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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 on |
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May 29, 2023, and 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. EMPLOYEES. (a) The lieutenant governor may |
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employ the employees necessary for the operation of the office of |
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the lieutenant governor from the closing of this session and |
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until the convening of the next session. The lieutenant governor |
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and the secretary of the senate shall be furnished postage, |
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telegraph, telephone, express, and all other expenses incident |
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to their respective offices. |
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(b) The secretary of the senate is the chief executive |
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administrator and shall be retained during the interval between |
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adjournment of this session and the convening of the next session |
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of the legislature. The secretary of the senate may employ the |
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employees necessary for the operation of the senate and to |
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perform duties as may be required in connection with the business |
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of the state from the closing of this session and until the |
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convening of the next regular session. |
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(c) Each senator may employ secretarial and other office |
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staff for the senator's office. |
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(d) The chairman of the administration committee is |
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authorized to retain a sufficient number of staff employees to |
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conclude the work of the enrolling clerk, calendar clerk, journal |
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clerk, and sergeant-at-arms. The administration committee shall |
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establish the salaries for the senate staff. |
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SECTION 3. SENATE OFFICERS. (a) The following elected |
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officers of the 88th Legislature shall serve for the interval |
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between adjournment of this session and the convening of the next |
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session of the legislature: |
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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--Matthew Peabody; |
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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--Austin Osborn. |
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(b) All employees and elected officers of the senate |
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shall operate under the direct supervision of the secretary of |
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the senate during the interim. |
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(c) Officers named in this section serve at the will of |
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the senate. |
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SECTION 4. PARLIAMENTARIAN AND ASSISTANT PARLIAMENTARIAN. |
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The parliamentarian, Karina Davis, and the assistant |
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parliamentarian, Colby Beuck, are named by the lieutenant governor |
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and are officers of the senate. They shall serve for the interval |
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between adjournment of this session and the convening of the next |
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session of the legislature. |
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SECTION 5. DUTIES OF CHAIRMAN OF ADMINISTRATION |
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COMMITTEE. (a) The chairman of the administration committee |
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shall place the senate chamber in order and purchase supplies and |
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make all necessary repairs and improvements between the |
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adjournment of this session and the convening of the next session |
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of the legislature. |
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(b) The chairman shall make an inventory of all furniture |
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and fixtures in the senate chamber and in the private offices of |
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the members, as well as of the supplies and equipment on hand in |
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the purchasing and supply department, and shall close the books |
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for the Regular Session of the 88th Legislature. |
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(c) The chairman shall not acquire any equipment on a |
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rental/purchase plan unless the equipment is placed on the senate |
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inventory at the termination of the plan. |
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(d) The chairman shall examine records and accounts |
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payable out of the contingent expense fund as necessary to |
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approve all claims and accounts against the senate, and no claim |
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or account shall be paid without the consent and approval of the |
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chairman. |
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(e) The chairman and any member of the administration |
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committee shall be entitled to receive actual and necessary |
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expenses incurred during the interim. |
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(f) In addition to the duties of the administration |
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committee expressly imposed by this resolution, the committee |
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shall take actions necessary to ensure that the administrative |
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operations of the senate comply with applicable law and are |
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conducted effectively and efficiently. |
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SECTION 6. JOURNAL. (a) The secretary of the senate |
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shall have 225 volumes of the Senate Journal of the Regular |
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Session of the 88th Legislature printed. Two hundred and |
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twenty-five copies shall be bound in buckram and delivered to the |
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secretary of the senate who shall forward one volume to each |
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member of the senate, the lieutenant governor, and each member of |
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the house of representatives on request. |
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(b) The printing of the journals shall be done in |
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accordance with the provisions of this resolution under the |
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supervision of the chairman of the administration committee. The |
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chairman shall refuse to receive or receipt for the journals |
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until corrected and published in accordance with the preexisting |
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law as finally approved by the chairman of the administration |
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committee. When the accounts have been certified by the chairman |
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of the administration committee, the accounts shall be paid out |
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of the contingent expense fund of the 88th Legislature. |
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SECTION 7. PAYMENT OF SALARIES AND EXPENSES. |
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(a) Salaries and expenses authorized by this resolution shall |
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be paid out of the per diem and contingent expense fund of the |
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88th Legislature as provided by this section. |
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(b) The senate shall request the comptroller of public |
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accounts to issue general revenue warrants for: |
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(1) payment of the employees of the lieutenant |
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governor's office, the lieutenant governor, members of the |
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senate, employees of the senate committees, and employees of the |
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senate, except as provided by Subchapter H, Chapter 660, |
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Government Code, upon presentation of the payroll account signed |
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by the chairman of the administration committee and the secretary |
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of the senate; and |
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(2) the payment of materials, supplies, and |
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expenses of the senate, including travel expenses for members and |
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employees, upon vouchers signed by the chairman of the |
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administration committee and the secretary of the senate. |
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SECTION 8. EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT AND PER DIEM. (a) In |
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furtherance of the legislative duties and responsibilities of |
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the senate, the administration committee shall charge to the |
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individual member's office budget: |
