Focus Report, Volume 83, Number 2, February 20, 2013 Page: 3
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House Research Organization Page 3
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 of select committees is to consider certain issues
that cross committee jurisdictional lines or to focus on
particular issues. For example, for the 83rd Legislature,
Speaker Joe Straus created select committees on Criminal
Procedure Reform, Federalism and Fiscal Responsibility,
and Transparency in State Agency Operations. During
the interim following the 2009 regular session, Speaker
Straus created several select committees to conduct interim
studies.
Committee chairs. The chairs of committees
determine if and when a bill will be considered, although
they are required to consult with the committee members
on the work schedule and the order of consideration
of matters before the committee. They also appoint all
subcommittee members and chairs (Rule 4, secs. 6, 44).
Committee meetings. After the committees are
appointed and organized, the committee coordinator, under
the direction of the Committee on House Administration,
prepares a schedule for regular committee meetings.
Committees may meet at other times when called by the
chair or as determined by the committee. Committees also
may meet at times and places designated by the speaker
(Rule 4, sec. 8).
Analysis before committee action. The
committee staff must distribute a copy of an analysis of a
bill to committee members and the author (of a House bill)
or House sponsor (of a Senate bill) before the committee
first considers the bill. The author of the bill may request
that the Texas Legislative Council prepare the analysis
(Rule 4, sec. 7).
Fiscal notes. The committee chair determines whether
to ask the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) to prepare
a fiscal note for a bill referred to the chair's committee.
Bills that authorize spending state funds and that have
a statewide impact on units of local government, spend
local funds, propose new fees or licenses, or change a
local tax usually require a fiscal note. Fiscal notes must be
distributed to committee members before the committee
considers the bill. If the bill is amended to alter its fiscalimplications, the chair must obtain an updated fiscal note.
Fiscal notes remain with the bill throughout the legislative
process (Rule 4, sec. 33).
Impact statements. As with fiscal notes, the chair
determines whether a bill requires an impact statement,
which is prepared by the LBB. Impact statements include
a criminal justice policy impact statement, for legislation
proposing a change in punishment for felonies committed
by adults; an equalized education funding impact statement,
for legislation proposing a change in the public school
finance system; and a water development policy impact
statement, for legislation proposing to create certain water
districts. Tax equity notes, for legislation that would create
or affect a state tax or fee, estimate how the proposal would
change the distribution of tax and fee burdens among
individuals and businesses. Actuarial impact statements,
for legislation affecting a public retirement system, are
prepared by the LBB in cooperation with the State Pension
Review Board. A dynamic economic impact statement,
prepared for the general appropriations bill, estimates the
number of state employees affected and the impact on
private-sector employment due to any spending change
from one fiscal biennium to another.
Unlike fiscal notes, impact statements need not be
completed before a measure is considered in committee.
If committee amendments change the potential impact of
a measure, the chair must request a new impact statement,
which accompanies the bill throughout the legislative
process (Rule 4, sec. 34).
Committee consideration. Committees may
act on legislation in public hearings or formal meetings.
Committees also may meet in work sessions, where they
may discuss legislation but take no formal action. Notice
of public hearings must be posted at least five days in
advance during a regular session and 24 hours in advance
during special sessions. Formal meetings and work
sessions require at least two hours' advance written notice,
posted and transmitted to each committee member, or an
announcement filed with the journal clerk and read by the
reading clerk while the House is in session (Rule 4, sec.
11).
House committees are not required to hold a public
hearing before a bill is reported, but the usual practice
during regular sessions has been to hold a public hearing on
almost every House bill. Public hearings must be open toHouse Research Organization
Page 3
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Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives. Research Organization. Focus Report, Volume 83, Number 2, February 20, 2013, periodical, February 20, 2013; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth578377/m1/3/?q=%22~1%22~1&rotate=180: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.