Little after noon, Secretary of State John Steen gavels the House to order.
12:05 - Preacher doing the invocation for the House gets political. Talks about life at moment of conception.
12:08 - Rep. Kenneth Sheets (R-Dallas) leads House in Pledge of Allegiance. Rep. Helen Giddings (D-Dallas) leads House in Texas Pledge.
12:10 - Steen delivers a message to the House.
12:11 - Asks that Dean of the House, Tom Craddick (R-Midland), stand.
12:13 - Perry political ad from Steen? Says Texas is top place for business, leader in exports, home to more Fortune 1000 companies.
12:18 - Mouseketeer roll call. Taking attendance.
12:25 - Over at the Texas Senate, they're getting things underway. Gov. Oops is speaking.
12:27 - Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) is in the State Senate Chamber.
12:28 - Mousketeer roll call finishes. Quorum is present and members can officially be sworn in.
12:28 - SC: Perry speech gets interrupted. Someone gets sick during his speech. Not kidding.
SC - Senate Chamber, HC - House Chamber
12:30 - SC: Senate staffer was person who got sick.
12:33 - HC: Determining the rules for electing the Speaker. Rep. Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi) explains the rules.
12:34 - HC: House adopts rules for Speaker.
12:35 - HC: Speaker candidate Rep. David Simpson (R-Longview) recognized for Matter of Personal Privilege. SC: Perry continues to blather on about conservative things.
12:37 - HC: Simpson talks about the minority acting. Don't think he means the Democratic Minority.
12:38 - SC: Perry finishes.
12:39 - SC: "Senate is organized and ready to conduct business." Senate stands at ease.
12:42 - HC: Simpson withdraws from Speaker race. What was Simpson promised if he dropped out?
12:44 - HC: Senators let the House know they're organized.
12:45 - HC: Election of Speaker. Nominations open. Rep. John Zerwas (R-Simonton) nominates Rep. Joe Straus (R-San Antonio)
12:49 - SC: Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) nominates Sen. Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio) as President Pro Tempore.
Texas Tribune has a great side-by-side video of the Legislature. http://www.texastribune.org/session/83R/live/
12:53 - HC: Zerwas finished nomination speech. Rep. Jason Issac (R) gives the second nominating speech.
12:54 - SC: Zaffirini talking about Van de Putte.
12:56 - HC: Rep. Rene Oliveira (D-Brownsville) gives another seconding speech.
12:57 - SC: Zaffirini throws out some good 'ol conservative names in connection with Van de Putte: Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and Nancy Pelosi.
1:01 - SC: Zaffirini finishes. Sen. John Carona (R-Dallas) seconds the nomination with a speech.
1:02 - HC: Rep Patricia Harless (R-Spring) gives a another seconding speech.
1:05 - HC: Points to Harless for the shortest of the seconding speeches. Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) gives another seconding speech.
1:08 - HC: Points to Thompson for another short speech. Rep. John Otto (R-Dayton) gives the final seconding speech. SC: Sen. Brian Birdwell (R) gives another seconding speech.
1:09 - HC: Double bonus points to Otto for the shortest speech. Moves Straus be elected by acclamation.
1:10 - HC: Steen declares Straus to be Speaker of the House.
1:11 - SC: Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville) gives a seconding speech.
1:12 - HC: House stands at ease so the Escort Committee can gather together in order to escort Straus to the front. Not kidding. They need an escort committee of at least 10 members to escort the Speaker-elect.
1:15 - SC: According to the Austin America-Statesman, 2/3rds rule stays in place.
1:16 - SC: Statesman: Senators didn't draw lots to see who runs in 2 years and who runs in 4 years because of pending redistricting lawsuits.
1:19 - HC: Escort committee is ready to escort.
1:21 - HC: Wallace Jefferson, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, administers oath to Straus.
1:23 - HC: Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon (D-San Antonio) introduces Straus and his family.
1:24 - SC: Lucio finishes. Rep. Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) gives another seconding speech.
1:27 - HC: Straus gives victory speech.
San Antonio is representing today: Speaker Joe Straus, Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson, Secretary of State John Steen, and soon-to-be President Pro Tempore Leticia Van de Putte.
1:30 - HC: Straus mentions newness of the House. Large segment in either 1st or 2nd terms.
1:32 - SC: Dewhurst declares Van de Putte elected unanimously President Pro Tempore.
1:33 - SC: Senate also has an escort committee. Unlike the House, doesn't need to stand at ease. New Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector Albert Uresti spotted in the audience.
1:34 - SC: Escort committe is ready to escort.
1:37 - SC: Dewhurst administers oath to Van de Putte. HC: Straus talking about priorities for House.
1:38 - SC: Van de Putte gives speech.
1:41 - HC: Straus finishes speech.
1:42 - HC: House appoints committee to tell the Senate the House is "organized and ready to conduct business." House appoints a committee to tell the Governor the same thing.
1:45 - HC: Texas House sings Texas, Our Texas.
1:47 - HC: House is about the wrap-up. Rep. Elliot Naishtat (D-Austin) introduces reverend to give benediction.
1:50 - SC: Van de Putte gives a shout out to Fiesta San Antonio.
1:52 - HC: Rep. Harold Dutton (D-Houston) introduces Perry. SC: Van de Putte criticizes the cuts to education in the last session.
1:54 - HC: Perry begins speaking.
1:58 - HC: Perry going on about taxes.
2:01 - SC: Van de Putte finishes. Sen. Craig Estes (R) announces "the end is near", i.e. the benediction.
2:03 - HC: Perry brings up abortion restrictions. No applause from the Speaker.
2:04 - SC: House members tell Senate that the House is organized.
2:06 - HC: Perry finishes.
2:07 - SC: Senate adjouns til 11 am tomorrow.
2:10 - HC: House adourns til tomorrow at 10 am tomorrow.
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