Focus Report, Volume 84, Number 3, March 2015 Page: 3
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House Research Organization Page 3
(LBB) to prepare it. A fiscal note is required for legislation
that authorizes spending state funds, has a statewide impact
on units of local governments of the same type or class,
requires spending of local funds, or affects local taxes, fees,
licenses, or penalties (Rule 4, secs. 33-34).
Impact statements include:
" criminal justice policy impact statements for
legislation involving a change in punishment for
felonies committed by adults;
" equalized education funding impact statements for
legislation involving a change in the public school
finance system;
" water development policy impact statements for
legislation that would create certain water districts;
" tax equity notes for legislation that would create
or affect a state tax or fee, estimating the general
impact on distribution of tax and fee burdens
among individuals and businesses;
" actuarial impact statements for legislation affecting
a public-employee retirement system, prepared
by the LBB in cooperation with the State Pension
Review Board; and
" dynamic economic impact statements for the
general appropriations bill, estimating the number
of state employees affected and the impact on
private sector and local government employment in
Texas due to any change in state spending from one
fiscal biennium to another.
Unlike fiscal notes, impact statements need not be
completed before a committee considers legislation (Rule
4, sec. 34).
If a committee substitute or committee amendment
changes the potential impact of legislation, a new fiscal
note or impact statement is required. (Rule 4, secs. 33(d),
34(d)). Original and updated fiscal notes and impact
statements accompany legislation throughoutthe legislative
process, including delivery to the govemor.
Committee meetings
Committee meetings begin with the call to order by the
chair, who instructs the clerk to call the roll to determine
if a quorum - a majority of the committee members - is
present. The committee keeps minutes of each meetingshowing the time and place of the meeting, the date of the
posting of the meeting, a roll call of the members present,
recorded votes, actions taken, lists of witnesses, and any
other information that the chair determines (Rule 4, secs.
16, 18).
Committees may act on legislation during public
hearings or formal meetings. Committees also may hold
work sessions, where they may discuss legislation but take
no formal action. Notice of public hearings must be posted
at least five calendar days in advance during a regular
session and 24 hours in advance during a special session.
Formal meetings and work sessions require two hours'
advance written notice, posted and transmitted to each
committee member, or an announcement filed with the
joumal clerk and read by the reading clerk while the House
is in session (Rule 4, sec. 11).
Committees and subcommittees must receive
permission by majority vote of the House to meet while the
House is in session. Even if permitted to meet, a committee
may not meet in the House chamber while the House is in
session (Rule 4, sec. 9).
Public hearings, formal meetings, and work sessions
must be open to the public unless the House by resolution
specifically allows a meeting to be closed. However,
the General Investigating and Ethics Committee or a
committee that is meeting to consider an impeachment
or other quasi-judicial matter may meet in executive
session for the limited purpose of examining a witness or
deliberating, considering, or debating a decision. All votes
must be taken in open meetings (Rule 4, sec. 12).
Unlike in the Senate, House rules do not require that
a public hearing be held before legislation is reported
from committee. However, during regular sessions, House
committees usually hold public hearings before acting
on House legislation. When Senate-passed legislation is
referred to a House committee and the House committee
already has held a hearing on the House companion to
the Senate legislation, the committee often does not hold
another hearing before acting on the Senate legislation.
House members have an unconditional right to testify
on the legislation that they author or sponsor and may open
and close the testimony on their legislation. No legislation
may be acted on adversely unless its author or sponsor first
has received an opportunity to testify (Rule 4, sec. 30).House Research Organization
Page 3
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Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives. Research Organization. Focus Report, Volume 84, Number 3, March 2015, periodical, March 4, 2014; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth640038/m1/3/?q=%22~1~1%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.