As if corruption in the Texas Youth Commission, the bursting state prison system, reform of the judicial selection system, or reorganization of TSU isn’t enough to keep Texas legislators occupied. Now, a local state legislator is teaming up with a colleague to confront a truly important issue — that Texans are not going to be able to watch certain NFL football games on certain cable television networks:

Cable companies and the NFL Network are competing for Texas lawmakers’ support in their national fight over whether cable customers should be charged extra for the football channel.
While some cable companies have agreed to carry the network’s eight regular-season games, Time Warner Cable, the largest in Texas, has not come to terms with the network.
Pressure has been mounting on all parties as the Dallas Cowboys’ Nov. 29 matchup with the Green Bay Packers approaches. The game will only be shown on the NFL Network.
“I’ve had a lot more people contact me about NFL football the last two months instead of child protective services, windstorm insurance or worker’s compensation, which are frankly more important issues,” said Rep. Corbin Van Arsdale, R-Tomball. “I don’t control what constituents call me about.” [. . .]
Van Arsdale and Sen. Kim Brimer, R-Fort Worth, said last week that they would consider introducing consumer-oriented legislation in the 2009 session if the two sides don’t reach an agreement.
“Cable companies need to focus on giving their customers what they want, which is football,” Brimer said. [. . .]
Five Democratic members of the Texas House from Bexar County have sent letters to the Federal Communication Commission asking it to intercede in the argument.

Of course, all of these games are readily available on the Dish Network, so no consumer is prevented from buying that product if they want to see these NFL Network games bad enough. However, that doesn’t stop the seemingly limitless amount of bad judgment in legislative circles over defining a legitimate legislative issue.