Focus Report, Volume 82, Number 2, February 14, 2011 Page: 2
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: Texas State Publications and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.
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Page 2 House Research Organization
a bill's application to a particular city or county without
naming the locality. (For example, a bill might apply to
cities with populations of more than 2,999 but less than
3,001.) However, bills may use a population minimum or
maximum that "bears a reasonable relation" to the bill's
purpose (Rule 8, sec. 10(b)).
A bill or resolution has one primary author, who may
designate, by written authorization filed with the chief
clerk, up to four joint authors. Also, members seeking to
become coauthors must file a form with the chief clerk
showing written authorization from the author and file
another form to be designated a coauthor. Coauthors may
withdraw their names by notifying the chief clerk (Rule 8,
sec. 5).
Filing dates. Beginning the first Monday after the
general election preceding the regular session, or 30 days
before any special session, members and members-elect
may prefile bills and resolutions (Rule 8, sec. 7). A member
may introduce any type of bill or joint resolution during
the first 60 days of the regular session. The 60th day of
the 2011 regular session will be Friday, March 11. After
the 60th day, a four-fifths vote of the members present is
required to introduce bills or joint resolutions, other than
certain emergency matters submitted by the governor,
emergency appropriations, and local bills (Rule 8, sec. 8).
Copies required. Nine copies of each bill must be
filed with the chief clerk. Eleven copies must be filed if the
bill relates to water conservation and reclamation districts
governed by Art. 16, sec. 59 of the Constitution (Rule 8,
sec. 9).
Local bill requirements. A notice of a legislator's
intention to file a local bill must be published in a
newspaper in the affected locality at least 30 days before the
bill is introduced (Constitution, Art. 3, sec. 57; Government
Code, sec. 313; Rule 8, sec. 10). There are six types of local
bills:
* bills creating or affecting water districts;
* bills creating or affecting hospital districts;
* bills creating or affecting road utility districts;
* bills relating to hunting, fishing, or wildlife
conservation in a specified locality;
* bills creating or affecting a county court or
statutory court or courts for one or more specified
counties or municipalities; and* bills creating or affecting a juvenile board or
boards of a specified county or counties.
If bills of the last three types affect "a sufficient
number" of localities, counties, or municipalities so that, in
effect, they apply generally or have statewide importance,
they are not considered local bills (Rule 8, sec. 10(d)).
First reading and referral to committee.
To become law, a bill must be read in the House and in
the Senate on three separate days. This requirement may
be suspended by a four-fifths vote of the members present
(Constitution, Art. 3, sec. 32; Rule 8, sec. 15).
After a bill is filed and the chief clerk has assigned a
number to the bill, first reading occurs when the reading
clerk reads the bill caption while the House is in session and
announces the committee to which the speaker has referred
the bill. The speaker subsequently may correct the referral
and assign the bill to a different committee, which usually
occurs shortly after the initial referral. The speaker's referral
also may be changed by a majority vote of the House. The
speaker may not refer a bill simultaneously to more than
one committee (Rule 1, sec. 4; Rule 8, sec. 6).
The bill in committee
No bill may become law unless it is referred to and
reported by a committee (Constitution, Art. 3, sec. 37;
Rule 8, sec. 11). Much of the Legislature's work occurs in
committee.
Rule 3 establishes the 36 House standing committees
and their jurisdictions. Thirty are substantive committees,
while six - Calendars, Local and Consent Calendars,
Rules and Resolutions, General Investigating and Ethics,
House Administration, and Redistricting - are considered
procedural committees. Although procedural committees
generally do not review and report legislation, the speaker
may refer bills to the General Investigating and Ethics,
House Administration, and Redistricting committees.
The speaker by proclamation may create select
committees and specify their jurisdiction, authority, duties,
and duration (Rule 1, sec. 16(b)). Speakers have appointed
select committees at the start of the session to allow
the House to consider emergency legislation before the
standing committees have been appointed. Another purpose_
Page 2
House Research Organization
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Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives. Research Organization. Focus Report, Volume 82, Number 2, February 14, 2011, periodical, February 14, 2012; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth281746/m1/2/?q=%22~1%22~1: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.