Texas 83rd Legislative Session Update: April 5th, 2013
Legislative Update from the Texas Lobby Group
The Legislative Session is more than halfway over. 52 Days remain. Dozens of bills are being heard in Committees and the Senate and House Floor Calendars are getting longer and longer….
This week, both the House and Senate passed local Calendars.
The Budget – Senate Bill 1 – has now been debated by both chambers. Things are moving. And quickly.
- Total number of bills reported out of House Committees this week: 136
- Total number of bills passed by the House this week: 70
- Total number of bills passed on the Local & Consent calendar: 30
- Total number of bills reported out of Senate Committees this week: 136
- Total number of bills passed by the Senate this week: 79
- Total number of bills passed on the Local & Uncontested Calendar: 42
In addition to the hearings, most of the House activity this week was in preparation and debate of the State’s Budget for the next biennium, Senate Bill 1. The House spent eleven hours yesterday debating it. House Appropriations Committee Chairman and House sponsor of Senate Bill 1, Representative Jim Pitts (R-Waxahachie) told House members that the bill represents a 7% increase in general revenue over the current budget. Ultimately, 185 amendments were adopted and the House gave final approval to SB 1 by a vote of 135 to 12.
Eleven of the “no” votes were from Democrats Rafael Anchia, Lon Burnam, Nicole Collier, Joe Farias, Mary Gonzalez, Ana Hernandez Luna, Abel Herrero, Armando “Mando” Martinez, Justin Rodriguez, Chris Turner, and Armando Walle. David Simpson was the only Republican voting against.
SB 1 will now go to a conference committee to adjust the differences between the Senate and House versions. This is where the final budget is drafted with five members of the House and Senate. These participants will be appointed by the Lt. Governor and the Speaker of the House soon.
Additionally, significant deadlines begin to come into play in mid April. Those are:
END OF SESSION DEADLINES:
Monday, April 15, 2013 (98th day) – First day that a senator may place five bills or resolutions on the Intent Calendar
Monday, May 6, 2013 (119th day) – Last day for House committees to report HB’s and HJR’s
Tuesday, May 7, 2013 (120th day) – Deadline for House to distribute last House Daily Calendar with HB’s and HJR’s
Wednesday, May 8, 2013 (121st day) – Deadline for House to distribute last House Local and Consent Calendar with consent House bills
Thursday, May 9, 2013 (122nd day) – Last day for House to consider HB’s and HJR’s on second reading on Daily or Supplemental Calendar
Friday, May 10, 2013 (123rd day) – Last day for House to consider consent HB’s on second and third reading and all third reading HB’s and HJR’s
Wednesday, May 15, 2013 (128th day) – Deadline for House to distribute last House Local and Consent Calendar with local HB’s
Friday, May 17, 2013 (130th day) – Last day for House to consider local HB’s on second and third reading; and first day Senate can consider bills and resolutions the first day they are posted on the Intent Calendar
Saturday, May 18, 2013 (131st day) – Last day for House committees to report SB’s and SJR’s
Sunday, May 19, 2013 (132nd day) – Deadline for House to distribute last House Daily Calendar with SB’s and SJR’s
Monday, May 20, 2013 (133rd day) – Deadline for House to distribute last House Local and Consent Calendar with SB’s and SJR’s
Tuesday, May 21, 2013 (134th day) – Last day for House to consider SB’s and SJR’s other than local and consent, on second reading
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 (135th day) – Last day for House to consider local and consent SB’s second and third reading and all SB’s and SJR’s on third reading; and last day for Senate to consider all HB’s and HJR’s on second or third reading
Thursday, May 23, 2013 (136th day) – Midnight deadline for House to print and distribute senate amendments
Friday, May 24, 2013 (137th day) – Last day for House to act on senate amendments; midnight deadline for Senate to print and distribute Senate copies of conference committee reports on tax, general appropriations, and reapportionment bills
Saturday, May 25, 2013 (138th day) – Midnight deadline for House to distribute House copies of all conference committee reports; midnight deadline for Senate to print and distribute Senate copies of all conference committee reports on bills other than those on tax, general appropriations, and reapportionment and all House amendments to SB’s and SJR’s that did not go to a conference committee.
Sunday, May 26, 2013 (139th day) – Last day for House to adopt conference committee reports or discharge House conferees and concur in Senate Amendments; last day for Senate to concur in House amendments or adopt conference committee reports
Monday, May 27, 2013 (140th day) – Last day of 83rd Regular Session; corrections only in House and Senate
Sunday, June 16, 2013 (20th day following final adjournment of Regular Session) – Last day the governor can sign or veto bills passed during the regular session
The House adjourned until 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 8, 2013.
The Senate adjourned until 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 8, 2013.
State Websites – Additional information can be obtained via the Senate, House, and Capitol websites: