Coal plant supporters raise voice as session nears
Ed Sterling

A USTIN - The public relations war over a proposal to build 19 new coal-fired plants is getting

hotter with the next state legislative

session around the corner.

The Texas Association of Business stumped at the Capitol Dec. 15 in favor of the plants and a mix of other power-generation options, such as more nuclear power capacity and less reliance on natural gas.

Energy needs for residential customers, businesses and government are growing faster than power can be generated by the current grid of power plants, said Bill Hammond, executive director of the Texas Association of Business.

Hammond mentioned Texas could face rolling blackouts in the next few years if power needs aren't addressed.

Other groups, such as Public Citizen Texas, are emphasizing the degrading effects on public health and the environment if the state grants coal plant permits that don't require the cleaner, coal gasification process that results in minimal emissions.

Governor hires former senator

Gov. Rick Perry on Dec. 14 appointed Sen. Ken Armbrister as legislative director for the governor's office.

Armbrister, D-Victoria, was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1983 and to the Texas Senate in 1986. During his tenure in the Senate, Armbrister has chaired the Natural Resources, Criminal Justice, State Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations committees. Armbrister chose not to seek re-election and will serve out his term of office, which ends when the new legislature convenes, Jan. 9.

Judge orders speaker to reply

An Austin state district judge ordered House Speaker Tom Craddick to provide the court with information that may show whether one of his office calendars contains what is "public information" under the law.

Plaintiff Cris Feldman of Austin is suing for access to Craddick's 2003 political calendar and the first half of his 2004 political calendar.

The inclusive dates cover the period during which Republicans battled with Democrats over redistricting.

State District Judge Margaret Cooper set a deadline of Jan. 12 for Craddick to comply with her order.

Hunting for the blind proposed

State Rep. Edmund Kuempel, R-Seguin, has filed a bill that would create conditions under which a blind person could hunt legally in Texas.

Kuempel's House Bill 308 would allow a blind hunter, with the aid of a sighted hunter, to use a laser sighting device to hunt game.

Lawmaker files cleanup bills

State Rep. William "Bill" Callegari, RHouston, has filed legislation to do away with language in state law that created three state agencies.

Those agencies no longer have a function, he said. H.B. 386 would repeal the portion of the

Water Code that created Texas Deepwater Port Authority; H.B. 387 similarly wipes off the Texas National Research Laboratory Commission, which had to do with landing the long-defunct superconducting super collider project; and H.B. 388 would repeal the enabling legislation that launched the Ogallala Water Import Authority.

Callegari also filed a fourth piece of legislation, H.B. 385, repealing a 1935 law that authorized the Commission of Control for the Texas Centennial Celebrations to condemn property for the use of the state.

Strayhorn unloads re: foster care

State Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn's term of office ends in January, but she's still at work.

On Dec. 14, Strayhorn released "Texas Health Care Claims Study: A Special Report on Foster Children," which she said raises red flags concerning the state's foster care system.

Among the many red flags, Strayhorn said, are Medicaid claims from 2004 and 2005 that show foster children are being prescribed "powerful, mind-altering psychotropic drugs" at an alarming rate.

She pointed out that Texas spent $39 million on 436,480 prescriptions for nearly 24,000 foster children in fiscal 2004.

"Given the distressing findings contained in this report, I hope the state will not delay in adopting recommendations, which have been crafted to help mend this broken system," Strayhorn said in a news release.

The full report is available online at window. state.tx.us.

Ed Sterling is director of member services for the Texas Press Association in Austin.