A little over two weeks is all that’s left of the 87th Legislative Session. Deadlines alluded to in previous columns have come and gone, and we are now in the final countdown. These deadlines, referred to as the “Split Session Amendments,” were first proposed in 1930 to set the pace of session and ensure the Legislature operates efficiently. The first major legislative deadline arrived this past Thursday on the 122nd day of session, as the lower chamber rushed to hear as many bills as possible before the stroke of midnight. The House must now focus solely on Senate-passed bills for the next two weeks.

Mackie shares that the Bedias Women’s Club will hold its first meeting in more than a year next Thursday, May 27, at 2 p.m. at the Bedias Civic Center. All Bedias area women are invited and encouraged to attend. We are hopeful that most folks will have had the vaccine that want to take it and that we will be able to fellowship and celebrate again for our regular meetings.

I continue to urge readers to keep on Madison County Museum’s Facebook page, which I update daily with photos from our history. Some of you don’t participate on Facebook, I hated you missing a post from this past week, so I’m sharing it next.

Happy Mother’s Day! This weekend I hope that you will all take a moment to thank the hardworking mothers and grandmothers in your life. Whether carpooling a big group home from a late Friday night football game or working late nights to pay for that one perfect Christmas gift you just had to have, we all have our mothers to thank for stopping at nothing to make us happy. So do something special to make for a calm and relaxing day because, as we all know: “if mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!”

According to recent news reports, only about 26% of Grimes County residents and only about 20% of Madison County residents have received the full COVID-19 vaccination, thus taking advantage of this important step in ending our long night of discontent.

With less than four weeks to go before the 87th Legislative Session comes to a close, there is a mad dash to hear as many bills as possible before “Sine Die.” With so much happening in these final thirty days, let’s jump right in…

Grimes County Commissioner Chad Mallett has now put the ball in our court. For Grimes County to move forward with adopting our DH roadways, each Darrell Hall property owner must sign and return an “Acknowledgement and Release” to Commissioner Chad Mallett, PO Box 160, Anderson, TX 77830 (ATTN Chad Mallett).

Even though Texas has felt a little cooler in recent days, things are heating up in your State Capitol - so let’s dive right in. The House Committee on Transportation met for a public hearing on Tuesday for eight hours to listen to and discuss public and stakeholder testimony. This committee covers a wide range of issues, from vehicle registration fees which fund local transportation projects, to improving peace officer’s ability to enforce commercial motor vehicle safety standards. The most prominent challenge this session is finding available funds for transportation projects across the state after last year’s decline of gas tax revenue due to the pandemic. With the diverse committee membership that ranges from urban areas to the coast to the plains, I am honored to represent the interests of East Texas.

On April 21, 1836, General Sam Houston led the Texian Army to victory at the Battle of San Jacinto. Fought near the present day city of Deer Park, the 18 minute long battle began when Texian forces charged the Mexican camp during their siesta - for which Mexican President and General, Santa Anna, failed to post sentinels. This battle is often marked as the beginning of the Republic of Texas, and known for the legendary battle cry, “remember the Alamo, remember Goliad!” which not only honors the fallen Texans, but those Americans who volunteered to join in the fight for our state’s independence from Mexico. Today, two paintings by artist Henry Arthur McArdle memorialize this battle as the largest paintings to adorn the Texas Senate chamber.