrined in the Texas Constitution and always be the standard for each legislative chamber's floor proceedings.
Rep. Branch is in his third-term representing House District 108, which includes Downtown, Uptown, Near East and North Dallas, including the Town of Highland Park and the City of University Park. He serves as Chairman of the House Select Committee on Higher & Public Education Finance, and is a member of the House Appropriations, Public Education and Calendars committees.
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