We're entering the last days available to the governor to consider bills. Anything not vetoed by midnight on Father's Day will become law, with or without Rick Perry's signature.

Political fundraising season begins in full force next week, and it'll be fast and furious until July 1 — the deadline for the current reporting period. Incumbents want to show impressive totals when their numbers become public July 15 — the better to keep challengers away. Some candidates should be ahead of the opposition; U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, for instance, is a federal official and could raise money for a governor's race while Perry was frozen out by the law barring state officials from raising money while the Legislature is in town.

And when the fund drive is over, it'll be about time for a special session.

Leading up to the sign or veto deadline, Perry signed several "headline" bills from the session:

• Increasing the deduction on the state franchise tax to $1 million, freeing around 39,000 taxpayers from that tax at a cost to the state of about $172 million.

• Increasing the tax on smokeless tobacco, with the money being used to pay for that business tax cut, in part, and in part to repay student loans of doctors who agree to practice for a period of time in underserved communities in Texas.

• Setting up a system so that the state's second-tier universities can compete to become Tier 1 schools on a par with the University of Texas, Texas A&M and Rice. That same bill has tuition revenue bonds to rebuild university properties lost to Hurricane Ike.

• Perry is scheduled to sign reforms of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association in Galveston. Back before the session went off track, that was the only piece of legislation he had pointed to as special session material. And the threat worked: Lawmakers got after the legislation right away.

Order, Please

The rumor mill still has the Guv calling a special in the early days of July and the probable list of issues hasn't changed: sunset dates, road bonds, public-private partnerships for roads, a revolving fund for roads, and getouttatownfast.

Keep an eye on the schedule of items that'll be left for the Sunset Advisory Commission to do in 2011 and what will be postponed until 2013. The commission staff and some lawmakers don't think sunset could handle what's already on their plate plus transportation, insurance, racing and two other agencies that didn't get done this year. And it's not as simple as moving any agency back two years. There's a squeak or a squawk for every delay, and Perry and Co. have to find the right combination to manage the workload, keep enough people politically happy, and prevent the scheduling issues from wrecking plans for a short special session.

But advocates for things that died at the end of the regular session want some attention for their issues, and they're clamoring. We're not rating the probabilities that you'll see any of this stuff, but from that line of supplicants come these requests:

• Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers and the Texas Farm Bureau want more than the constitutional amendment limiting eminent domain, which is already destined for the November ballot. They want to add provisions that compensate landowners when a government condemnation affects the value of the remaining property, and that allow landowners to buy back condemned property the government doesn't use.

• Add expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program (which expansion the governor has said he doesn't support). That bill passed in one form or another in both the House and Senate but didn't make it out of the Pink Building. The expansion would allow families making up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level to qualify for CHIP so long as they pay premiums for those benefits.

• Put Voter ID on the agenda so that photo identification will be required of anyone who wants to cast a ballot in the 2010 elections. That was the most partisan issue of the session and one reason it started and ended badly.

Land Grab

At the Alamo with his right arm in a sling, Gov. Rick Perry signed a constitutional amendment that would put some limits on government eminent domain into the state constitution.

Governors sign bills into law, but Perry's signature on the constitutional amendment is purely symbolic. Amendments approved by the House and Senate go straight to voters without a required stop in the Guv's office, and this one will be on the ballot in November.

This isn't a first. Four years ago, the governor went to Fort Worth to sign a constitutional amendment defining marriage as "the union of one man and one woman." Both signings came after a legislative session and a few months before the governor planned to seek reelection from voters.

The eminent domain amendment would prevent governments from using their powers to force land sales and to then give the land to private developers. Voters will see this: "The constitutional amendment to prohibit the taking, damaging, or destroying of private property for public use unless the action is for the ownership, use, and enjoyment of the property by the State, a political subdivision of the State, the public at large, or entities granted the power of eminent domain under law or for the elimination of urban blight on a particular parcel of property, but not for certain economic development or enhancement of tax revenue purposes, and to limit the legislature's authority to grant the power of eminent domain to an entity."

Perry vetoed an eminent domain bill two years ago — one of 49 he shot down. He said it would have required governments to pay for economic damage to property they didn't acquire if the damage was a result of the acquisition itself. Some of his fellow conservatives — and some groups like the Texas Farm Bureau — didn't like that a bit. And in fact, the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and the Farm Bureau want Perry to add eminent domain to the summer special session he's promised. They contend the constitutional amendment doesn't go far enough.

The Texas Weekly Index

Most of the swing districts in the Texas House are held by Democrats, meaning they're more likely to be defending battleground seats than trying to wrest them away from the other party. We've got a peek at the political climate in each district, based on statewide results in the last two election cycles.

• In the Texas House, several Democrats hold seats in territories where voters are much friendlier to Republicans in statewide elections. The so-called WD-40s — White Democrats Over 40 years old — have been and remain on GOP target lists. Rep. Chuck Hopson, D-Jacksonville, is an example. He's in a district where the average Republican beats the average Democrat on the statewide ballot by more than 33 points. David Farabee of Wichita Falls and Joe Heflin of Crosbyton represent districts with similar numbers.

