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May 21, 2015      10:20 AM

Anti-union bill receives abbreviated hearing in House State Affairs

Chairman Cook leaves it unclear as to when and if his committee might vote on SB 1968; there was talk that teachers would be exempted but that has not happened

With pressure mounting on Texas House Republicans to pass a bill that would weaken organized labor in Texas even more than it already is, House State Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Byron Cook on Thursday split the difference between simply holding a quick vote or holding the kind of marathon hearing his panel is sometimes known for.

Two hours of testimony was heard in his committee. That's after union organizers said that roughly 250 showed up to testify, most of whom were not heard.

"This bill came over severely flawed," the Corsicana Republican said of SB 1968 by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston. Cook said that the Senate version was so badly drafted that if it was on the floor of the Texas House, a freshman lawmaker would be able to kill it easily on a point of order.

The bill would outlaw the ability of government employees to have their union dues automatically deducted from their paychecks. Police, fire, and EMS employees are exempt from the bill as it is currently drafted. There has been some significant chatter that teachers unions might be taken out of it as well, but that has not happened.

By Scott Braddock