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Background: The Texas Constitution requires that the Texas House and the Texas Senate each keep a journal of its proceedings. The Constitution does not require either body to record which members voted for or against a bill unless three members request the vote to be recorded. Proposition 11 would require a recorded vote on final passage of all substantive bills and resolutions, other than specifically designated “local” bills, and would also require recorded votes be promptly posted on the websites of the Texas House or Texas Senate.

For: Proposition 11 would give the public the information it needs to see where each member stands on every issue. While House and Senate Rules currently require such votes to be recorded, these rules could be changed at any time. Amending the Constitution is necessary to guarantee that citizens have an open government that gives them the ability to hold their elected officials accountable.

Against: Since the House and Senate already record votes on most substantive bills, this Proposition will change nothing. The final vote on a bill is seldom the vote where any controversy occurs, since there is always an earlier vote on every bill which usually determines whether or not the bill will pass. To give the public the information it needs, the earlier votes on the bill, as well as votes on amendments to the bill, should be recorded rather than only the final vote.

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the Scott Hochberg Campaign
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9/20/07