The first week of legislative session has included both chambers meeting, continued bill filing and hearings both in the House and Senate. For details on the next two days rounding out the first week, see below for “Watch Links & Floor Schedule.” Committee reports for hearings this week are available under premium content and can be accessed if you have already set up credentials.
Of note during the first day on the Senate floor, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told the members, “As a result of the senator resigning and taking another office, the holdover provision in the Constitution does not apply and the membership of the Senate is now 30 members” Patrick continued, “Please be advised that all vote requirements will be based on a total of 30 members.”
“This will affect calculation of a quorum, the votes needed for constitutional amendments, and other majority membership vote requirements as listed in the Senate rules,” Patrick said. This means that 2/3 of the Senate is now 20 instead of 21.
