By: Harris of Dallas, Truan S.R. No. 1200
SENATE RESOLUTION
1-1 Honorable Bob Bullock
1-2 President of the Senate
1-3 Austin, Texas
1-4 Sir:
1-5 At a caucus held on May 31, 1993, and attended by 28 Members
1-6 of the Senate, the following recommendations were made, to wit:
1-7 BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate, That:
1-8 The Lieutenant Governor may employ such employees as are
1-9 necessary for the operation of his office from the closing of this
1-10 session and until the convening of the next session, and in
1-11 addition thereto, he and the Secretary of the Senate shall be
1-12 furnished postage, telegraph, telephone, express, and all other
1-13 expenses incident to their respective offices.
1-14 The Secretary of the Senate shall be retained during the
1-15 interval between adjournment of this session and the convening of
1-16 the next session of the Legislature. The Secretary of the Senate
1-17 may employ such employees as are necessary for the operation of her
1-18 office and to perform duties as may be required in connection with
1-19 the business of the state from the closing of this session and
1-20 until the convening of the next session. The following elected
1-21 officers of the 73rd Legislature shall serve for the interval
1-22 between adjournment of this session and the convening of the next
1-23 session of the Legislature, at the will of the Senate:
2-1 Calendar Clerk - Peggy Brinkman
2-2 Doorkeeper - James Morris
2-3 Enrolling Clerk - Patsy Spaw
2-4 Journal Clerk - Dianne Arrington
2-5 Sergeant-at-Arms - Carleton Turner
2-6 Status Clerk - Pat Rodgers
2-7 All employees and elected officers of the Senate shall
2-8 operate under the direct supervision of the Secretary of the Senate
2-9 during the interim.
2-10 The Administration Chairman is authorized to retain a
2-11 sufficient number of staff employees to conclude the work of the
2-12 Enrolling Clerk, Calendar Clerk, Journal Clerk, and
2-13 Sergeant-at-Arms. The Committee on Administration shall establish
2-14 the salaries to be paid the Senate staff.
2-15 The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Administration is
2-16 hereby authorized and directed to cause the Senate Chamber to be
2-17 placed in order and to purchase such supplies and to make all such
2-18 repairs and improvement as are necessary between the adjournment of
2-19 this session and the convening of the next session of the
2-20 Legislature and make an inventory of all furniture and fixtures in
2-21 the Senate Chamber and in the private offices of the Members, as
2-22 well as of the supplies and equipment on hand in the Purchasing and
2-23 Supply Department and close his books for the Regular Session of
2-24 the 73rd Legislature. No equipment shall be acquired on a
2-25 rental/purchase plan unless such equipment be placed on the Senate
3-1 inventory at the termination of such plan. He shall also examine
3-2 records and accounts payable out of the Contingent Expense Fund as
3-3 shall be necessary properly to approve all claims and accounts
3-4 against the Senate, and no claim or account shall be paid without
3-5 his consent and approval, and he and any member of the
3-6 Administration Committee shall be entitled to receive his actual
3-7 and necessary expenses incurred during the interim; and, be it
3-8 further
3-9 RESOLVED, That there shall be printed 325 volumes of the
3-10 Senate Journal of the Regular Session of the 73rd Legislature; when
3-11 complete 250 copies shall be bound in buckram and delivered to the
3-12 Secretary of the Senate; one volume thus bound shall be forwarded
3-13 by the Secretary of the Senate to each Member of the Senate, the
3-14 Lieutenant Governor, and to each Member of the House of
3-15 Representatives on request. The printing of such journals shall be
3-16 done in accordance with the provisions of this Resolution under the
3-17 supervision of the Chairman of the Committee on Administration;
3-18 provided, further, that it shall be the duty of said chairman to
3-19 refuse to receive or receipt for said Senate Journals until
3-20 corrected and published in accordance with the preexisting law as
3-21 finally approved by the Chairman of the Committee on Administration
3-22 of the Senate. When the accounts have been certified by the
3-23 Chairman of the Committee on Administration of the Senate, said
3-24 accounts shall be paid out of the Contingent Expense Fund of the
3-25 73rd Legislature; and, be it further
4-1 RESOLVED, That all salaries and expenses herein authorized to
4-2 be incurred and paid for shall be paid out of the per diem and
4-3 Contingent Expense Fund of the 73rd Legislature as follows: The
4-4 Senate shall request the State Comptroller of Public Accounts to
4-5 issue general revenue warrants for payment of the employees of the
4-6 Lieutenant Governor's office, the Lieutenant Governor, Members of
4-7 the Senate, employees of the Senate committees, and employees of
4-8 the Senate, except as provided in Section 301.030, Government Code,
4-9 upon presentation of the payroll account signed by the Chairman of
4-10 the Administration Committee and the Secretary of the Senate; and
4-11 for the payment of materials, supplies, and expenses of the Senate,
4-12 including travel expenses for Members and employees, upon vouchers
4-13 signed by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Administration
4-14 and the Secretary of the Senate; and, be it further
4-15 RESOLVED, That in furtherance of the legislative duties and
4-16 responsibilities of the Senate, the Administration Committee is
4-17 hereby authorized and directed to charge to the individual Member's
4-18 office budget as hereinafter authorized: (1) reimbursement of all
4-19 actual expenses incurred by the Members when traveling in
4-20 performance of such duties and responsibilities or incident
4-21 thereto, and (2) payment of all other reasonable and necessary
4-22 expenses for the operation of the office of the individual Senator
4-23 during any period the Legislature is not in session. Expenditures
4-24 for these services by the Administration Committee as hereby
4-25 authorized as an expense of the Senate shall not be restricted to
5-1 Austin but may be incurred in individual senatorial districts.
5-2 Such expenses shall be paid from funds appropriated for the use of
5-3 the Senate on vouchers approved by the Chairman of the
5-4 Administration Committee and the Secretary of the Senate in
5-5 accordance with regulations governing such expenditures; and, be it
5-6 further
5-7 RESOLVED, That each Senator shall be permitted to employ
5-8 secretarial and other office staff and for intrastate travel
5-9 expenses for staff employees a payroll of $22,000 per month. Any
5-10 unexpended portion of this amount may be carried forward from month
5-11 to month until the end of the fiscal year. Other expenses,
5-12 including travel expenses or other reasonable and necessary
5-13 expenses incurred in the furtherance and performance of legislative
5-14 duties or in operation of the Member's office or incident thereto,
5-15 shall be provided in addition to the maximum salary authorized;
5-16 and, be it further
5-17 RESOLVED, That the Secretary of the Senate is authorized to
5-18 order reimbursement for legislative expenses consistent with this
5-19 resolution and the establishment by the Ethics Commission of per
5-20 diem rates; and, be it further
5-21 RESOLVED, That any Member of the Senate and the Lieutenant
5-22 Governor shall be eligible to receive such reimbursement as may be
5-23 due on application of the Member or the Lieutenant Governor to the
5-24 Secretary of the Senate; and, be it further
5-25 RESOLVED, That, on the application of a Member of the Senate
6-1 or the Lieutenant Governor, the applicant shall be entitled to
6-2 reimbursement for legislative expenses for each legislative day;
6-3 and, be it further
6-4 RESOLVED, That a legislative day include each day of a
6-5 regular or special session of the Legislature, including any day
6-6 the Legislature was not in session for a period of four
6-7 consecutive days or less, and all days the Legislature is not in
6-8 session if the Senator or Lieutenant Governor attends a meeting of
6-9 a joint, special, or legislative committee as evidenced by the
6-10 official record of the body, and each day, limited to 10 days per
6-11 month, the Senator or the Lieutenant Governor, including those
6-12 living within a 50-mile radius, is otherwise engaged in legislative
6-13 business in Travis County as evidenced by claims submitted to the
6-14 Chairman of the Senate Committee on Administration; and, be it
6-15 further
6-16 RESOLVED, That in order to accrue vacation leave,
6-17 compensatory/overtime leave, or sick leave, employees of Members
6-18 must file monthly time sheets with the Senate Personnel Office by
6-19 the 10th of the month following the month in which work was
6-20 performed. Employees of Members and committees must use
6-21 compensatory/overtime accrued in a given month by the end of the
6-22 same month of the following year. Compensatory/overtime accrued
6-23 prior to January 1, 1993, will not be carried forward after
6-24 January 1, 1994. No compensatory/overtime will be paid at either
6-25 the end of the fiscal year or at an employee's termination; and, be
7-1 it further
7-2 RESOLVED, That the Lieutenant Governor shall have the
7-3 authority to appoint any Member of the Senate, the Secretary of the
7-4 Senate, or other Senate employee to attend meetings of the National
7-5 Conference of State Legislatures and other similar meetings.
7-6 Necessary and actual expenses are hereby authorized upon the
7-7 approval of the Chairman of the Administration Committee and the
7-8 Secretary of the Senate. The Lieutenant Governor shall have the
7-9 authority to designate a Member of the Senate to represent the
7-10 Senate at ceremonies and ceremonial functions. Necessary expenses
7-11 for performance of these duties and for necessary staff are hereby
7-12 authorized to be paid pursuant to a budget approved by the
7-13 Administration Committee; and, be it further
7-14 RESOLVED, That each of the standing committees and
7-15 subcommittees of the Senate of the 73rd Legislature be authorized
7-16 to continue to meet at such times and places during the interim as
7-17 determined by such committees and subcommittees and to hold
7-18 hearings, recommend legislation, and perform research on matters
7-19 directed either by Resolution, the Lieutenant Governor, or as
7-20 determined by majority vote of each committee. Each continuing
7-21 committee and subcommittee shall continue to function under the
7-22 rules adopted during the legislative session where applicable.
7-23 Expenses for the operation of these committees and subcommittees
7-24 are hereby authorized to be paid pursuant to a budget prepared by
7-25 each committee and approved by the Administration Committee; and,
8-1 be it further
8-2 RESOLVED, That the operating expenses of this committee shall
8-3 be paid from the Contingent Expense Fund of the Senate, and the
8-4 committee members shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses
8-5 incurred in carrying out the duties of the committee; and, be it
8-6 further
8-7 RESOLVED, That any Members not returning for the 74th
8-8 Legislature will vacate their Senate offices by December 15, 1994;
8-9 and, be it further
8-10 RESOLVED, That no employee of the Senate shall during the
8-11 time he or she is employed furnish to any person, firm, or
8-12 corporation any information other than general information
8-13 furnished the public pertaining to the Senate, and they shall not
8-14 without permission receive any compensation from any person, firm,
8-15 or corporation during their employment by the Senate, and any
8-16 employee found guilty of violating this provision shall be
8-17 immediately discharged; and, be it further
8-18 RESOLVED, That the Secretary of the Senate is specifically
8-19 directed not to permit the removal of any of the property of the
8-20 Senate from the Senate Chamber or the rooms of the Senate except as
8-21 authorized by the Chairman of the Administration Committee.
8-22 Respectfully submitted,
8-23 ___________________________________
8-24 Chairman of
8-25 the Caucus
9-1 ___________________________________
9-2 Secretary of
9-3 the Caucus
9-4 _____________________________________
9-5 President of the Senate
9-6 I hereby certify that the
9-7 above Resolution was adopted by
9-8 the Senate on May 31, 1993.
9-9 _____________________________________
9-10 Secretary of the Senate