Republicans will have their sights on a couple of freshmen members next year, hoping that Kristi Thibaut of Houston and Diana Maldonado of Round Rock got in only because of the groundswell for Barack Obama in their districts in 2008, and might suffer in his mid-term elections in 2010. Democrats will focus on a freshman or two — Ken Legler is often mentioned — and on two veterans in districts that don't behave like they used to (the districts, that is): Linda Harper-Brown of Irving and Dwayne Bohac of Houston.

• By comparison, the Senate is a boring place if you're looking for competitive elections. Only one senator — Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth — holds a Texas Senate seat where the other party dominates in statewide elections. There just aren't many opportunities for either party to gain ground (or lose it) in the upper chamber.

• Congress is a little more competitive than the Senate, but not much more. With the glaring exception of the Democratic congressman from Waco, most everyone in the state's congressional delegation is from a district that votes in congressional elections just like it does in statewide elections. U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, a popular Democrat in a very Republican district, is the blueberry in the tomato soup — a blue dot in a red zone. Ciro Rodriguez, D-San Antonio, occupies a true swing district. By the numbers, it's about evenly split between the two parties.

Click on the graphics to download a printable version.

It Ain't So

Elizabeth Ames Jones "is staying in the U.S. Senate race until the last vote is counted," her spokeswoman says, trying to spike Internet rumors that the Republican will drop out.

Alicia Collins says the rumors have been dinging around the Internet and around the lobby, but there's nothing to it.

Jones, a Texas Railroad Commissioner, is one of several Republicans hoping to win Kay Bailey Hutchison's spot in the Senate after Hutchison leaves. Last week, Jones announced endorsements from former Gov. and First Lady Bill and Rita Clements.

Audio: Sharp Stump

U.S. Senate candidate John Sharp talked to a group of Austin Democrats at Scholz Garten.

Sharp was introduced by at a Texans for Obama gathering by Fort Bend County Commissioner Richard Morrison, who unsuccessfully challenged then-U.S. Majority Leader Tom DeLay in 2004.

Morrison's introduction.

Sharp's talk.

Sharp answers audience questions (caveat: it's hard to make out some of the questions).

The other prominent Democrat in the race, Houston Mayor Bill White, spoke to the same group last month.

Political People and Their Moves

Elsa Murano quit as president of Texas A&M University in College Station under considerable pressure from Chancellor Mike McKinney, and agreed to a severance package that will return her to her tenured professorship after a paid year off, and pay her $295,000 not to sue the school. That, after a very public back-and-forth that included the release of McKinney's harsh evaluation of her work and her harsh rebuttal. She was the first woman and the first Hispanic to head the state's second-largest state university.

R. Bowen Loftin, the chief exec at Texas A&M-Galveston and an engineering professor, will take over as interim president of the main campus in College Station while the regents search for a permanent replacement for Murano.

State District Judge Bill Moody of El Paso might run a third time for the Texas Supreme Court. He got more votes than any other Democrat on the statewide ballot in 2006 but lost to Republican Don Willett. Moody told the El Paso Times he's probably going to run, but didn't say for which seat. Three justices — Scott Brister, Paul Green, and Harriet O'Neill — are up for reelection next year to the nine-member court.

Former Gov. Bill Clements gave $100 million to the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, to be delivered over four years. "... my single goal is to help encourage and advance scientific discovery and innovation, prepare the next generation of physicians for Texas and the nation, and ensure the delivery of world-class medical care, which I believe uniquely happens at this academic medical center, already recognized as one of the top institutions in this country," he said.

The 62,000-member Texas Federation of Teachers reelected Linda Bridges and John O'Sullivan as president and secretary-treasurer, respectively. Those are two-year terms.

Quotes of the Week

Gov. Rick Perry, on the resignation of Texas A&M University President Elsa Murano after 17 months in that job: "Presidents and chancellors come and go. Some stay longer than others."

Dallas executive and former A&M Regent Erle Nye, in The Dallas Morning News: "I'm disappointed with the controversy. I wish that we could handle our governance better."

Mayor Vincent Francia of Cave Creek, Arizona, quoted in The New York Times after two candidates settled an election tie by cutting cards to determine the winner: “Originally we thought of settling this with a paintball fight but that involves skill, and skill is not allowed in this."

Rep. Vicki Truitt, R-Keller, quoted in the Fort Worth Business Press on the death of legislation that would have allowed local option gasoline taxes to pay for roads: "Conservatives said 'Tax bill! Tax bill!' That's rhetoric. Rhetoric doesn't solve problems. Legislators are supposed to solve problems."

Adam Kliebert, telling the Houston Chronicle he caught his next door neighbor — state District Judge Woody Densen — on camera putting $3,000 in scratches on his car: "I could understand if it was the neighborhood kid — some punk kid that lives around here — but a judge? I knew who did it — I just didn’t have proof."

