On a fuller reading . . .
Actually, there's something in the attorney general's opinion on this Brotherhood pork barrel commission (preceding item) that raises a potential sticking point. The opinion observes that the legislation calls for the speaker and president pro tem to appoint this commisson right away and get grants awarded by the end of the legislative session. (That's a mighty big hurry.) The opinion says this does not on its face represent unconstitutional legislative encroachment on executive authority. But it says this falls into an area of case law that is a vastly uncertain. The opinion says the attorney general has "separation of powers concerns." Clearly, this commission is mere window dressing. Rather than write their own pork bills directly, since the Supreme Court frowns on that, the Senate Brotherhood, with House Speaker Petrus sadly in tow, proposes to appoint a friendly and quickie commission through which to run its projects for rubber-stamping. And to make sure everything gets done the way they want, they provide in the law that decisions must be made by April 10, while they're probably still in session or at least in recess awaiting formal adjournment. This would all take place before any objective or substantive review of projects could be undertaken, not that it would. The Brotherhood can do it that way, get sued and maybe lose, or, it can let the governor appoint commissioners and the commission do its work in peace and with greater appearance of independence, at least, after the Legislature goes home. They'll still get sued. But at least they'd have a more defensible position.