By: Eltife S.R. No. 36

SENATE RESOLUTION

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of Texas, That the Rules of the Senate of the 81st Legislature are adopted as the Permanent Rules of the Senate of the 82nd Legislature with the following modifications:

1. Amend Rule 7.07 to read as follows:

LIMITATIONS ON INTRODUCTION

Rule 7.07. (a) A bill filed for introduction [may be introduced at any time] during the first 60 calendar days of the regular session [and] may be thereafter referred to the proper committee and disposed of under the rules of the Senate.

(b) Except as provided in Subsection (a) and in Rule 7.08 , no bill shall be introduced after the first 60 calendar days of the session. This provision may only be suspended by an affirmative vote of four-fifths of the members of the Senate.

(c) It shall not be in order to introduce a local bill as defined by Rule 9.01 unless notice of publication, as provided by law, is attached. 2.Amend Rule 11.02 to read as follows:

LIST OF STANDING COMMITTEES

Rule 11.02. At the beginning of each regular session, the President shall appoint the following standing committees with the number of members indicated:

STANDING COMMITTEES

(1) Committee on Administration (7 members)

(2) Committee on Agriculture and Rural Affairs (5 members)

(3) [(2)] Committee on Business and Commerce (9 members)

(4) [(3)] Committee on Criminal Justice (7 members)

(5) Committee on Economic Development (7 members)

(6) [(4)] Committee on Education (9 members)

(7) [(5)] Committee on Finance (15 members)

(8) [(6)] Committee on Government Organization (7 members)

(9) [(7)] Committee on Health and Human Services (9 members)

(10) Committee on Higher Education (7 members)

(11) [(8)] Committee on Intergovernmental Relations (5 members)

(12) [(9)] Committee on International Relations and Trade (7 members)

(13) [(10)] Committee on Jurisprudence (7 members)

(14) [(11)] Committee on Natural Resources (11 members)

(15) [(12)] Committee on Nominations (7 members)

(16) [(13)] Committee on State Affairs (9 members)

(17) [(14)] Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security (9 members)

(18) [(15)] Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military Installations (5 members) 3.Amend Rule 12.08 to read as follows:

SUSPENSION OF CONFERENCE COMMITTEE RULES

Rule 12.08. (a) Limitations imposed on certain conference committees by the provisions of Rules 12.03, 12.04, 12.05, 12.06, and 12.07 may be suspended, in part, by permission of the Senate to enable consideration of and action on a specific matter or matters which otherwise would be in violation thereof. Such permission shall be granted only by resolution passed by majority vote of the Senate, with yeas and nays thereon to be recorded in the journal of the Senate. Such resolution shall specify in detail: (1) the exact nature of the matter or matters proposed to be considered; (2) the specific limitation or limitations to be suspended thereby; (3) the specific action contemplated by the conference committee thereon; and (4) except for a resolution suspending the limitations on the conferees for the general appropriations bill, the reasons why suspension of such limitations is being requested. In the application of this rule to appropriations bills, the resolution need not include changes in amounts resulting from a proposed salary plan or changes in format that do not affect the amount of an appropriation or the method of finance of an appropriation, but shall include a general statement describing the salary plan or format change. The resolution need not include differences in language which do not affect the substance of the bill. Permission thus granted shall suspend such limitations only for the matter or matters clearly specified in the resolution, and action of the conference committee shall be in conformity therewith.

(b) A copy of a resolution suspending the limitations on the conferees for the general appropriations bill must be furnished to each member at least 48 hours before any action thereon, if convened in regular session, and 24 hours before any action thereon, if convened in called session.