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in The Dallas Morning News, saying she supported Ronald Reagan for president after Gerald Ford, who had appointed her to the National Transportation Safety Board, wasn't competing with him, and comparing herself to Gov. Rick Perry (without saying his name): "And I've never supported a Democrat for president after I was involved in politics — unlike others who are running for public office. I never ran as a Democrat, either."

Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, telling the Fort Worth Star-Telegram he won't challenge Rick Perry if the governor will adopt a quartet of his positions on immigration and states' rights: "He's going to let me know, and if he can agree with the four issues and if he can actually accept them as his own, then I'll step out of the race and endorse him for re-election as governor."

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Texas Weekly: Volume 26, Issue 24, 22 June 2009. Ross Ramsey, Editor. Copyright 2009 by Printing Production Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. One-year online subscription: $250. For information about your subscription, call (512) 302-5703 or email biz@texasweekly.com. For news, email ramsey@texasweekly.com, or call (512) 288-6598.

Dallas Morning News writer Wayne Slater is recovering from successful heart surgery at an Austin hospital.Slater, according to colleagues at the paper, felt some chest pains at home over the weekend. They found he had a damaged valve in his heart and set out to replace it. They didn't have to, as it turned out. After four hours in surgery on Mondayat Austin Heart Hospital, they were able to repair the mitral valve in his heart. All is well. They're not allowing him any visitors, other than family, until later this week. Latest word: No visitors on Wednesday, and they're hoping — politely — for manageable traffic after that. If you're skipping the hospital, or waiting until things settle down, send a note to Slater's email address: wslater@dallasnews.com.

The U.S. Supreme Court turned down an opportunity to undo the federal Voting Rights Act in a lawsuit started when a Texas utility district moved a polling place without permission. Here's the ruling in Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District Number One vs. Holder. The court was asked to do two things: To allow the MUD to "bail out" of the Voting Rights Act under provisions that have previously been used only by whole counties, and to strike down the part of that law that requires federal officials to pre-clear voting changes in states and locations where voting discrimination occurred in the past. The court said okay on bailouts, and left pre-clearance alone. That would have had an impact on redistricting in Texas and elsewhere next year, but with this ruling, new state political districts will have to be approved by the U.S. Department of Justice before they can be used. And that'll be the first time in the history of redistricting that a Democratic administration's Justice Department has had the say-so on those maps. Since the VRA was passed in the 1960s, Republican presidents have been in office each time the maps were drawn in 1971, 1981, 1991, and 2001.

By virtue of vetoes and a special session, Gov. Rick Perry dominates bloggers' conversations this week. They're chatting about the 2010 gubernatorial contest, the impending U.S. Senate campaign, additional political contests and criminal justice. Wrapping it up is news out of College Station.

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Like a Guv

The Austin Chronicle's Newsdesk breaks down Perry's vetoes by chamber, city and party. The Austin American-Statesman's Postcards takes closer looks at vetoed bills on volunteer tax centers, pre-kindergarten and CPS. They also look at an endorsed one on electronic textbooks.

"The bicycling community will never forgive Governor Perry," for vetoing a "safe passing" bill, the Houston Chronicle's Texas Politics reports. Meanwhile, Lone Star Times describes successful lobbying efforts against a Child Protective Services bill that Perry vetoed (to the author's approval, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's PoliTex). And Grits for Breakfast reviews criminal justice bills executed by the governor.

Perry told reporters that the special session's objective will be to "get in, get those five agencies addressed, and go on back to your homes," PoliTex says. Newsdesk rounds up some special session wishes from some senators and representatives. And Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, told the Greater McAllen Chamber of Commerce that he expects the special session to be brief and voter ID-less.

Texas Politics showed up for Perry's first big campaign appearance. Here's another report from PoliTex and video from the host's blog at Texans for Rick Perry. And Texans for Rick Perry recognizes the 10,000 follower of their Twitter account, @GovernorPerry, while a photo of Perry with a gun caught Texican Tattler's eye.

PoliTex reports on Perry's new chief of staff Ray Sullivan. Postcards says Sullivan's hiring "makes sense... as he shifts his focus fully to his re-election campaign."

The El Paso Times' Vaqueros and Wonkeros knows who'll be leading U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's (expected) campaign in far West Texas. And Democrat Tom Schieffer goes on record about Iraq and Guantanamo Bay during a Texas Politics podcast.

Notes from the Lege participated in three discussions with the folks behind the Statesman's First Readings and Texas Monthly's BurkaBlog and State of Mine. Topics addressed include voter identification, the GOP gubernatorial contest and other 2010 races.

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Senate Hands

Pollabear says saying the Democratic primary contest between former Comptroller John Sharp and Houston Mayor Bill White is sure to be contentious. Neither Sharp nor White gave enough consideration to a question about the federal Defense of Marriage Act, in Texas Cloverleaf's opinion. And Castle Hills Democrat tells what happened at a Democratic fish fry attended by Schieffer, Sharp, White and congressional candidate Neil Durrance.

White made a trip down to McAllen last week and picked up an endorsement from A Capitol Blog, who videotaped the whole thing. ABC13's Political Blog writes about some recent White activity. And the claims of a former Hutchison staffer on Rick vs. Kay landed him in hot water with the Michael Williams U.S. Senate campaign.

Capitol Annex sent Texas Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones' media relations folks into full denial mode after he passed along a tip that she is going to end her U.S. Senate bid. (If the rumor turns out to be true, among the disappointed will be former U.S. Commerce Secretary Robert Mosbacher, who endorsed Jones at the end of the week, according to Texas Politics.)

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Race Running

A Burnt Orange Report reader contributes a report on State Board of Education candidates who want to replace District 10 incumbent Cynthia Dunbar. Poli-Tex has additional info. In the field is Lorenzo Sadun, who ran an unsuccessful write-in campaign for Congress (in CD-10) in 2004 (against now-incumbent U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul). Sadun is a UT-Austin math professor and sometimes blogger for Texas Blue and Burnt Orange. Meanwhile, the Texas Freedom Network Insider is sponsoring SBOE candidate training.

Analyzing HD-92, represented by Rep. Todd Smith, R-Euless, since 1996, Burnt Orange declares, "Smith is his own worst enemy now," and any decent, well-funded Democrat should be able to give him a run for his money in 2010. (Smith's district has a Texas Weekly Index of 25.3 in the GOP's favor.)

Trail Blazers writes about Republicans' efforts to win House seats. Head House Democrat Jim Dunnam, D-Waco, is not impressed. And Greg's Opinion says the only difference between Texas and big states that have gone over to the Blue Team recently is the lack of Democratic investment.

U.S. Rep. Brian McCall, R-Plano, tells the Morning News' Plano blog that he likes his spot on the House Calendars committee.

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About Crime

Grits has a summary of a Public Safety Commission members' discussion of the "Driver Responsibility" program, funded by hefty surcharges on traffic violations. An Austin attorney writes in to Burka about mesothelioma and tort reform. And Tex Parte Blog has the latest developments in the fraud case involving Texas billionaire R. Allen Stanford.

The Legislative Budget Board was just about spot-on in its prison population estimates, Grits says. New Houston judge Michael C. Massengale is just a baby, Tex Parte says. And Off the Kuff sees Massengale's seat as one more opportunity for Democrats in 2010.

Tex Parte marks the 90th birthday of Dallas lawyer Louise Raggio. Her son Grier Raggio is a Democrat who's taking on U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions. And the Houston Chronicle's Texas on the Potomac tracks developments in the impeachment of imprisoned retired federal Judge Samuel Kent.

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Aggie-business

Texas Aggie Rhetoric & Rhythm wants A&M Chancellor Mike McKinney's head on a platter over the resignation of A&M President Elsa Murano. Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Hutchison tells university leaders to cease shenanigans, says PoliTex. And Murano's predecessor, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, isn't planning on returning to his old job anytime soon, according to Potomac.

Chron.com and other Texas newspaper websites didn't do too well in a recent analysis by 24/7 Wall Street, notes Brazosport News. Got public records but don't know how to make sense of them? Texas Watchdog is offering free data-crunching services for Texans. And Watchdog reports from an investigative journalists' conference in Baltimore, Md.

Poli-Tex's Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, took pictures at the Mexican American Legislative Caucus's Sine Die party. Rep. Norma Chavez, D-El Paso, and other elected Texans are making a trip to Washington, D.C., to lobby for Pres. Barack Obama's health care plan, according to Vaqueros.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn will be having tea July 4 in Austin, according to Walker Report. U.S. Rep. John Carter refused John Carter Watch's friend request on Facebook. Now the blog is shutting down. And war critic Panhandle Truth Squad gleefully pens a letter to Republican U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry, who voted against a war funding measure because of its nonmilitary appendages.

Potomac took a camera to the annual congressional baseball game. Ron Paul was the only U.S. Rep. to vote against condemning the Iranian government. He explains why on Potomac. And here's a multimedia story on Juneteenth by Potomac.

Lotsa uncontested bills passed the House this session, Texas Politics says.

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This edition of Out There was compiled and written by Patrick Brendel, who hails from Victoria but is semi-settled in Austin. We cherry-pick the state's political blogs each week, looking for news, info, gossip, and new jokes. The opinions here belong (mostly) to the bloggers, and we're including their links so you can hunt them down if you wish. Our blogroll — the list of Texas blogs we watch — is on our links page, and if you know of a Texas political blog that ought to be on it, just shoot us a note. Please send comments, suggestions, gripes or retorts to Texas Weekly editor Ross Ramsey.

Texans are focused on the economy — and relatively pessimistic about the national outlook — according to a new public policy poll done by the Texas Lyceum.

Texans think the state economy is in better shape than the national economy and that their children will be better off or at least equal in prosperity. They also think the worst is ahead, and they're opposed to bailouts of carmakers and financial institutions. And just to turn that on it's head, they'd be willing to spend more money — even if it increases deficits — on roads, education, energy technology, and on affordability and accessibility of health care.

