In Texas the legislative session runs from January to the end of May just like the spring semester for most universities and colleges. There are 140 days of session yet during the first 100 days of session pretty much nothing happens. The legislators file some bills and hold some committee meetings and what not. By time we reach the last 40 days of session everything kicks into high gear. Legislators, the governor and the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) all the sudden want policy impact estimates for proposed bills right NOW. Committee meetings start running into the wee hours of the night. Legislators start calling on the weekends to get information IMMEDIATELY.
It reminds me so much of many college students. They slack off most of the semester until they realize there is only a month of class left. Then they cram and pull all nighters to finish all the work they haven’t done up to that point.
One would hope that legislators are more prepared that college students but they really aren’t. The big difference is that legislators effect the lives of the whole population, college students only effect their own grade.
