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SENATE RESOLUTION
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. CAUCUS REPORT. At a caucus held in the |
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offices of the senate attended by 31 members of the senate, the |
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caucus made the recommendations for the operation of the senate |
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contained in this resolution. |
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SECTION 2. SENATE OFFICERS. (a) Senate officers for the |
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87th Legislature are: |
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(1) Secretary of the Senate--Patsy Spaw; |
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(2) Calendar Clerk--Tracy Ortiz; |
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(3) Doorkeeper--Austin Osborn; |
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(4) Enrolling Clerk--Patience Worrel; |
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(5) Journal Clerk--Lourdes Litchfield; and |
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(6) Sergeant-at-arms--Rick DeLeon. |
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(b) Officers named in this section serve at the will of |
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the senate. |
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SECTION 3. PARLIAMENTARIANANDASSISTANTPARLIAMENTARIAN. |
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The parliamentarian, Karina Davis, and the assistant |
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parliamentarian, Colby Beuck, are named by the lieutenant |
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governor and serve at the will of the lieutenant governor. They |
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are senate officers. |
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SECTION 4. EMPLOYEES. (a) The lieutenant governor may |
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employ staff for the office of the lieutenant governor at |
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salaries set by the lieutenant governor. |
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(b) Each senator may employ staff for the senator's |
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office at salaries set by the senator. |
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(c) The chair of each committee may employ staff of the |
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chair's selection as needed by the committee. A committee |
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employee shall be compensated in amounts similar to the |
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compensation paid to persons in similar senate positions. |
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(d) The secretary of the senate may employ other staff |
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necessary for the operation of the senate at salaries approved by |
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the administration committee. |
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(e) The lieutenant governor, the secretary of the senate, |
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and each senator may use the assistance of any assistant |
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sergeant-at-arms or other available senate employee for any and |
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all services needed in and about the senate. |
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(f) In this resolution, "senate employee" includes an |
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employee of the lieutenant governor, the secretary of the senate, |
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a senator, a senate committee, and any other person compensated |
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from funds appropriated for the operation of the senate. |
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SECTION 5. DUTIES OF ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE. (a) In |
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addition to the duties of the administration committee expressly |
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imposed by this resolution, the committee shall take actions |
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necessary to ensure that the administrative operations of the |
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senate comply with applicable law and are conducted effectively |
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and efficiently. |
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(b) The committee shall establish appropriate and |
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necessary controls over contracts, inventory, and property |
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management. |
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(c) The committee may delegate any of its |
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responsibilities to the committee chair or to the secretary of |
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the senate to be performed under the general supervision of the |
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committee. |
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(d) Policies adopted by the administration committee |
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must be consistent with the provisions of this resolution. To |
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the extent of a conflict between a policy and this resolution, |
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this resolution prevails. |
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(e) Policies adopted by the administration committee are |
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subject to the will of the senate, and a majority of the senate |
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may reject or modify any policy adopted by the committee. |
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SECTION 6. EMPLOYMENT AND PERSONNEL POLICIES. (a) The |
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administration committee may adopt and enforce personnel and |
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employment policies governing senate employees. |
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(b) The administration committee may not adopt a policy |
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that limits the salary of an employee of the lieutenant governor, |
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a senator, or a senate committee, except that the administration |
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committee may require approval by that committee of any senate |
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committee employee salary that is proposed to exceed $5,000 a |
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month. |
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SECTION 7. MEMBER'S EMPLOYEE LEAVE POLICY. (a) An |
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employee of a senator accrues vacation leave, compensatory |
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leave, or sick leave in accordance with policies adopted by the |
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senator consistent with the requirements of this section. |
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(b) An employee may accrue vacation leave, compensatory |
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leave, or sick leave only if the employee files a monthly time |
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record with the senate human resources office. Time records are |
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due not later than the 10th day of the following month. |
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(c) Compensatory time must be used not later than the |
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last day of the 24th month following the month in which the time |
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was accrued. |
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(d) An employee is not entitled to compensation for |
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accrued but unused compensatory time. |
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SECTION 8. OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT. An employee of the senate |
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may not be employed by and receive compensation from any other |
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person during the term of senate employment without the |
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permission of the employee's senate employer. |
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SECTION 9. WORK HOURS. An employee shall report to work |
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at the time, and work for the number of hours, set by the |
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employee's senate employer. |
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SECTION 10. LIMIT ON MONTHLY STAFF SALARY AND TRAVEL |
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EXPENSES. (a) The total amount of staff salaries and intrastate |
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staff travel expenses for each senator may not exceed $41,000 per |
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month. |
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(b) This monthly amount accrues on the first day of the |
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month and may not be expended prior to the month in which it |
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accrues, but any unexpended portion for a month may be carried |
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forward from one month to the next and expended until the end of |
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the fiscal year. |
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(c) An unexpended amount remaining at the end of the |
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fiscal year, not to exceed $12,000, may be carried forward to the |
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next fiscal year. The total balance of unexpended funds |
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accumulated may not exceed $12,000 at the end of any fiscal |
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biennium. |
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SECTION 11. SENATORS' EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT AND PER |
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DIEM. (a) The secretary of the senate shall provide for the |
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reimbursement of the expenses of each senator and the payment of |
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each senator's per diem in accordance with law, this resolution, |
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and the rules of the Texas Ethics Commission. |
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(b) The per diem rate to be paid to each senator for the |
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87th Legislature is $221. |
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SECTION 12. OTHER SENATE EXPENSES. (a) The lieutenant |
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governor, the secretary of the senate, and each senator may incur |
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expenses for carrying out official duties, including expenses |
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for items such as subscriptions, stationery, postage, and |
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telecommunications. |
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(b) Expenses under this section shall be paid from the |
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contingent expense fund of the senate. |
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SECTION 13. PAYMENT OF SALARIES AND EXPENSES. |
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(a) Salaries and expenses authorized by this resolution shall |
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be paid from the contingent expense fund as provided by this |
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section. |
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(b) Vouchers for payment of any expense, including |
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salaries and travel expenses, must be signed by the chair of the |
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administration committee and the secretary of the senate. |
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(c) The administration committee shall adopt policies |
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regarding the presentation of timely, properly completed, and |
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signed vouchers. |
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SECTION 14. DESIGNATION FOR ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS AND |
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FUNCTIONS. (a) The administration committee shall designate a |
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senator or any employee to attend an official meeting of a |
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national governmental organization during a session of the 87th |
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Legislature. The person designated is entitled to reimbursement |
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for actual and necessary expenses. |
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(b) The lieutenant governor may designate a senator to |
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represent the senate at ceremonies and ceremonial functions. The |
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necessary expenses of the senator and necessary staff for this |
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purpose shall be paid pursuant to a budget adopted by the |
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administration committee. |
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SECTION 15. ELECTRONIC RECORDING BY MEMBER PROHIBITED. |
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No member of the senate may electronically record a private |
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conversation held within the brass rail on the senate floor |
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during a legislative session without the knowledge and consent of |
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all participants in the conversation. |
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SECTION 16. JOURNAL. The secretary of the senate shall |
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provide for the printing of not more than 250 copies of the daily |
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journal. Of that number: |
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(1) 140 shall be furnished to the house of |
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representatives; |
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(2) four shall be furnished to the Texas State |
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Library and Archives Commission; |
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(3) four shall be furnished to the Legislative |
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Reference Library; and |
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(4) the remainder shall be apportioned among the |
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senators and the lieutenant governor. |
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SECTION 17. PROCEDURES RELATED TO COVID-19. (a) Public |
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seating in the gallery will be limited to ensure social |
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distancing in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines. A wristband |
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demonstrating a negative COVID-19 test is required for entry to |
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the gallery. |
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(b) No personal data will be collected from persons who |
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are tested to enter the Capitol. However, aggregate data |
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indicating the number of persons tested each day and the number |
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of positive tests shall be available to the members of the |
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senate. |
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(c) Each senator may have one staff member on the floor at |
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a time while the senate is in session. No additional staff for |
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committees will be allowed, except that the chair of the |
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Administration Committee may allow additional staff for members |
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handling extraordinary matters. |
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(d) To enter the senate floor or attend a committee |
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hearing, a member must have had a negative COVID-19 test result |
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that day. |
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(e) Members' staff must be tested the first day of the |
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week they enter the Capitol. All senate staff must be tested |
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before accessing the Senate Chamber or attending a committee |
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hearing. |
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(f) All central staff must be tested twice each week and a |
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record must be kept to ensure that the testing schedule is being |
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followed. Any central staff who will be working in the Senate |
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Chamber or might come to the Senate Chamber when the senate is in |
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session must be tested that day. If the senate meets daily, the |
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staff person must be tested daily; otherwise, they may follow the |
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twice weekly testing schedule. Any central staff who routinely |
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have daily contact with members' offices (post office staff, |
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messengers, kitchen staff, etc.) must be tested daily. |
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(g) A person who demonstrates proof of vaccination |
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against COVID-19 shall be treated for all purposes the same as a |
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person who has tested negative for COVID-19 and shall be entitled |
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to a wristband. |
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(h) A member of the senate shall determine whether to |
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require a wristband demonstrating a negative COVID-19 test for |
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entry into the member's office. |
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(i) While on the floor, members of the senate shall wear |
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masks except when alone at their desks. |
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(j) Members and employees of the senate shall wear masks |
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whenever they are in a common area of the Sam Houston Building. |
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(k) A member of the public is required to have a wristband |
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demonstrating a negative COVID-19 test to enter a committee |
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hearing. |
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(l) During a committee hearing, committee members shall |
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wear masks to and from the committee dais but are not required to |
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wear masks while seated at the dais. |
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(m) A committee member may designate an employee to sit |
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behind the member on the dais during a committee hearing if: |
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(1) the employee is comfortable with sitting in |
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close quarters on the dais; |
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(2) the employee has tested negative for COVID-19 on |
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the day of the committee hearing; |
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(3) the employee is wearing an N95 or KN95 mask; and |
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(4) the committee hearing room will physically |
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accommodate staff seating. |
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(n) The senate leadership will confer with leadership of |
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the house of representatives to determine procedures for members |
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of each house visiting the other house's chamber. Should the |
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house of representatives approve a less secure standard of |
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COVID-19 procedures than the senate, the senate may take |
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appropriate measures to address that issue. |
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(o) A member or an employee of the senate who tests |
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positive for COVID-19 shall promptly leave the Capitol Complex. |
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The member or employee may return 10 days after the date of the |
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positive result if the person's symptoms are lessening and the |
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person has had no fever for the previous 24 hours before the |
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return date. The member or employee may return to the Capitol |
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seven days after the date of the positive result if the person |
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receives a negative result at that time. |
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_______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on January 13, 2021, |
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by the following vote: Yeas 31, |
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Nays 0. |
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_______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |