Focus Report, Volume 76, Number 3, January 1999 Page: 15
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End-of-Session Deadlines
A series of end-of-session deadlines restrict the
legislation that may be considered during the final days
of a regular session.
The 122nd day of the session (Thursday, May 13)
is the final day that the House may consider House
bills, except local bills, on second reading. The 123rd
day (Friday, May 14) is the final day for House
consideration of non-local House bills on third reading.
The 130th day (Friday, May 21) is the final day to
consider local House bills.
The 134th day (Tuesday, May 25) is the final day
for the House to consider Senate bills on second
reading, with the 135th day (Wednesday, May 26) the
final day to consider Senate bills on third reading.
The Senate may not consider any bill reported from
Senate committee during the final 17 days of the
session (Senate Rule 7.24). In 1999, the final day for
Senate committee action is Friday, May 14. Like the
House, the Senate also may not consider any bill on
third reading after the 135th day (Senate Rule 7.25).
Either of these rules may be suspended by a four-fifths
vote of the senators present.
On the 136th (Thursday, May 27) and 137th (Friday,
May 28) days, the speaker may not lay any bill before
the House or permit a vote to be taken on its passage
except to act on Senate amendments, adopt conference
reports, reconsider bills to remove House amendments or
to make corrections, or override vetoes.
On the 138th (Saturday, May 29) and 139th (Sunday,
May 30) days, the speaker may not lay any bill before
the House or permit a vote to be taken on its passage
except to adopt conference reports, discharge House
conferees and concur with Senate amendments,
reconsider bills to remove House amendments or to make
corrections, or override vetoes.
On the 140th and final day (Monday, May 31), the
House may not vote on any bill or resolution except to
reconsider it to make corrections or adopt corrective
resolutions (Rule 8, sec. 13).
In summary, the House may not consider nonlocal
House bills on second or third reading during the final 17
days, local House bills on second or third reading during
0 the final ten days, Senate bills on second or third reading
during the final five days, and conference reports, Senate
amendments, motions to reconsider to remove House
amendments, or motions to override vetoes on the final day.The Governor's Role
After both houses have approved a bill or
concurrent resolution in the same form, it is printed in
final form (enrolled) and signed by the speaker and by
the lieutenant governor in the presence of the members
of their respective houses (Constitution Art. 3, sec.
38). The chief clerk of the House (for Senate bills, the
Senate enrolling clerk) prepares a final, official copy of
the bill, which then goes to the governor.
Vetoes
The governor has ten days (not counting Sundays)
after receiving a bill to sign it or to veto it and return
it to the originating house with reasons for the veto.
If neither action is taken within ten days, the bill
becomes law without the governor's signature. The
governor also may veto specific line items in an
appropriations bill.
Veto overrides
Art. 4, sec. 14 of the Constitution specifies that
the Legislature may override a veto if the originating
house, which votes first, approves the override motion
by a two-thirds record vote of the members present.
The other house may override by a vote of "two-thirds
of the members."
Senate Rule 6.20 provides that a vote of two-thirds
of all members present is required to override the veto
of a Senate bill (when the Senate votes first), while a
vote of two-thirds of the members (21 votes) is
required to override the veto of a House bill (when the
Senate votes second).
House Rules make no specific provision for the
vote required for veto overrides. The most recent
ruling is that the override vote required when the
House votes second (on Senate bills) is two-thirds of
the members (100 votes). The constitutional provision
for overriding vetoes of line items of appropriations
bills specifies a vote of two-thirds of the members
present, for both houses. On the final day of a regular
session, neither the House nor the Senate may vote to
override a veto (Rule 8, sec. 13; Senate Rule 7.25).
For bills presented to the governor less than ten
days (not counting Sundays) prior to final (sine die)
adjournment, or after adjournment, the governor has
20 days (counting Sundays) after the final day of the
session to act. Should the governor veto a bill at this
stage, the bill is dead because the Legislature has noPage 15
House Research Organ n
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Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives. Research Organization. Focus Report, Volume 76, Number 3, January 1999, periodical, January 29, 1999; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth641010/m1/15/?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.