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(1) the reimbursement of all actual expenses |
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incurred by the member when traveling in performance of |
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legislative duties and responsibilities or incident to those |
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duties; and |
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(2) the payment of all other reasonable and |
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necessary expenses for the operation of the office of the |
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individual senator during any period the legislature is not in |
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session. Expenditures for these services by the administration |
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committee are authorized as an expense of the senate and shall |
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not be restricted to Austin but may be incurred in individual |
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senatorial districts. Such expenses shall be paid from funds |
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appropriated for the use of the senate on vouchers approved by |
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the chairman of the administration committee and the secretary of |
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the senate in accordance with regulations governing such |
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expenditures. |
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(b) Each senator shall be permitted a payroll of $63,000 |
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per month to employ secretarial and other office staff and for |
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intrastate travel expenses for staff employees. The amount shall |
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increase to $66,150 starting on September 1, 2024. This payroll |
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amount accrues on the first day of the month and may not be |
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expended prior to the month in which it accrues, but any |
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unexpended portion for a month may be carried forward from month |
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to month until the end of the fiscal year. An unexpended amount |
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remaining at the end of each fiscal year, not to exceed $20,000, |
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may be carried forward to the next fiscal year. Other expenses, |
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including travel expenses or other reasonable and necessary |
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expenses incurred in the furtherance and performance of |
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legislative duties or in operation of the member's office or |
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incident thereto, shall be provided in addition to the maximum |
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salary authorized. |
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(c) The secretary of the senate may order reimbursement |
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for legislative expenses consistent with this resolution and the |
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establishment by the Texas Ethics Commission of per diem rates. |
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(d) Any member of the senate and the lieutenant governor |
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are eligible to receive such reimbursement on application of the |
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member or the lieutenant governor to the secretary of the senate. |
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(e) On the application of a member of the senate or the |
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lieutenant governor, the applicant shall be entitled to |
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reimbursement for legislative expenses for each legislative day. |
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(f) For purposes of this section, a legislative day |
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includes each day of a regular or special session of the |
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legislature, including any day the legislature is not in session |
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for a period of four consecutive days or less, and all days the |
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legislature is not in session if the senator or lieutenant |
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governor attends a meeting of a joint, special, or legislative |
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committee as evidenced by the official record of the body, and |
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each day, limited to 12 days per month for non-chairs or 16 days |
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per month for chairs and the lieutenant governor, the senator or |
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the lieutenant governor, including those living within a 50-mile |
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radius, is otherwise engaged in legislative business as |
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evidenced by claims submitted to the chairman of the |
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administration committee. |
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SECTION 9. 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 10. DESIGNATION FOR ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS AND |
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FUNCTIONS. (a) The lieutenant governor may appoint any member |
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of the senate, the secretary of the senate, or any other senate |
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employee to attend meetings of the National Conference of State |
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Legislatures and other similar meetings. Necessary and actual |
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expenses are authorized upon the approval of the chairman of the |
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administration committee and the secretary of the senate. |
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(b) The lieutenant governor may designate a member of the |
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senate to represent the senate at ceremonies and ceremonial |
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functions. The necessary expenses of the senator and necessary |
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staff for this purpose shall be paid pursuant to a budget |
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approved by the administration committee. |
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SECTION 11. MEETINGS DURING INTERIM. (a) Each of the |
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standing committees and subcommittees of the senate of the |
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88th Legislature may continue to meet at such times and places |
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during the interim as determined by such committees and |
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subcommittees and to hold hearings, recommend legislation, and |
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perform research on matters directed either by resolution, the |
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lieutenant governor, or as determined by majority vote of each |
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committee. |
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(b) Each continuing committee and subcommittee shall |
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continue to function under the rules adopted during the |
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legislative session where applicable. |
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(c) Expenses for the operation of these committees and |
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subcommittees shall be paid pursuant to a budget prepared by each |
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committee and approved by the administration committee. |
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(d) The operating expenses of these committees shall be |
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paid from the contingent expense fund of the senate, and |
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committee members shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses |
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incurred in carrying out the duties of the committees. |
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SECTION 12. SENATE OFFICES. Members not returning for |
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the 89th Legislature shall vacate their senate offices by |
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December 1, 2024. |
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SECTION 13. FURNISHING OF INFORMATION BY SENATE |
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EMPLOYEE. An employee of the senate may not furnish any |
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information to any person, firm, or corporation other than |
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general information pertaining to the senate and routinely |
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furnished to the public. |
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SECTION 14. OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT. An employee of the |
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senate may not be employed by and receive compensation from any |
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other person, firm, or corporation during the employee's senate |
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employment without the permission of the employee's senate |
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employer. |
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SECTION 15. REMOVAL OF SENATE PROPERTY. The secretary of |
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the senate is specifically directed not to permit the removal of |
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any of the property of the senate from the senate chamber or the |
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rooms of the senate except as authorized by the chairman of the |
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administration committee. |
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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 May 29, 2023, by |
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the following vote: Yeas 31, |
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Nays 0. |
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_______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |