Odds and ends from the session's first day

• I left my Bible at home, but my friend and colleague Bubba Powers came through by letting me get sworn in on a "Teen's Study Bible" he had.

• I walked around a corner before today's events and ran into Anthony Ware of Texarkana. Ware is a transplant from Los Angeles, where he worked in California's Bureau of Legislative Research. He's now a CME pastor and serves on the school board in Texarkana. He is also about to be named to the Texarkana Chamber's Executive Committee. He drove all the way up here to watch me get sworn in -- great guy, great friend. He also served as guest chaplain for a day at the Capitol last session at my request, and I hope to have him up again this session.



• Robbie Wills used a teleprompter for today's address. It's apparently the first time one's been used at the Capitol. It'll be left in place for the governor's State of the State address tomorrow. We'll convene at 10:00 in the morning.

• The pre-filed House bills were sent to committees this afternoon, and Judiciary is already loaded with legislation. I'll spend much of this afternoon and evening getting acquainted with those bills and preparing for our organizational meeting Thursday morning.