They're also solidly in favor of Voter ID, open to legalizing same-sex unions, and split almost evenly on taxpayer funding for stem cell research.

The telephone poll — The poll was conducted for the group by Daron Shaw of the University of Texas at Austin and by James Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at UT — was done after the legislative session, during the June 5-12 period, and included 860 adults. The margin of error is +/- 3.34 percent. It was commissioned by the Texas Lyceum, a statewide leadership organization. Full poll results (and those for two previous polls) are online here. And the group followed the next day with a poll on statewide political races.

Texans are split on the overall direction of things, with 48 percent saying the U.S. is moving in the right direction and 45 percent saying the country is on the wrong track. They overwhelmingly agree that the economy and unemployment are the most important issue facing the country (62 percent), with health care, at 12 percent, far behind. The most important issues facing the state? Economy/Unemployment (35 percent), Immigration/Border Control/Illegal Immigrants (13 percent), and Health Care/Vaccination (8 percent).

They believe the country is worse off than a year ago (58 percent), and put Unemployment and Jobs at the top of the economic issues in Texas (41 percent) in general, and for themselves and their families in particular (27 percent). Even so, many Texans say they are personally in about the same shape they were in a year ago (46 percent) or in better shape (17 percent) economically. For more than a third, however, the economic situation has worsened over the year. Two in five Texans think their children will be better off than they are and another 18 percent think their kids will be about the same economically. Texans are pessimistic about the immediate prospects for the national economy, with 53 percent saying the worst is yet to come. Almost two-thirds believe the Texas economy is healthier than the national economy, and only 8 percent think things are worse here than in the rest of the country.

The respondents were relatively confident about their own situations, but worry about the financial markets and how they're personally affected. More than three-quarters are "very" or "somewhat" confident they can make their mortgage or rent payments and 85 percent are confident in the stability of their banks. Three in five believe their jobs are secure. But Texans are split when asked about the safety of their retirement funds, and almost two-thirds are "not very" or "not at all" confident about investing in the stock market.

Nearly a third have stopped putting money in their retirement accounts in the last 12 months, but almost as many have started new retirement accounts in the same period, and one in five moved retirement money into less risky investments. About a fourth of respondents put off education or training for financial reasons and more than a third put off the purchase of a car. Smaller but significant numbers prematurely pulled money out of retirement accounts, put off their retirement dates, or put off selling their homes.

By a two-to-one margin, Texans think the federal government will spend too much money (rather than too little) trying to boost the economy. But they're choosy about where they're willing and unwilling to spend. Three in five (62 percent) would support higher spending on roads and infrastructure even if that would increase government deficits, but 71 percent oppose more spending to bail out financial institutions, and 64 percent oppose more spending to keep automakers from failure. Most (74 percent) favor more spending on energy technology, to make health care more affordable and accessible (66 percent), and to improve education systems (78 percent). Slightly more than half would favor tax cuts even if those cuts lead to deficits. They're divided on whether to increase regulation of financial institutions. And almost two-thirds believe automakers should be allowed to succeed or fail without government intervention.

Texans are confident that the economic stimulus is helping to make the downturn less severe than it would otherwise be (58 percent), and most are willing to wait to decide whether the Obama Administration policies are working. Their patience varies: 24 percent will wait two or more years; 20 percent will wait two years; 29 percent will wait a year; and 23 percent said they're already out of patience.

Texas turned down $556 million in unemployment insurance stimulus funds, and 58 percent of our respondents agree with Gov. Rick Perry that the money had too many strings attached. Another 34 percent thought the state did the wrong thing in turning down money to shore up that program.

Most Texans don't oppose same-sex unions, but they're split in their support for marriage or civil unions. While more than a third (36 percent) oppose either arrangement, 32 percent said they would support civil unions and another 25 percent think same-sex marriages should be permitted. The poll found a distinct partisan difference, with civil unions as the preference of 29 percent of Democrats, 31 percent of Independents and 37 percent of Republicans; same-sex marriage the preferred alternative of 36 percent of Democrats, 25 percent of Independents, and 14 percent of Republicans. Allowing neither of those alternatives was the preference of 29 percent of Democrats, 25 percent of Independents, and 43 percent of Republicans.

The recent legislative session ended without any resolution of the Voter ID issue, which divided Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature. But voters support the idea (71 percent), and more than half of them "strongly" support it (54 percent). It's a winner across party lines, with support among Democrats (58 percent), Independents (68 percent), and Republicans (86 percent). Support for Voter ID is stronger among Anglos (88 percent) and African-Americans (85 percent) than with Hispanics (69 percent), but all of those groups support the idea. And only 2 percent of Texans are undecided on the issue.

Texans are evenly split over the use of state tax dollars to fund embryonic stem cell research, with 48 percent saying they would support that and 46 percent saying they would oppose it. The intensity of feeling on that issue was roughly even, with 27 percent "strongly" in support and 30 percent "strongly" in opposition.

Disclosure Being Good for the Soul: Our editor helped kick around the questions that were asked in the poll and wrote the poll summaries to explain all of those numbers that resulted. Now you know.

Gov. Rick Perry leads U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison among likely Republican primary voters, according to a new poll done for the Texas Lyceum.That survey has the governor leading his primary challenger by 12 percentage points — 33 to 21 percent — with a large number of voters — 41 percent — still undecided. A small group — 1 percent — expressed support for state Rep. Leo Berman. Perry leads Hutchison among self-identified Republicans 40 percent to 18 percent, but that's also the group with the largest number of undecided voters, at 48 percent. Hutchison carries 49 percent of self-identified Democrats and Independents who say they plan to vote in the GOP primary, compared to 23 percent for Perry and 29 percent undecided. Voters clearly haven't tuned into the Democratic primary contest — 81 percent haven't made a choice. Those who have like Kinky Friedman, with 10 percent; Tom Schieffer, with 6 percent, then state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, with 3 percent (Van de Putte announced this week that after looking at the race she doesn't intend to run). They're largely undecided on their favorite candidates for U.S. Senate, should Hutchison resign late this year and prompt a special election in May 2010. Given the choice of six Republicans and two Democrats who've expressed interest in that race, 71 percent said they either haven't decided or didn't want to say. Houston Mayor Bill White led the pack with 9 percent, followed by Attorney General Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, with 4 percent; Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones and former Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams, 3 percent; and state Sen. Florence Shapiro, former Comptroller John Sharp, and Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams, at 2 percent. Sharp and White are Democrats; the others are Republicans. The poll was conducted for the Texas Lyceum, a statewide leadership organization, by Daron Shaw of the University of Texas at Austin and by James Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at UT. They polled 860 people by telephone on June 5-12. The margin of error is a little different on each part of the poll. Everyone was asked about the U.S. Senate race and the approval/disapproval questions, and the margin of error there is +/-3.34 percent (which means, in that Senate result, that everyone in the pack is in a statistical tie right now). The subgroup saying they were "certain" or "likely" to vote in the GOP primary was smaller, so the margin of error on that gubernatorial primary is +/- 6.04 percent; in the Democratic primary, it's +/-6.14 percent. Full poll results (and those for two previous polls) are online here. And the group preceded this political poll with one on the economy and other policy issues the previous day. Texans think President Barack Obama is doing a "very" or "somewhat" good job with the economy (63 percent), and they like the way he's handling his job as president more generally (68 percent). The number of Texans who don't have an opinion on either of those two assessments was very small. Asked to grade Perry's performance, 57 percent said they approve and 30 percent said they don't approve. Hutchison got good marks from 65 percent and bad ones from 17 percent. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn has the approval of 55 percent and disapproval of 19 percent. The Texas Legislature, which finished the regular session several days before the polling began, has the approval of 58 percent of respondents and disapproval of 28 percent — numbers almost identical to Perry's.

Disclosure Being Good for the Soul: Our editor helped kick around the questions that were asked in the poll and wrote the poll summaries to explain all of those numbers that resulted. Now you know.

The governor wants lawmakers back in Austin next week to finish work left undone during the five- month regular session. The Guv's announcement, in full (and a link to the proclamation, here):

Gov. Rick Perry today announced that a special session of the Texas Legislature will begin on Wednesday, July 1, at 10 a.m.   "The 81st Legislative Session was one of the most successful in recent memory, providing a tax cut to 40,000 small businesses and increasing financial aid for college students by more than 40 percent, all without touching our states Rainy Day Fund," Gov. Perry said. "After speaking with legislators I am calling a special session to extend the operation of five critical agencies and help reduce gridlock by continuing to provide options for financing our state’s highways."   The special session will consider the following issues:   • Legislation extending the existence of five state agencies that were subject to sunset review by the 81st Legislature that would otherwise be abolished without legislative action, and to change the review schedule for certain state agencies to balance the Sunset Advisory Commission’s workload. These agencies include the Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Department of Insurance, Texas Racing Commission, Office of Public Insurance Counsel and Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation. • Legislation allowing the Texas Department of Transportation to issue general obligation bonds, which have already been approved by voters, for highway improvement projects, and for the creation, administration, financing and use of a Texas Transportation Revolving Fund to provide financial assistance for transportation projects. • Legislation extending the authority of the Texas Department of Transportation and a regional mobility authority to use comprehensive development agreements to design, finance, build and maintain transportation infrastructure.

A special session can last up to 30 days, but it doesn't have to — especially when things are worked out in advance.

The short sessions since 1982 weighed in at 5 days, 3, 4, 3, 2, 4, 7, and 7*. And there haven't been any shorties since 1992, when lawmakers took a week in January to pass redistricting legislation, trying to beat the clock for the March primaries. (*Source these dates to the Legislative Reference Library: May 24-28, 1982; Sept. 7-9, 1982; June 22-25, 1983; May 28-30, 1985; June 2-3, 1987; June 4-7, 1990; Aug. 19-25, 1991; and Jan. 2-8, 1992.)

You're free to place your bets on this one. Here's the layout, if all goes as planned next week (!): Lawmakers will file three bills, pass them in their originating houses, send them across the rotunda, pass them again without changes, swing the gavels and getouttatown. If they'll suspend rules that require new stuff to cool off for three days before a vote, they can speed up. If not, they'll have built-in delays that could take them into the second week of July.

Gov. Rick Perry built in a false but significant deadline by starting the thing on July 1. If they're fast and suspend rules and play nice, everybody gets to go home to play with firecrackers and not come back; damage to vacation and other schedules would be minimized. If not, they'll be back on Monday, July 6, after their families complain about the shortened holiday weekend.

Some lawmakers want other work done in the special session.

Members can file bills within 30 days of a legislative session, so Perry's call for a special session next week makes it open season. First bill out of the chute isn't on the call: Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, filed legislation to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program to families with incomes up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level. They'd pay premiums that poorer families don't have to pay for that insurance but would be able to get their kids insured for less than they'd pay — if the insurance is available — in the private market. That died at the end of the regular session, but advocates for the increase have pressed for another round.

Lawmakers and outside groups have made pitches for everything from eminent domain to Voter ID to legislation pardoning wrongly convicted murderers. Perry told reporters after calling the special session that he doesn't intend to add issues to the agenda. But that doesn't prevent members from filing bills, advocates from advocating, and so on. And Perry can change his mind, adding items to the list as he chooses.

There aren't any real surprises on Gov. Rick Perry's agenda for the special session, and not much controversy, either: He clearly wants to get lawmakers through this thing in a hurry.

He wants lawmakers to change the expiration dates on several agencies to prevent them from going out of business in September 2010. We're told the Sunset schedule will be revised to push health and human services agencies, which were up for review next session to 2013. That makes room to put this year's neglected work on the 2011 list of things to do: Transportation, Insurance, Workers' Compensation, and Racing.

The governor wants lawmakers to authorize the sale of $2 billion in highway bonds (already approved by voters) and the use of a revolving credit fund that would be used to magically turn that $2 billion into $5 billion or more.

Both of those items appear to be uncontroversial.

The third bit on the agenda is potentially problematic. Perry added so-called Comprehensive Development Agreements, or CDAs, to the agenda. That's the fancy phrase for public-private deals to build and operate roads and toll roads, and they can be a major source of contention. The Texas Department of Transportation's authority to enter into CDAs ends in September unless lawmakers do something, and highway officials contend that could threaten projects on the drawing boards and some that are already underway. To get around any controversy in the special session, the governor and key lawmakers are drawing up a specific list of projects that would be authorized; that would allow projects to go forward without giving TXDOT the power to enter into any deals not okayed by the Legislature. Which projects? "It's still being drafted and we are working with lawmakers on it," says a spokeswoman for Perry. Others tell us the list won't include anything that steps on any local toes. That might be enough to settle everyone down and keep the session short.

• GOPAC, a 30-year-old national Republican political action committee that figured in the GOP surges in Washington in the 1980s and 1990s, now has a state branch, GOPAC-TX, aimed at increasing the number of Republicans in the state Legislature, particularly the House. That group, headed by Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, hopes to raise $4 million and will use the money to back Republicans in open seats and in challenges to incumbent Democrats. They say they won't go after any of their own incumbents in the primaries. Another — the Texas House Republican Committee — will raise money for Republican candidates, too. It's headed by Travis Griffin, who previously worked for Gov. Rick Perry's campaign and for the Stars Over Texas PAC that helped House Republicans.

• Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones will get some help from former U.S. Commerce Secretary Robert Mosbacher and his wife Mica. They've agreed to be honorary finance chairs for her campaign for U.S. Senate.

• Put Democrat Lainey Melnick in the race for CD-21, where U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, is the incumbent. She's from Austin, filed papers this week, and has a website up and running. The actual filing for the ballot isn't due until the end of the year, but this lets her start raising money for the contest.

• Chuck Wilson, a Waco Republican, plans to run against U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, in CD-17. He's just getting started and has a website in the construction stage.

• Kendra Yarbrough Camarena is running as a Democrat in HD-138, currently represented by Dwayne Bohac, R-Katy, and formerly represented by Democrat Ken Yarbrough, D-Houston. That's her dad.

Tony Garza, the former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Texas Secretary of State and Texas Railroad Commissioner, signed on with Austin-based Vianovo to handle that public affairs firm's business in Mexico.Garza, who will remain in Mexico, will be a partner in the firm and will also head a new business called Vianovo Ventures. Separately, Garza announced he'll join White & Case, an international law firm, as counsel. Garza, a rising star in Texas Republican politics, said earlier this year — as he was leaving the ambassador job — that he doesn't plan to run for office again.

Leticia Van de Putte says she won't run for the Democratic nomination for governor next year but is encouraging fellow state Sen. Kirk Watson to run.

"Five months of speculation regarding the possibility of me running for Governor has, quite frankly, been surprising. It started with nothing more than me not immediately saying ‘no,’ unlike in past election cycles, when asked if I would consider such a run. The reactions of thousands of Texans who encouraged me to give it serious consideration has been flattering. "I have, indeed, given it very serious thought, and while I would love to believe, tongue firmly planted in cheek, that this pent-up desire on the part of so many Texans for me to run for governor is solely because of some perceived superior leadership ability and vast intellect of mine, I have to reluctantly admit that it’s not as much about me as it is about Republican failures... "... I intend to lobby Senator Watson to run for governor, and I’ll wholeheartedly support him if he does. But if he declines, Democrats should recruit and support someone who, like Watson, is energetic, pragmatic, focused, and smart; and who can fully energize Democratic supporters while also attracting a broad range of independent voters in every region of the state."

That's a slap of sorts at Fort Worth's Tom Schieffer, who is announcing his bid for that nomination this week. Watson isn't committing to anything and isn't announcing what he'll do next year.

"I am very flattered by Senator Van de Putte’s confidence in me, and I strongly agree with her about the need for improved leadership in Texas. "I have a job I enjoy greatly, which is representing the citizens of Senate District 14. Over the next several weeks, I will evaluate the role I intend to play in serving Texas after 2010. That service may include running for and serving in another office or running for reelection. I intend to give this issue serious consideration, and I do not anticipate making any decisions in this regard until at least sometime after the end of the anticipated special session of the legislature, and probably not until the end of the summer."

And Schieffer ducked the swat and had nice words for Van de Putte:

"Senator Van de Putte has been a respected member of the Senate for many years. She would have been a formidable opponent in the Democratic primary. I am grateful she will not be running for governor this year. I look forward to sitting down with her to discuss my candidacy because I believe I can be the kind of candidate she can support, both in the Democratic primary and the general election."

Meanwhile, Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, told The Dallas Morning News that — having met with the Rick Perry a few times — he might get out of the GOP contest for governor.

Former U.S. Ambassador Tom Schieffer officially tossed his hat into the Democratic primary race for governor, speaking in Fort Worth, Houston and Austin during the first leg of a statewide circuit on Wednesday.

Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, assured Schieffer within the last month that he won't be joining him in the gubernatorial field, Schieffer told a group of reporters in the State Capitol. Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, nominated Watson (or a Watson-esque Democrat) by name in a letter she wrote saying that she doesn't want to be governor this time around.

That doesn't precisely gibe with what Watson said in response to Van de Putte. He didn't rule anything in or out: "I intend to give this issue serious consideration, and I do not anticipate making any decisions in this regard until at least sometime after the end of the anticipated special session of the legislature, and probably not until the end of the summer."

A Texas Lyceum poll (we wrote about here) shows Schieffer (6 percent) running second to humorist Kinky Friedman (10 percent) in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Mark Thompson, the 2008 Democratic nominee for railroad commissioner, is also running. That poll had a margin of more than 6 percent; the candidate's are in a statistical tie, and seven in ten Democratic primary voters haven't made up their minds.

"I think 'undecided' is the runaway leader in both primaries," Schieffer said. "Those results weren't unexpected at this point. You just have to get out there and get your message out. And I think it resonates."

In the GOP primary, Gov. Rick Perry leads U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison 33 to 21 percent, with 41 percent undecided.

If his announcement speech is an indication of things to come, Texans will be hearing a lot from Schieffer about schools, jobs, health care, transportation and environment (in that order). Schieffer, whose friendship with Pres. George W. Bush could be a handicap among typically liberal primary voters, stressed his commitment to the Democratic Party by comparing himself to former U.S. House Speaker Sam Rayburn.

Schieffer mentioned that he assisted Gov. Mark White as late as his 1990 loss to Ann Richards. He said he helped out U.S. Army Secretary Pete Geren in his U.S. House campaigns in the late-90's as well.

He didn't reveal how much money he hoped to raise, saying only that his goal is to have more money than anyone else by the end of the year.

Flanking Schieffer in Austin was Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston. Schieffer, Thompson and Hutchison were all sworn in as freshman House members in 1973. Schieffer's brother, Bob Schieffer, is the host of CBS's Face the Nation.

—by a Texas Weekly correspondent

Addie Horn is retiring as commissioner of the Department of Aging and Disability Services at the end of August. She's held that post since early 2006 and presided over the agency during a federal investigation that forced the state to improve its care of mentally disabled Texans.

Perry appointed Michael Massengale of Houston to the 1st Court of Appeals. The new judge has been a partner at Baker Botts, and replaced Tim Taft. Massengale will have the job until next year's elections.

Dr. William Henrich got the appointment to head the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. The board of regents named him to replace Dr. Francisco Cigarroa, who was earlier named the UT System chancellor.

Michael Kelley moves from government relations at the Texas Department of Public Safety to interim chief of the driver's license division. He's apparently in the running for the permanent job.

Resigned: Samuel Kent, a U.S. district judge serving a federal prison term for lying about sexual advances on two women who worked for him. Congress was working on his impeachment when he resigned.