By: Whitmire S.R. No. 1
SENATE RESOLUTION
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. CAUCUS REPORT. At a caucus held in the
offices of the senate attended by 30 members of the senate, the
caucus made the recommendations for the operation of the senate
contained in this resolution.
SECTION 2. SENATE OFFICERS. (a) Senate officers for the
79th Legislature are:
(1) Secretary of the Senate--Patsy Spaw;
(2) Calendar Clerk--Linda Tubbs;
(3) Doorkeeper--Don Long;
(4) Enrolling Clerk--Mardi Alexander;
(5) Journal Clerk--Dianne Arrington; and
(6) Sergeant-at-arms--Carleton Turner.
(b) Officers named in this section serve at the will of
the senate.
SECTION 3. PARLIAMENTARIAN. The parliamentarian, Karina
Casari Davis, is named by the lieutenant governor and serves at
the will of the lieutenant governor. The parliamentarian is a
senate officer.
SECTION 4. EMPLOYEES. (a) The lieutenant governor may
employ staff for the office of the lieutenant governor at
salaries set by the lieutenant governor.
(b) Each senator may employ staff for the senator's
office at salaries set by the senator.
(c) The chairman of each committee may employ staff of
the chair's selection as needed by the committee. A committee
employee shall be compensated in amounts similar to the
compensation paid to persons in similar senate positions.
(d) The secretary of the senate may employ other staff
necessary for the operation of the senate at salaries approved by
the administration committee.
(e) The lieutenant governor, the secretary of the senate,
and each senator may use the assistance of any assistant
sergeant-at-arms or other available senate employee for any and
all services needed in and about the senate.
(f) In this resolution, "senate employee" includes an
employee of the lieutenant governor, the secretary of the senate,
a senator, a senate committee, and any other person compensated
from funds appropriated for the operation of the senate.
SECTION 5. DUTIES OF ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE. (a) In
addition to the duties of the administration committee expressly
imposed by this resolution, the committee shall take actions
necessary to ensure that the administrative operations of the
senate comply with applicable law and are conducted effectively
and efficiently.
(b) The committee shall establish appropriate and
necessary controls over contracts, inventory, and property
management.
(c) The committee may delegate any of its responsibilities
to the committee chair or to the secretary of the senate to be
performed under the general supervision of the committee.
(d) Policies adopted by the administration committee
must be consistent with the provisions of this resolution. To
the extent of a conflict between a policy and this resolution,
this resolution prevails.
(e) Policies adopted by the administration committee are
subject to the will of the senate, and a majority of the senate
may reject or modify any policy adopted by the committee.
SECTION 6. EMPLOYMENT AND PERSONNEL POLICIES. (a) The
administration committee may adopt and enforce personnel and
employment policies governing senate employees.
(b) The administration committee may not adopt a policy
that limits the salary of an employee of the lieutenant governor,
a senator, or a senate committee, except that the administration
committee may require approval by that committee of any senate
committee employee salary that is proposed to exceed $5,000 a
month.
SECTION 7. MEMBER'S EMPLOYEE LEAVE POLICY. (a) An
employee of a senator accrues vacation leave, compensatory
leave, or sick leave in accordance with policies adopted by the
senator consistent with the requirements of this section.
(b) An employee may accrue vacation leave, compensatory
leave, or sick leave only if the employee files a monthly time
record with the senate human resources office. Time records are
due not later than the 10th day of the following month.
(c) Compensatory time must be used not later than the
last day of the 12th month following the month in which the time
was accrued.
(d) An employee is not entitled to compensation for
accrued but unused compensatory time.
SECTION 8. OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT. An employee of the senate
may not be employed by and receive compensation from any other
person during the term of senate employment without the
permission of the employee's senate employer.
SECTION 9. WORK HOURS. An employee shall report to work
at the time, and work for the number of hours, set by the
employee's senate employer.
SECTION 10. LIMIT ON MONTHLY STAFF SALARY AND TRAVEL
EXPENSES. (a) The total amount of staff salaries and intrastate
staff travel expenses for each senator may not exceed $36,000.00
per month.
(b) Any unexpended portion of this monthly amount may be
carried forward from one month to the next and expended until the
end of the fiscal year.
SECTION 11. SENATORS' EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT AND PER
DIEM. The secretary of the senate shall provide for the
reimbursement of the expenses of each senator and the payment of
each senator's per diem in accordance with law, this resolution,
and the rules of the Texas Ethics Commission.
SECTION 12. OTHER SENATE EXPENSES. (a) The lieutenant
governor, the secretary of the senate, and each senator may incur
expenses for carrying out official duties, including expenses
for items such as subscriptions, stationery, postage, and
telecommunications.
(b) Expenses under this section shall be paid from the
contingent expense fund of the senate.
SECTION 13. PAYMENT OF SALARIES AND EXPENSES.
(a) Salaries and expenses authorized by this resolution shall
be paid from the contingent expense fund as provided by this
section.
(b) Vouchers for payment of any expense, including
salaries and travel expenses, must be signed by the chair of the
administration committee and the secretary of the senate.
(c) The administration committee shall adopt policies
regarding the presentation of timely, properly completed, and
signed vouchers.
SECTION 14. DESIGNATION FOR ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS AND
FUNCTIONS. (a) The administration committee shall designate a
senator or any employee to attend an official meeting of a
national governmental organization during a session of the 79th
Legislature. The person designated is entitled to reimbursement
for actual and necessary expenses.
(b) The lieutenant governor may designate a senator to
represent the senate at ceremonies and ceremonial functions. The
necessary expenses of the senator and necessary staff for this
purpose shall be paid pursuant to a budget adopted by the
administration committee.
SECTION 15. ELECTRONIC RECORDING BY MEMBER PROHIBITED.
No member of the senate may electronically record a private
conversation held within the brass rail on the senate floor
during a legislative session without the knowledge and consent of
all participants to the conversation.
SECTION 16. JOURNAL. The secretary of the senate shall
provide for the printing of not more than 500 copies of the daily
journal. Of that number:
(1) 175 shall be furnished to the house of
representatives;
(2) 60 shall be furnished to the Legislative
Reference Library; and
(3) the remainder shall be apportioned among the
senators and the lieutenant governor.
_______________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on January 11, 2005.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate