Setting the Agenda

Elected officials spend much of their time identifying issues and working with stakeholders to set policy priorities, then crafting proposed laws and working through the complex legislative process. You can help set the agenda for District 29 by contacting the Senator’s office through phone calls, emails or letters, or in-person visits.

One of the first things to understand about the legislative process is the calendar. Here are some key legislative dates for 2017 to keep in mind:

 

Tuesday, January 10, 2017 (1st day)

85th Legislature convenes at noon

Dates of Interest 85th Legislature

Interim

Regular Session Begins

[Sec. 5(a), Article III, Texas Constitution; Government Code, Sec. 301.001]

Friday, March 10, 2017 (60th day)

Deadline for the unrestricted filing of bills and joint resolutions other than local bills, emergency appropriations, and bills that have been declared an emergency by the governor
[Sec. 5(b), Article III, Texas Constitution; House Rule 8, Sec. 8; Senate Rule 7.07(b); Senate Rule 10.01 subjects joint resolutions to the rules governing proceedings on bills]

Saturday, April 15, 2017

First day that a senator may place five bills or resolutions on the Senate Intent Calendar

[Senate Rule 5.14(a)]

Monday, May 8, 2017 (119th day)

Last day for house committees to report house bills and house joint resolutions

[The house rules do not contain an express deadline for committees to report measures, but, technically, this is the last day for a house committee to report a house bill or house joint resolution in order for the measure to have any chance of being placed on a house calendar. However, this deadline does not take into consideration the time required to: (1) prepare the bill analysis; (2) obtain an updated fiscal note or impact statement; (3) prepare any other paperwork required for a committee report; or (4) prepare the committee report for distribution to the members of the house as required by the rules. Realistically, it normally takes a full day or more for a bill to reach the Calendars Committee after the bill has been reported from committee.]

Tuesday, May 9, 2017, by 10 p.m. (120th day)

Deadline for the house to distribute its last House Daily Calendar with house bills and house joint resolutions

[relates to House Rule 6, Sec. 16(a), requiring 36-hour layout of daily calendars before consideration]

Wednesday, May 10, 2017, by 9 a.m. (121st day)
Deadline for the house to distribute its last House Local & Consent Calendar with consent house bills
[relates to House Rule 6, Sec. 13, requiring 48-hour layout of local and consent calendars before consideration, and House Rule 8, Sec. 13(b), the deadline for consideration]

Thursday, May 11, 2017 (122nd day)

Last day for the house to consider house bills and house joint resolutions on 2nd reading on the Daily or Supplemental Calendar
[House Rule 8, Sec. 13(b)]

Friday, May 12, 2017 (123rd day)
Last day for the house to consider consent house bills on 2nd and 3rd reading and all 3rd reading house bills or house joint resolutions on the Supplemental Calendar
[House Rule 8, Sec. 13(b)]

Wednesday, May 17, 2017, by 9 a.m. (128th day)
Deadline for house to distribute its last House Local & Consent Calendar with local house bills
[relates to House Rule 6, Sec. 13, requiring 48-hour layout of local and consent calendars before consideration, and House Rule 8, Sec. 13(a), the deadline for consideration]

Friday, May 19, 2017 (130th day)
Last day for the house to consider local house bills on 2nd and 3rd reading
[House Rule 8, Sec. 13(a)]
First day the senate can consider bills and resolutions the first day they are posted on the Senate Intent Calendar [Senate Rule 5.14(b)]

Saturday, May 20, 2017 (131st day)

Last day for house committees to report senate bills and senate joint resolutions

[The house rules do not contain an express deadline for committees to report measures, but, technically, this is the last day for a house committee to report a senate bill or senate joint resolution in order for the measure to have any chance of being placed on a house calendar. However, this deadline does not take into consideration the time required to: (1) prepare the bill analysis; (2) obtain an updated fiscal note or impact statement; (3) prepare any other paperwork required for a committee report; or (4) prepare the committee report for distribution to the members of the house as required by the rules. Realistically, it normally takes a full day or more for a bill to reach the Calendars Committee after the bill has been reported from committee.]

