1-1     By:  Goolsby (Senate Sponsor - Harris)               H.C.R. No. 212

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 24, 1997;

 1-3     April 25, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on

 1-4     Administration; May 15, 1997, reported favorably by the following

 1-5     vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 15, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                         HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-7           WHEREAS, The Texas Legislature for each of the last seven

 1-8     regular sessions has adopted a concurrent resolution authorizing

 1-9     the creation and appointment of joint interim legislative study

1-10     committees by the lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of

1-11     representatives; and

1-12           WHEREAS, Renewal of the prior authorizations to the presiding

1-13     officers enables the legislature to address and study issues that

1-14     remain unresolved on sine die adjournment or that emerge subsequent

1-15     to that time; and

1-16           WHEREAS, It is also desirable to adopt by resolution various

1-17     rules and policies regarding the operation of joint committees to

1-18     supplement, and reconcile differences between, the senate and house

1-19     rules of procedure; now, therefore, be it

1-20           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

1-21     hereby authorize the lieutenant governor and speaker of the house

1-22     of representatives to create by mutual agreement such joint

1-23     committees as they consider necessary during the term of this

1-24     legislature; and, be it further

1-25           RESOLVED, That each joint committee created pursuant to this

1-26     resolution be composed of such combination of legislators, state

1-27     officials, or citizen members as shall be determined mutually by

1-28     the presiding officers of each house; and, be it further

1-29           RESOLVED, That on the request of the presiding officers, the

1-30     governor may appoint members to a joint committee created pursuant

1-31     to this resolution; and, be it further

1-32           RESOLVED, That the presiding officers issue for each

1-33     committee so created a joint proclamation identifying the issue or

1-34     issues to be studied and listing the committee membership or

1-35     describing the committee composition and that the proclamation be

1-36     filed with the secretary of the senate and the chief clerk of the

1-37     house of representatives; and, be it further

1-38           RESOLVED, That the presiding officers designate jointly a

1-39     chair, or designate alternatively two cochairs, from among the

1-40     committee membership; and, be it further

1-41           RESOLVED, That the chair or cochairs, acting jointly and

1-42     within four weeks of the proclamation, prepare and present to the

1-43     presiding officers a proposal for budget and staffing; and, be it

1-44     further

1-45           RESOLVED, That the chair or cochairs be directed to use to

1-46     the greatest extent possible the existing staff and administrative

1-47     resources of committee members, standing committees, officers of

1-48     the senate and house, and legislative service agencies; and, be it

1-49     further

1-50           RESOLVED, That the presiding officers jointly review each

1-51     budget and staffing proposal, adopt budgetary and staffing

1-52     allocations, and determine the manner in which each joint committee

1-53     is to be funded; and, be it further

1-54           RESOLVED, That the joint committee chair, or the cochairs

1-55     acting by mutual agreement, have authority to create and appoint

1-56     subcommittees or affiliated advisory panels and to designate

1-57     respective chairs for each, contingent on the advance approval of

1-58     the presiding officers for the creation and appointment of

1-59     subcommittees or advisory panels containing membership external to

1-60     the committee; and, be it further

1-61           RESOLVED, That each joint committee, and its subcommittees

1-62     and advisory panels, convene at the call of its chair or cochairs;

1-63     provided that no joint committee, nor its subcommittees or advisory

1-64     panels, shall convene in a public hearing or other meeting for the

 2-1     transaction of business unless public notice has been posted by its

 2-2     chair or cochairs at the locations specified by the senate and

 2-3     house rules of procedure for posting of notice of standing

 2-4     committee meetings at least five calendar days in advance of the

 2-5     hearing or meeting; and, be it further

 2-6           RESOLVED, That the preceding clause be construed, for

 2-7     purposes of Section 551.046, Government Code, as a joint rule of

 2-8     the senate and house of representatives controlling the posting of

 2-9     notice for joint committees, and their subcommittees and advisory

2-10     panels, in lieu of required posting with the secretary of state;

2-11     and, be it further

2-12           RESOLVED, That each joint committee have authority to issue

2-13     process as provided in Sections 301.024-301.027, Government Code,

2-14     provided that any motion for the issuance of process must receive

2-15     the record vote of at least two-thirds of those present and voting,

2-16     a quorum being present; and, be it further

2-17           RESOLVED, That each joint committee be entitled to accept

2-18     gifts, grants, and donations as provided by Subsections (b) and

2-19     (c), Section 301.032, Government Code, and that, on expiration of a

2-20     joint committee, any unexpended funds remaining from a gift, grant,

2-21     or donation be transferred in equal proportions to the accounts of

2-22     the senate and house of representatives unless otherwise provided

2-23     by the grantor or donor; and, be it further

2-24           RESOLVED, That each joint committee, except as modified by or

2-25     pursuant to this resolution, have all other powers and duties

2-26     provided to special committees by Subchapter B, Chapter 301,

2-27     Government Code, and the senate and house rules of procedure; and,

2-28     be it further

2-29           RESOLVED, That the operating accounts for each joint

2-30     committee created pursuant to this resolution and any gifts,

2-31     grants, and donations that such committee may receive be

2-32     administered by the Texas Legislative Council; and, be it further

2-33           RESOLVED, That the Texas Legislative Council prepare for

2-34     review and approval by the presiding officers a manual of

2-35     procedures for joint committees and other entities created by the

2-36     legislature for which funds are to be administered by the Texas

2-37     Legislative Council establishing requirements as to printing needs,

2-38     accounting procedures, ultimate disposition of records, and other

2-39     administrative and financial matters; and, be it further

2-40           RESOLVED, That citizen members appointed by the lieutenant

2-41     governor or speaker of the house of representatives to joint

2-42     committees created pursuant to this resolution be reimbursed from

2-43     funds appropriated to the Texas Legislative Council for expenses of

2-44     transportation, meals, lodging, and incidentals for travel on

2-45     official committee business, at rates established by the chair and

2-46     vice chair of the Texas Legislative Council consistent with

2-47     provisions of the General Appropriations Act; and, be it further

2-48           RESOLVED, That citizen members appointed by the governor to

2-49     joint committees created pursuant to this resolution be reimbursed

2-50     from funds appropriated to the office of the governor for expenses

2-51     of travel on official committee business, at rates established by

2-52     the chair and vice chair of the Texas Legislative Council

2-53     consistent with provisions of the General Appropriations Act; and,

2-54     be it further

2-55           RESOLVED, That citizen members appointed by the lieutenant

2-56     governor to senate select committees and citizen members appointed

2-57     by the speaker of the house of representatives to house committees

2-58     expanded or created under House Rule 4, Sections 24, 57, and 58,

2-59     when engaged in travel on official committee business, be

2-60     reimbursed for (1) transportation expenses at the same rates as

2-61     authorized for state employees by the General Appropriations Act,

2-62     and (2) actual expenses for meals, lodging, and incidentals,

2-63     subject to any maximum reimbursement limitations for meals and

2-64     lodging set by the Senate Administration Committee for senate

2-65     select committees and by the Committee on House Administration for

2-66     house select committees; and, be it further

2-67           RESOLVED, That the Texas Legislative Council be authorized to

2-68     reimburse the senate and house of representatives for expenses

2-69     incurred by members of the senate and house for transportation,

 3-1     meals, lodging, and incidentals for travel on official business of

 3-2     joint committees created pursuant to this resolution; and, be it

 3-3     further

 3-4           RESOLVED, That the final report of each joint committee be

 3-5     approved by a majority of the voting membership of the committee;

 3-6     dissenting voting members may attach statements to the final report

 3-7     subject to any limitations specified in the rules adopted by the

 3-8     committee; and, be it further

 3-9           RESOLVED, That each joint committee created pursuant to this

3-10     resolution expire on January 12, 1999, or an earlier date specified

3-11     in the proclamation creating the committee.

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