This Week in Texas: November 2, 2011
Filing for the state’s primary elections is scheduled to begin on November 12th but that may change, depending on the actions of the federal court in San Antonio considering the redistricting cases. As the three-judge panel decides whether to construct interim maps to take the state through at least the next election cycle, the panel could change the filing deadlines. The filing period could be pushed back to run from December 1st through the 15th but no final decisions have been made.
Early voting ends Friday for the November 8th general election. The ballot contains 10 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution and in some cases, bond proposals. There is also a special election in House District 14, a seat open due to the retirement on former Rep. Fred Brown (R-Bryan).
Interim hearings are ongoing at the Texas Capitol. The focus this week was on the state’s drought as the Senate Natural Resources Committee, the Senate Agriculture Committee, and the House Natural Resources Committee heard testimony from various stakeholders. With no good news in terms of weather forecasts, the committees are trying to ensure that the state is prepared in terms of water resources as the drought continues.