Sunday, May 21, 2017, by 10 p.m. (132nd day)

Deadline for the house to distribute its last House Daily Calendar with senate bills and senate joint resolutions

[relates to House Rule 6, Sec. 16(a), requiring 36-hour layout of daily calendars before consideration, and House Rule 8, Sec. 13(c), the deadline for consideration]

Monday, May 22, 2017, by 9 a.m. (133rd day)

Deadline for the house to distribute its last House Local & Consent Calendar with senate bills

[relates to House Rule 6, Sec. 13, requiring 48-hour layout of local and consent calendars before consideration, and House Rule 8, Sec 13(c), the deadline for consideration]

Tuesday, May 23, 2017 (134th day)

Last day for the house to consider 2nd reading senate bills and senate joint resolutions on the Daily or Supplemental Calendar
[House Rule 8, Sec. 13(c)]

Wednesday, May 24, 2017 (135th day)
Last day for the house to consider local and consent senate bills on 2nd and 3rd reading and all 3rd reading senate bills and senate joint resolutions on the Supplemental Calendar
[House Rule 8, Sec. 13(c)]
Last day for senate to consider all bills and joint resolutions on 2nd or 3rd reading *
[Senate Rule 7.25; Senate Rule 10.01 subjects joint resolutions to the rules governing proceedings on bills]

[* Although Senate Rule 7.24(b) indicates the 137th day is the last day for senate committees to report all bills and joint resolutions, Senate Rule 7.25 indicates the 135th day is the last day for third reading in the senate; the practical deadline for senate committees toreportis before the 135th day.]

Thursday, May 25, 2017, before midnight (136th day)

Deadline for the house to distribute senate amendments

[relates to House Rule 13, Sec. 5(a), requiring 24-hour layout of senate amendments before consideration]

Friday, May 26, 2017 (137th day)

Last day for the house to act on senate amendments (concur or request a conference committee)

[House Rule 8, Sec. 13(d)]

Before midnight — deadline for the senate to print and distribute senate copies of conference committee reports on tax, general appropriations, and reapportionment bills
[relates to Senate Rule 12.09(a), requiring 48-hour layout of certain conference committee reports before consideration in regular session]

Saturday, May 27, 2017, before midnight (138th day)
Deadline for the house to distribute house copies of all conference committee reports
[relates to House Rule 13, Sec. 10(a), requiring 24-hour layout of all conference committee reports]

Deadline for the senate to print and distribute senate copies of all conference committee reports on bills other than tax, general appropriations, and reapportionment bills and all house amendments to senate bills and joint resolutions that did not go to a conference committee
[relates to Senate Rule 12.09(b) and Senate Rule 7.21, requiring 24-hour layout of certain conference committee reports and house amendments to senate bills before consideration during the last 72 hours of a regular session; Senate Rule 10.01 subjects joint resolutions to the rules governing proceedings on bills]

Sunday, May 28, 2017 (139th day)

Last day for the house to adopt conference committee reports or discharge house conferees and concur in senate amendments
[House Rule 8, Sec. 13(e)]
Last day for the senate to concur in house amendments or adopt conference committee reports

[relates to Senate Rule 7.25, limiting a vote on the passage of any bill during the last 24 hours of the session to correct an error in the bill]

Monday, May 29, 2017 (140th day)

Last day of 85th Regular Session (sine die); only corrections may be considered in the house and senate

[Sec. 24(b), Art. III, Texas Constitution; House Rule 8, Sec. 13(f); Senate Rule 7.25]

Regular Session Ends

Sunday, June 18, 2017 (20th day following final adjournment of 85th Regular Session)

Last day the governor can sign or veto bills passed during the regular session

[Sec. 14, Art. IV, Texas Constitution]

Monday, August 28, 2017 (91st day following final adjournment of 85th Regular Session)

Date that bills without specific effective dates, other than bills with immediate effect, become law

[Sec. 39, Art. III, Texas Constitution]

 

Pol. adv. paid for by the José Rodríguez for Senate Campaign, Carmen Rodriguez, Treasurer.
911 Dallas, El Paso, TX, 79902
915.351.8900 (voice)
915.351.8903 (fax)
Site By BST El Paso © 2012 José Rodríguez for Senate Campaign