1-1     By:  Goolsby (Senate Sponsor - Cain)                 H.C.R. No. 192
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 23, 2001;
 1-3     April 24, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on
 1-4     Administration; May 4, 2001, reported favorably by the following
 1-5     vote:  Yeas 3, Nays 0; May 4, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                         HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-7           WHEREAS, The Texas Legislature for each of the last nine
 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 77th 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     grants and donations as provided by Subsections (b) and (c),
2-19     Section 301.032, Government Code, and that, on expiration of a
2-20     joint committee, any unexpended funds remaining from a grant or
2-21     donation be transferred in equal proportions to the accounts of the
2-22     senate and house of representatives unless otherwise provided by
2-23     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 grants and
2-31     donations that such committee may receive be administered by the
2-32     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 14, 2003, or an earlier date specified
3-11     in the proclamation creating the committee.
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